Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“Fuck.” I breathed out through my nose, trying to keep calm. Enzo and Marco were two of our best. There was no way they’d get taken down easily.
“What happened to Dahlia then?” I snapped. “You were still watching, weren’t you?”
“Ten and a half minutes ago I saw three figures exit the building,” Gabriele said in a low voice, “They were wearing uniforms, so I paid them no mind. But, they were carrying a suspiciously large bag between them.”
“You don’t think it was…” I trailed off, clenching my hand over the phone.
Dammit.
There was no way. I had promised James I’d keep Dahlia safe, that I’d keep her away from harm. If she had been taken by those damn bastards, he would have my head for it.
“As soon as the three men left, I went to investigate. The apartment was completely empty. The two boys never left through the front entrance, so I am unsure of their whereabouts, but the door was not forced open,” Gabriele replied.
I heard the sound of beeping in the background. He was most likely near a road.
“Which means they were either involved or knew someone who was,” I finished angrily.
The thought of those two idiots being involved was slim, but never zero. I’d seen good people betray others for less than what the Russians could offer.
But now wasn’t the time to wonder if they were involved. Either they were or weren’t and either way, they were going to die when I got my hands on them.
Now, I needed to find Dahlia quickly.
“Any sign of Dahlia?” I asked.
“I did find a necklace hidden under one of the bookcases. The chain was broken, but the pendant was identical to the one she was wearing to dinner.”
Shit.
I clenched my teeth, my anger rising like a heat wave. There was no doubt in my mind. Dahlia had been kidnapped, and right under my fucking nose at that.
I’d told her those apartments were bad news. I had told her not to go, but she never listened. She was just like her parents could be sometimes–thinking they knew better than the people around them.
Well, this time she’d gotten into massive trouble.
“I talked to the desk jockey, and he said the three men said they were a cleaning service, but he assured me that the building had not hired anyone to clean,” Gabriele said coldly,.
“Did you follow them?” I demanded.
“No, but I thought their movements were suspicious, so I asked someone in the area to. Luckily, Santino was close by. He followed them out to an abandoned building on the outskirts of downtown. It’s secluded enough that nobody goes there any more.”
A perfect hideout.
“Wake up everybody and get them out there. Send a team to that building and another to the apartment. Find anything you can, and report it to me. Find Dahlia, and find the bastards who took her,” I snapped into the phone.
“Yes, sir,” Gabriele said firmly, and the call went dead in my hands.
I stood there for a moment, just breathing as my heart raced in panic. Dahlia was missing, possibly kidnapped, and we had no clue where she was.
“Giovani?”
I glanced over at Olivia, who kneeled on the bed. She reached a hand out to grab mine, but I pulled back, glancing at the door.
“Giovani, what’s wrong?”
Her sweet voice was deafening in the silent house. She had no clue what was happening, no clue what her best friend was missing, and that was my fault.
“Please?”
It was her soft little plea that finally got me to move. I breathed a sigh, moving closer as I pressed my lips onto hers. She was sweet and soft and so innocent.
She didn’t belong in the life I lived, and I knew that. I couldn’t tell her the truth, and I couldn’t let her go. There was no time to explain, no time to listen to her tears as I told her what had happened.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured as I pulled away, leaning my forehead on hers as I shut my eyes tightly. “I have to go.”
Her eyes widened as she looked at me like I was crazy, and maybe I was.
“Wait a minute–”
I swallowed her protests with a kiss, taking my last fill as I dove into her mouth until she was panting for me. When we broke apart, we were both breathing hard, and her eyes were staring up at me, begging for more.
I ducked my gaze, hardening my heart as I pulled away from her.
I pretended like I didn’t see the hurt look in her eyes as I reached for my clothes on the ground.
Now wasn’t the time to comfort Olivia, no matter how much I wanted to.
Now, I had to find Dahlia.
Just as I reached for my shirt, my phone buzzed again, ringing the same tone. I sighed, groaning as I answered it.
“They moved,” Gabriele said, a hint of irritation in his voice.
“What do you mean they moved?” I demanded.
“I mean, the building we followed them back to was empty. They moved places and switched cars as well. Santino lost track of them near the river. If they manage to cross the river in time–”
“Dammit. Get everyone on that search now! Comb the whole area if you have to,” I snapped, “We don’t have time for this.”
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir,” Gabriele replied.
I hung up the phone and nearly threw it at the wall. More bad news kept piling in, and I was ready to snap.
I took a deep breath to calm my anger, shutting my eyes. I had been too lenient lately, too soft. It was too easy to slip into normality with Olivia–to pretend I was just as soft and sweet as she was.
But I wasn’t.
I was the Don of the Valentino Mafia.
It was time to show them that.
*Olivia*
A sense of dread built in my stomach as I watched Giovani’s face turn cold. Anger burned in his eyes as he scrambled for the clothes he’d discarded on the floor.
