Page 45 of Heartless Union

“I want my daughter found, too, you know.” He straightens his tie and nods. “I’ll make some calls.” He walks into the living room, leaving me alone with my brothers.

“Sorry,” Massimo says right away. “I was at the house when you called. I couldn’t keep him out of the loop.”

“I understand.” A sudden rage boils over me, and I slam my fist into the wall. “Dammit!”

Massimo jerks back. “Hey, it’s ok. We’ll find them and get them back.”

“No, you don’t understand. Lara.” All I can see is her face when she said it was ok for me to choose my sister over her. She was willing to die.

I didn’t think I cared about my wife. She was just a means to an. But when I was looking at her and seeing the sacrifice she was willing to make, it … changed something inside me.

For the first time, I felt my heart do more than just beat. I felt … heartbreak.

I underestimated Lara. I was nothing but cold to her, and now, she might really die.

“We’ll ger her back,” Emilio says.

“No. She was willing to die for Gabriella,” I tell them. Both sets of eyes widen. “Could I have said the same? Was I willing to die for her?”

Massimo places his hand on my arm. “I think from the moment you met her you were willing to die for her.”

“It doesn’t matter now. She’s gone, and I fucked it up. I would’ve had to choose which one to save, so instead, I chose neither. And now, they’re both gone. What kind of boss will I make if I can’t make a decision like that?”

“A good man,” Massimo says. “One who wouldn’t put the life of his wife above his sister or vice versa.”

Emilio nods. “It was an impossible decision.”

“You’re both being too nice to me. If this were one of you, I’d never be so compassionate.”

Massimo breaks out his cocky grin. “Then good thing we’re not you.”

For the first time, I agree with Massimo. It’s a good thing no one else is as devoid of emotion as me. What would the world look like if that were the case?

After a couple of hours and no more progress, I feel hopeless. How am I supposed to find them? They could be anywhere in the city.

A frantic knock sounds out from the front door.

I leave my brothers and father in the living room, pouring over research, and open the door.

It’s Lara.

The sight of her surprises me so much I can’t even move.

She looks rattled and scared. Her knees and hands are bleeding. Her hair is a tangled mess.

But she’s alive.

Without even thinking about it, I pull her into a hug. She tenses for a moment before relaxing and hugging me back.

“Lara, where’s Gabriella?”

She pulls back. “They still have her. I managed to escape. I wanted to go back for her, but she told me to go. I thought I could find help.”

“You know where she is?”

“I do.”

Within the hour, my brothers, father, and I have swarmed the shitty little house in Brooklyn where Carlo and Dante are keeping my sister. Lara is at home with a guard. She wanted to come with us, but I put my foot down. I can’t risk losing her again.

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