Page 87 of Malevolent Secrets

“Renee, you don’t understand. I have to see him. I have to know he’s going to be okay.”

But she remains firm, her resolve unyielding.

“Dani, I'm so sorry. I wish I could take you. I really wish I could take you. But Massimo's men are still out there. There's a lot still happening and I cannot take you right now. Lorenzo is not going to forgive me if anything happens to you. And goodness, our relationship is already on thin enough ice as it is right now.”

I open my mouth to plead again, but she turns away.

“I have to go now. I’ll keep you updated, I promise.”

She leaves and I’m left standing there, my world crashing down around me.

The minutes crawl by, each one an eternity. I pace the hallway, my mind racing with worry and fear. I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I have to find a way to see him, to make sure he’s okay.

I don't know what to do right now, but Lorenzo has been shot. From the looks and sounds of what she was saying, he's in critical condition. To make matters worse, she won't let me see him.

What am I supposed to do? What the heck does she think I'm going to do, just sit down here and do nothing? I'm spiraling, I know.

I cannot keep my thoughts under control. All I can see in my head is a picture of a bloody Lorenzo on the floor, blood oozing from him as he slowly dies, and I am here, unable to do anything. If he dies, the last thing I would have said to him was how much I hated him.

I'm still trying to process all of this when I feel a presence behind me. I turn, and I see Victor, Lorenzo's right-hand man.

I've never been a fan of Victor because he seems like a ghoulish person. He's someone who would act before thinking.

He's someone who is brash with his thoughts, his words, and his actions. It always speaks in the things that he says, the things that he does and the way he treats people around him. But right now, he does not look like any of that. He looks like he sees my pain and understands it.

"Hey, Daniella, listen, I know how much you care about my boss and I know how much he cares about you. And I know that he would absolutely be pissed off that I'm doing this, but if you really want to see him, I will take you to him."

I can hardly believe this is happening. I mean, it feels like a gift from heaven. I just cannot say no to this.

"Thank you," I grab his shirt. "Thank you so much. Thank you."

Tears are streaming down my face, but I don't even care right now that he's seen me in such a state of disarray. I'm just too grateful.

"Thank you so much."

We head to his car and I climb into the passenger seat, my heart racing with a mix of fear and hope. As we drive, I try to calm my nerves, focusing on the thought of seeing Lorenzo again.

But something feels off. Victor isn’t heading toward the hospital. He takes a turn that leads us away from the city and a sense of unease settles in my stomach.

“You’re going the wrong way,” I say, my voice tinged with panic.

He says nothing, his jaw set in a hard line.

“Victor, where are you going?” I demand, my fear escalating.

He glances at me, his eyes cold. “Just sit back and be quiet. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Panic surges through me and I reach for the door handle, but it’s locked. Victor pulls out a gun and points it at me, his expression unyielding.

“Don’t do anything stupid. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay quiet.”

Honestly, can a girl just catch a break? This entire situation is making me want to lose my shit, but I cannot because right now, I have to remain logical. I have to have it together.

I have to keep my wits about me. This is clearly a kidnapping situation and if all the movies I have watched are right, he’s going to take me to a secluded or remote area, and then he will call Lorenzo to demand a ransom.

Now the funny thing is that he really believes Lorenzo is going to give them any money for me. I don't know if that is going to be the case because Lorenzo probably does not care for me as much as Victor believes he does.

It's going to be a really big disappointment for him and a really bad situation for me when he refuses to pay whatever ridiculous amount of money Victor asks for.

---