Page 97 of Stolen By the Enemy

“Will he come after us now?” This is the question I haven’t wanted to have to ask, and I feel a thrum of fear lance through me at the thought of one of the most notorious gangsters in the business coming for us.

Marco sighs. “I don’t know, but I doubt it. He’ll go after your brothers because they have her.”

I set my teeth. I figured that was what he would say.

My stupid brothers. Why can’t they leave anything alone?

But then I remembered Kate’s agonizing fear at the thought of being handed over to Elio, and my anger softens a little.

“Will he hurt them?” I ask, knowing Marco will track that I am talking about Mateo and Kate.

Marco is silent for a moment.

“I can’t say for sure, but I think that Elio is still in love with Kate. He doesn’t know who Mateo is, unfortunately, but if he thinks that he’s mine, he probably won’t have much interest in his safety.”

“That’s not an answer,” I say back, folding the towel in on itself and going back to work.

“I know,” Marco admits. “All I know is Kate was very scared of him when she came to be seven years ago, and I trusted her instincts. I have never liked La Rosa, and he has a terrible reputation, so I doubt she will be happy about falling into his clutches again.”

“I suppose that we will have to hope that his bark is worse than his bite, sort of like the rest of you,” I say reluctantly.

Marco chuckles a little, then sucks in a breath as his ribs hurt him. “You should tell your brothers to let Elio know who Mateo is. It’ll keep the boy safe.”

I scan his face for a moment, wanting to demand so much more from him.

I can’t say that I enjoyed finding out about Kate in this way, and I’m certainly not pleased that my groom looks like a vanquished prizefighter on my wedding day.

However, I know that Marco couldn’t have predicted any of the things that happened today.

There is only so much that any of us can do to protect ourselves in this business.

“Phone,” I say again.

Marco smiles at me and holds out his cell again.

I quickly send a text to Luca, telling him that Marco advises we let Elio know that Mateo is his.

I make sure that I indicate that it’s going to help motivate him to make a deal since my brother probably doesn’t really care if the child is safe or not.

With that done, I go back into the kitchen in our luxurious hotel room, and pour out the bowl of bloody water and wring out the ruined towels.

I glance down at my damaged dress, which is now spotted with blood.

I surprise myself by smiling. I know I should be angry that my wedding turned out this way, but I’m not.

I’m just glad that Marco and I are safe.

I cross the room to curl up carefully against Marco’s uninjured side. He cautiously lifts his arm to drape it over me.

“Think we’ll have to postpone the wedding night celebration,” he says to me, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

I giggle. “I think we’ve done enough celebrating over the past couple of weeks to make things official anyhow.”

“Do you believe me that Mateo is Elio’s?” Marco asks me.

I lace my fingers through his and nod. “Yes. But I wish you had told me about him.”

“I know,” he admits. “It’s a habit to keep Kate hidden and secret. I should have just left her at her house, though.”

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