“I doubt she knows where that fucker is hiding, but you’re right, we need to keep her safe.” I shouldn’t have let her go. I should’ve made her stay in my apartment until I returned. “Elio doesn’t know I’ve found out.”
“You can’t be too sure of what he knows and doesn’t know.” Jane scrolls through her phone for a moment. “We need to bring her to Dominic’s place.”
Dominic’s brows knit. “Why?”
Jane looks at him. “Because your house is the most secure place I can think of for now. She’ll be safe there.”
Dominic thinks while I desperately hope he doesn’t turn down Jane’s suggestion. “I’ll have to inform my wife and you can bring Isabella over if Elena agrees. Mind you, I’m only doing this because she’s pregnant with my nephew.”
“Jane will be coming over as well,” Marcus says.
Jane pinches Marcus’s bicep and Marcus twists his neck to her. “If we take Isabella, Elio will know we’re out for him. He won’t just sit back and wait until we get him.”
Jane nods her head. “I agree. Plus, if we don’t give him another hostage then he probably won’t hurt Isabella’s grandmother since he’ll have to use her as bait.”
With each second that passes, I feel a sense of urgency mounting within me. Isabella’s safety, along with that of our unborn child and her grandmother, is all I can think about.
Every passing second feels like a potential threat looming over us, and I can’t shake the feeling something’s about to go horribly wrong. I can’t shrug off the fear I may not be able to protect her and our baby.
“Let’s not waste any time,” Jane declares, her voice cutting through the tension in the room. “We need to act fast if we’re going to keep Isabella safe and find Elio before he does anything stupid.”
Dominic nods in agreement, his expression grave. “I’ll make the necessary arrangements for security at my place after I speak with Elena. Vincent, you go get Isabella. Marcus, make sure everything’s in place for Jane. I’ll take care of the rest.”
I stand up, ready to spring into action. “I’ll stay with her until you get confirmation from Elena.” I turn to Jane. “Thank you.” It wouldn’t have been this easy without her.
As I head toward the door, my phone vibrates in my pocket, signaling an incoming call. I glance at the screen and see a number I don’t recognize. Ignoring the call for now, I leave the study and close the door behind me.
A text comes in from the same number and I open it to read.
Hi, Vincent. It’s Naomi. Please pick up.
My stomach constricts and I hurry to answer when my phone rings again. “Is there a problem?”
“Vincent, I think something happened to Isabella. I can’t find her anywhere and Oreo has been frantic.”
“Who is Oreo?”
“Her dog.”
I slide my fingers through my hair. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”
Marcus stands up, noting the worry on my face. “Who was that?”
“Isabella’s best friend. Isabella is missing.” I try to take deep breaths. “I think Elio took her. We need to find her.”
“Not so quick,” Dominic says calmly. “If they have a deal then it’s not strange he took her. If we make a wrong move and he finds out we know their plan, then we will only be putting her and her Nana in more danger.”
My jaw clenches. “So, what do I do? Just wait?”
“Yes, we wait,” he answers. “You won’t make any rash decisions if you want her and the baby to remain safe. Do you understand?”
I can’t answer because I’m already out the room, running to my motorbike.
Isabella’s place is a mess when I enter her apartment. There are shards of broken plates everywhere. Naomi is curled up in a corner, her head buried between her legs as she cries.
“Are you okay?” I ask, stepping over the broken plates as I walk to her.
She lifts her head. Her eyes are red and swollen from crying. “Elio took her. I know it’s him. What do we do?”