Library

20. Nico

Chapter 20

Nico

I’m sitting at my desk, trying to focus on the screen in front of me, sifting through information and leads and contacts and trying to figure out how the hell to find out why Marcus is here - but the fucking phone in the office won’t stop ringing. It’s loud and jarring and continuous.

Every time the person gives up and hangs up on the other side I feel a momentary relief - but then - they pick up, dial again and it starts all over again.

It’s so annoying, because I’m already waiting for the midnight meeting to happen and now the sound of the ringing phone is like a grater against my last nerve. The longer I let it ring the more it aggravates me and drives me crazy. I’m on the edge of sanity as it is.

I don’t know who the fuck is phoning at this time of night because it’s obvious she isn’t here. So why the hell don’t they stop.

When it starts again, for the tenth time, I shout and shove myself away from my desk - storming into her office I yank the phone up and hold it to my ear. Every muscle in my body is tense.

“Who is this?” I say, too harsh, too rude - because what if it’s a client?

I take a deep breath, trying to settle my annoyance.

A nervous voice comes through the line.

“Um - hello - um - my name is Lisa. I’m looking for Bella. Is she there?”

Lisa. This woman doesn’t understand how phones work. If Bella was here, she would have answered - a while ago.

“Bella left to go home a long time ago. It’s after-hours. You can get her on her mobile if it’s that important, or call again in the morning, during working hours - “ I reply with the annoyance clear on my voice. I am about to hang up when Lisa’s desperate voice shouts out, “No, wait - please - you don’t understand - “

I sigh. Putting the phone back against my ear.

“What is it Lisa?” I huff.

“I’m her son’s nanny. I’m at her apartment right now. She called me almost three hours ago to tell me she was leaving the office - but she never got home. She only lives ten minutes away - she should be here - I tried her cell phone so many times - and then I started calling the office - I don’t know where she could be and it’s not like her - she wouldn’t just leave her son - I don’t know what to do - I’m so worried—”

“Lisa.” I say her name because she is panicked and is hardly breathing between her words. “ Lisa .”

She stops talking.

The blood is running cold in my veins. My mind is going to the darkest places - worried about where she is - knowing it can’t be good.

So, that explains why Lisa refused to give up. She is worried, panicked and fearful for what’s happened to Bella. And she doesn’t even know about her ex and the threat he poses.

I take a deep breath. Focus.

“My name is Nico. I’m Dante’s father. I need you to stay with him. Lock the doors and do not open them for anyone but me. Not even Bella. If Bella arrives - do not open that door. Do you understand?”

“I - why - why wouldn’t I open for Bella - “ she mutters.

“Lisa - they might come after my son. Please, trust me. Keep that door locked from the inside.”

“Ok.” She stammers and I can hear the tears in her voice. “Is Bella ok? Is she going to be ok?”

“I’m going to find Bella. I will bring her home. Please, just keep Dante safe.”

“Ok.” She says again, with more conviction.

“Give me your mobile number. I’ll give you mine. Stay in touch. Call if anything happens. If anyone comes to the apartment you have to call me - ok?”

“Yes. I will. I’ll call.”

We exchange information, then I hang up.

Our son is safe - for now. That is important. That gives me the smallest amount of peace. So, I can focus all of my energy on finding Bella.

I have to move fast. Bella is in danger. I know who has her. There is only one person. But where did he take her?

I go back to my office, grabbing my phone and calling my security team.

“Sir?” he answers.

“Get to the gallery - now.”

“Sir, we have the meeting in about thirty minutes - we were just about to leave for that.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. I found out why Marcus is in the city - and he got what he wanted - now I need you to get to the gallery so we can stop him.”

“Fuck. Ok. We’re on our way.”

Marcus is the only person who knows who Bella really is.

I don’t even need to guess. I know he has her. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to let her go home alone. I should have driven her. I should have had a guard on her twenty-four seven. This is my fault. I fucked up.

And now I need to fix it.

For a few minutes all I feel is panic.

Marcus is capable of killing her.

It all depends on if he wants revenge - or if he wants what he was promised. Perhaps he wants both - but I have to hope that he still plans to marry her because then he will keep her alive. At least for now.

But as soon as they are married he is going to disappear, and I doubt I will ever find her again after that. I need to figure out where she is before they leave this city.

While I wait for my team to arrive my mind floods with images of her.

Her gorgeous smile and how her eyes glitter when she gets a mischievous thought. The way her lips curl upwards at the ends and create cute little dimples on her cheeks.

She is beautiful in so many ways. Her heart is the most sacred thing I have. I want her back.

I need her.

She is my stability, the yin to my yang.

I’ve only just connected with her. We’ve only just started figuring everything out and allowing ourselves to love each other.

We were about to start our future together - with our son. We were about to become a proper family and now she has been torn away from me.

I’m impatient, my men are taking too long to get here, even though it’s only been a few minutes - I lock up the gallery. Checking the back and then heading out the front doors, I close everything up and stand on the massive stone steps outside in the chilly night air.

I glance left and right up the street.

In the distance I can see Bella’s car and the sight of it churns my stomach.

I’m about to walk towards it when my team pulls up and parks in front of the gallery.

“Sir, what’s going?” Jonty, my lead security guy climbs out of the car and gets straight to the point.

“Marcus took Bella. The mother of my son. I need to know where he is, and we need to get her back. Now.”

“The mother of your - “ he stammers, going silent for a second as the shock of the news hits him. “I didn’t know.”

“You and me both, man. Look - all we have to focus on right now is getting her back. That’s her car down there.”

“Let’s check it out.”

We jog towards the car.

As we get closer, I see a mess of things next to the driver’s door, laying across the road. Her files, her package - the car key is in the door. She got ambushed. He caught her by surprise.

Jonty kneels down to look under the car. “Her phone’s here.” He gets low and reaches under it, pulling her phone out and handing it to me.

“Fuck. I should have been there for her.”

“We’ll get her back. We know which hotel he was staying at - I think we should start there. How long since she was taken?”

I look at my watch.

“Three hours, maybe three and a half.”

“Fuck. That’s a lot of time to be alone with a man like Marcus.”

I clench my jaw and glare at Jonty. “I fucking know that.” I snarl.

“Sorry.” He mutters, keeping his eyes low. “Come on. Get in the car with us. We have all the equipment in there too so you can gear up on the way.”

“We can’t just rush into a penthouse.”

“We might not have to. I still have a man outside there, tracking Marcus’s comings and goings. I’ll call him now on the way and see if Marcus is there.”

We pile into the car and the security team hands me my gear. A Kevlar vest, shoulder holsters, two Glocks.

The methodical processing of getting ready in the back of the car soothes me a little.

I’m going to find her, and I’m going to save her.

Jonty is making calls in the front, next to the driver.

“Yeah, how long ago? - Ok - and where did they go? Did you follow? - Excellent. Send me the location. We’re on our way.”

“Where?” I demand as soon as he hangs up.

“They left the penthouse about thirty minutes ago. My man spotted the SUV leaving the parking area and followed it to a fucked up part of town to an abandoned building. He’s sending co-ordinates now.”

“Was Bella with Marcus?”

“I don’t know. The car windows are tinted. But the old building - it’s a church.”

“She was with him.” I sigh.

Comments

0 Comments
Best Newest

Contents
Settings
  • T
  • T
  • T
  • T
Font

Welcome to FullEpub

Create or log into your account to access terrific novels and protect your data

Don’t Have an account?
Click above to create an account.

lf you continue, you are agreeing to the
Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.