Chapter Seven

JACE

When I wake up the next morning, the warmth of Natalia’s presence beside me feels comforting. I look down at her sleeping form, a small smile pulling at my lips. She looks so peaceful, almost too innocent for everything she's been through. In this moment, it’s easy to forget the darkness that surrounds her, to remember that she’s likely half my age. Seeing her like this makes me want to protect her even more fiercely.

After a while, I tear myself away from watching her, gently easing myself out of her embrace. As I get dressed, she stirs, her sleepy eyes locking onto me. She looks so damn cute that I can’t resist walking over and pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"Where are you going?" Her voice is thick with sleep, and it makes my heart tug.

"I have some work to handle this morning," I answer, wishing I didn’t have to leave her side. But the bastards who tried to traffic her? They won’t get away with it. This is personal, and as capable as my brother is, I don’t trust anyone else to deal with them. "Don’t worry. I’ll have one of my guys standing guard while I’m gone. You’ll be safe here."

An unreadable expression flashes across her face as I prepare to leave, but she doesn’t say anything. I want to ask her what’s going on in her head, but there’s no time for that right now. I’ve got a job to do, and the sooner I handle it, the sooner I can get back to her. So, I lean down and press a quick kiss to her lips before heading out of the room.

In the hallway, I pull out my phone and dial the man I trust most to keep an eye on things while I’m gone. He answers quickly, promising to be there in just a few minutes. I hang up as the elevator doors open and step inside.

The drive is smooth, and my driver knows the area well. He cuts through the streets with precision, pulling a few risky moves, but that’s nothing new. This is our territory. Even if we got pulled over, the cops know better than to mess with us. We get the job done faster and more efficiently than they ever could.

When I arrive at the warehouse, Red is already waiting for me, and his words hit me with a mix of sarcasm and curiosity. “There’s the fleeing son of a bitch,” he says with a grin, though there’s an edge in his tone. “That situation get a little too hairy for you?”

“You know I don’t scare easily,” I reply, scanning the room. My gaze lands on the man tied to the chair in the center of the room, blindfolded and mere inches away from a steel table filled with tools designed for… getting answers. “You leave this guy for me?”

“Something like that,” Red says with a smirk. His gaze sharpens, and he locks eyes with me. “You gonna tell me about that girl you brought home last night?”

I raise an eyebrow, already knowing what this is about. “You know about her?” I ask, not surprised. It’s Red’s job to keep tabs on everything. My driver from last night probably reported to him as soon as he dropped me and Natalia off.

“I do,” Red says, his voice dripping with knowing. “But do you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snap back, immediately on the defensive.

“Did you bother trying to get her last name, or were you too busy thinking with your dick?”

“Christ, Red. It wasn’t like that,” I growl, pinching the bridge of my nose, forcing myself to stay calm. He’s probably just trying to get a reaction out of me. “And why does her last name matter?”

“Well, if it’s Gatto, it matters,” he says, deadpan.

“That’s…” My words falter as the realization hits me like a ton of bricks.

“Their president’s last name,” Red finishes, his jaw tightening. “You might’ve been too busy with your new toy to do a background check, but I wasn’t. That girl you have in your house? She’s Natalia Gatto. Our rivals are actively looking for her. And you’ve been playing house with her.”

“Man, it’s not like that,” I say, a rush of anger and frustration flooding through me. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. How do you even know it’s her?”

“Are you seriously doubting me?” Red laughs derisively, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “All I needed was a description. We all knew she was gone.”

“But she can’t be one of them, Red,” I argue, though even as the words leave my mouth, I remember what Natalia said last night. She was scared of that girl. She was worried because that girl was her.

She’d mentioned seeing an opportunity to leave—maybe that’s what happened. She didn’t want to be part of this, and if she had anything to do with the trafficking ring, she likely had no choice.

“How can you be so sure?” Red asks, the sternness still in his tone, but there’s a hint of curiosity in his voice. He’s not dismissing me outright. He’s listening, waiting for me to explain.

Before I can answer, my phone rings. I glance down at the screen, my finger hovering over the silence button. But I pause when I see the caller ID—an unknown number. That stops me cold.

“Who is it?” Red asks, his voice edged with curiosity.

“I don’t know,” I reply, staring at the phone in my hand. “They’ve blocked their number.”

“Answer it on speaker,” Red demands, stepping closer to get a better look at the screen.

I swipe the screen and hit the speaker button. The line crackles, and all I can hear is ragged breathing. Then a distant shout echoes through the line before a man’s voice breaks the silence.

“Jace Marino,” the man says, the smirk in his voice making my blood boil. “We know.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I snap, my grip on the phone tightening so much I think it might snap.

“We know you have Natalia,” the man continues, as if he couldn’t care less. Red and I exchange a tense look, but the guy isn’t done. “I think you’ve forgotten she isn’t yours. We’re coming for her.”

Before I can get a word in, the man hangs up. My frustration boils over, and I throw the phone across the room, watching it fly just past the head of the man tied to the chair. He flinches but stays quiet.

“You really like her, huh?” Red comments, his voice a mix of amusement and something else I can’t quite place.

“You have no fucking idea,” I growl, already heading for the door.

“Yeah? Then let’s go,” Red says, following me. I throw open the door to the getaway car, but Red is quicker, shoving me aside to climb in after me.

“What the hell are you doing?” I ask, as I grip the door handle, irritated.

“You think I don’t know what it’s like to have someone you love in danger?” he responds, locking eyes with me as he instructs the driver to head back to my place. “Like hell I’m letting you deal with this on your own.”

“I didn’t ask you to come with me,” I mutter, watching the city blur past as our driver peels away from the curb. “I know you’re pissed about me bringing her back here.”

“Maybe I am,” Red admits, watching me out of the corner of his eye. “But if you’re serious about this girl, I’m not gonna let you lose her. I might be a dick, but I’m not a monster. You’re still my little brother, and you’d do the same for me. Hell, you’ve done the same for me. We’re gonna keep her safe. She’s family now, right?”

I grunt in response, my nerves practically buzzing with anxiety. At least Red’s got my back. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him sending my address to our team. He’s already getting the place locked down, preparing for whatever comes next.

No matter what happens, I know we’ll get through this. We’re good at handling these assholes. But what really eats at me is the thought of them getting to her before we do. From the way Natalia talked, they’re going to be a hell of a lot worse than I ever imagined.