Chapter 25

25

Creed

S ince the incredible blowjob Zara gave me on the rooftop, I’ve been making excuses at night, such as I’m too tired for anything before the two of us lie down and go to sleep.

Of course, it’s a lie.

Zara’s mouth is so damn amazing that, while it pisses me the fuck off, I know exactly why Izaiah and Emilio couldn’t stay away from her.

I hate myself for being no better than those assholes, taking advantage of Zara after giving her no choice but to be my wife. I don’t want to use her like that, no matter how good it feels. That’s why I’ve done my best to keep my hands off her, which also means I don’t get much sleep. How can I when I know she’s lying right next to me, looking and smelling too damn good to be true?

And it’s not just my craving for her body that worries me .

I’m falling for her a little more each day. And I feel guilty for not getting her daughter back yet, as if I’m intentionally dragging my feet to keep her with me a little longer.

But the truth is, the search is just a slow process. It’s not like I can ask if anyone has seen Emilio Rovina with a curly-haired girl. All that would do is raise suspicion. For this kidnapping to work, it needs to be completely unexpected. I have to catch him off-guard.

I’m considering sending my new employee, Eugene, with fake food deliveries to each door to scope out the apartments one Friday when two young women and four big men come walking out of a building on Park Avenue. It’s the third to last property on the long list and not far from my own penthouse.

On the blonde woman’s hip is a tiny girl with auburn curls blowing across her face. The girl is identical to the one in the photos on Zara’s phone.

Oriana is beautiful, just like her mother.

Finally getting to see her in person almost feels like a dream.

“That’s her,” I say to Aldo. I’d reluctantly let him drive me today, so I could review the discovery files my attorney sent over for the possession of a firearm charge. “You see her, too, right?”

“I see a little girl, boss. How can you be sure it’s the right one, though?”

“I just know it. Follow them. Discreetly.”

I can’t believe that I wasted so much time watching all the Rovina Brooklyn properties first, when I should’ve started with the one closest to me.

When the group walks into Marcus Garvey Park, I have Aldo park the SUV on the side of the road. I climb out to get a closer look even though it’s risky.

But I’m glad I did it a moment later. I would’ve hated to miss seeing the tiny girl, bouncing around like she’s a rabbit. When the brunette gives her a container of bubbles, she runs over and blows them right into one of the guard’s faces with a giggle .

She’s a little troublemaker like her mother, and I already know I’d protect her with my life.

I make sure to zoom in and take photos and videos to show Zara and confirm it’s her daughter, even though I’m almost certain.

For the next hour, I watch the girl play until they leave, heading back toward the apartment while I return to the SUV.

Aldo follows the group, and we watch them disappear inside. “We’re going to do this tonight.”

“Tonight?” he repeats in surprise.

“I’ll ask Dre and Tristan to help us.”

“Just those two?”

“Yes. Just those two. Four of us are more than enough to draw attention. We’ll go inside in pairs and take out the guards. We’ll need to wear Kevlar vests under long coats, gloves, and hats to make sure we’re not identified on any cameras.”

“You got a plan on how to handle the four guards and two women?”

I’ve considered this potential scenario for weeks now. “Stun gun batons. They won’t be easy to procure, but I want gunfire to be a last resort. Not only are they loud and messy, but I don’t want to hurt or terrify the girl. If she screams and fights on the way out, it’ll draw too much attention. If we go late enough, hopefully, she’ll be asleep, and we’ll catch the guards dozing.”

We don’t know for certain what the inside of the apartment looks like or if there are more than four guards. But that’s a risk we’re going to have to take. I can’t postpone in case Emilio decides to move her somewhere else. And I can’t put this reunion off for Zara any longer either.

That’s another reason why I haven’t touched my wife since the night on the roof.

I don’t want Zara to fuck me as repayment for anything, especially not for returning her daughter to her. I’m just trying to right a wrong by the Rovinas. What they did to Zara was evil. How could anyone think she’d be anything other than a loving mother, giving the girl a safe and happy home?

It’s something that I’ve gone without most of my life. There’s no amount of money or power that can buy love. Not the real kind that Zara has for Oriana.

It’s the unconditional, unwavering love I’ve started to feel for Zara, even if it will never be returned.

I can’t keep her. I won’t. Because of Emilio, Zara and her daughter could only remain in New York locked up like prisoners.

I’m going to kill that son of a bitch one of these days, but until then, Zara is going to get the peace she deserves.

Zara

Creed returns home earlier tonight than usual. Once again, I’m lazing around his penthouse after spending the day doing nothing. It was nice to not have any obligations at first, to not have to go into work and stand on my feet for twelve hours. But lately, I’ve been getting so damn depressed. I need something to do. An actual purpose.

I go meet him in the foyer, happy to see him, to have his company again. “Hey.” I miss him when he walks out the door every day after we have breakfast together.

He dismisses his watchmen before turning to me. “Hey. I’ve got something to show you.” He gives me a kiss and takes my hand, guiding me back to the sofa. It’s one of the rare times when he’s actually touched me .

I thought that things would change between us after our date on the rooftop, but Creed still refuses to make a move at night or in the morning before we get up and share the only meal of the day together. It’s frustrating to want him so much and not have the sentiment returned.

If anything, Creed seems to have pulled away even more after the night on the roof as if he didn’t enjoy it and didn’t care for a repeat. And there haven’t been any occasions of him kneeling between my legs lately either.

“Here.” He offers me his phone. “There are photos and videos. Just keep scrolling until you’ve seen them all.”

“Okay.” I accept the device, wondering what he’s found, and assume it’s something that connects Emilio to the raid.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The first photo is a zoomed in image of Oriana, grinning from ear to ear and standing in what looks like a park.

“How did you...”

“I found her.”

If he says anything else, I don’t hear him. I’m too captivated by the images and especially, the videos with the sound of her happy squeals even from some distance away.

Once I’ve replayed every video at least three times, I lift my drenched face and stinging eyes to Creed. “I’m sorry to be blubbering and all, but I haven’t seen her in over a month. She’s grown so much!”

“We’re going to get her tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Why does everyone suddenly question my every word?” he mutters.

“Sorry, it’s just…that’s so soon. Are you sure you’re ready?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know, Creed. I don’t want her to get hurt during a shootout. Or for you to get caught by Emilio’s men. There are at least four, right?” I saw the big burly dark-haired men in the photos as well.

“It won’t come to a shootout,” my husband says. “And I didn’t see Emilio or any of the Rovinas today, just two nannies and four guards, so that shouldn’t be an issue.”

“How can you be so sure? About the shooting, I mean.”

“We’re going to have our guns on us, but we’ll use stun guns on the guards.”

“And the women?”

“What do you think we should do with them?”

“Don’t kill them,” I exclaim. Then, realizing that sounded like an order, I add, “Please. They probably don’t know who they work for, or that he took her from me for one failed drug test.”

“Okay, we’ll leave them alone if we can.” Leaning forward, he kisses my cheek and says, “I know it doesn’t seem like a great, well-thought-out plan, but we knew it was going to be risky, regardless. And we expect casualties — the guards, I mean. If you can’t handle that, then we can call it off. We could try to wait...”

“No. Do it. If you think it’s safe for you and Oriana, then I trust you.”

“Good.”

“The guards…” I start when I have an idea.

“You don’t want me to kill them either?”

“I was just wondering if maybe you should question them first, see if they know anything about Emilio being involved in the club raid with Izaiah.”

“That’s not a bad idea. I doubt they’ll know anything, but it’s possible his guards rotate and aren’t assigned solely to watch over Oriana.” I nod my head as he continues, “I’m going to go get changed.”

“Wait.” I stand up with him and grab the front of his suit jacket to stop him. I throw my arms around his neck, holding him tight. “Thank you. And please be careful. If it’s too dangerous…”

“It won’t be. Oriana will be safe, I promise, micetta mia. ” Creed gives me a quick kiss on the lips before he walks away.

What I meant was that I wanted him to be careful and not get hurt. But it doesn’t seem like he’s concerned about his own safety.