Page 57 of The Mafia's Surprise Gift

“Zack?” I called loudly, searching through the kitchen. “Zack, baby, where are you?”

I checked the wet room, the bathroom, and Mom’s bedroom, but there was no sign of him.

“Zack! If you’re hiding, this isn’t funny! Come out, now!” I double checked everywhere, running from room to room while flinging open doors and cabinets to make sure he wasn’t there. I checked behind furniture, under tables, and all the closets while calling his name louder and louder.

Then I sprinted outside onto the back deck. “Zack!” I screamed as loudly as I could reach, sending several birds scattering from the tree line.

He was gone. How the fuck was he gone?

My heart pounded so painfully that my healing ribs throbbed in time to each beat, while my mind immediately catastrophized what could have happened.

Did he get outside and wander to the forest, where he knows he’s not allowed? Is he lost in there? Did he walk to the lake and drown?

“Zack!!”

I stumbled back inside. Hot tears flooded my eyes, and my hands trembled so fiercely that I struggled to hold my phone.

I had to call the police. I had to call them and get?—

My blurred eyes landed on Rocco’s name, and another terrible thought entered my mind. What if this time, it wasn’t the normal world that had taken Zack from me, but Rocco’s world? He had Dino watching me for a reason. There had to be a credible threat, and now Zack was gone.

I hit the dial.

“Mae?”

The front door crashed open, and I leaped up from my seat, clutching at my umpteenth tissue as tears poured down my cheeks.

“Mae?”

“I–I’m here, I’m?—”

Rocco charged into the lounge, walked right up to me, and clasped my shoulders with his large, strong hands. The worried look on his face was similar to the look he’d worn when bursting into my hospital room, and it made the pain in my chest crack sharper.

“Mae, what’s happened? What’s going on?”

“It–It’s Zack!” I almost couldn’t get the words out through my terrified sobs. It was like a vise had been sealed around my chest and each time I tried to breathe in, it restricted a little more each time.

“What happened?”

“He’s gone!”

“Mae, what do you mean he’s gone?”

Footsteps thundered up the stairs, and I briefly glimpsed Jian darting into the kitchen. I hadn’t seen him since the accident, and it was almost alien to see him now.

“I–I put him down for a nap and I w–went for one myself, and when I woke u–up, he was gone!” I sobbed, nearly caving in on myself. My legs wobbled, and the world tipped while a pulse of nausea flooded through my gut. “I looked everywhere, but I can’t find him!”

“It’s alright,” Rocco said tightly. He pulled me firmly against his chest and wrapped both his strong arms around my shoulders. “We’ll find him.”

Footsteps thundered back down the stairs, and I spotted Dino through the gap in Rocco’s arm.

“Nothing,” Dino said grimly.

“Start a sweep,” Rocco ordered. “I want everyone we have available looking, you understand me?”

“On it.” Dino nodded once and left, just as Jian appeared. His face was still bruised from the crash and he held himself at an odd angle, but it was so good to see him on his feet again.

“Rocco, the forest…”

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