Page 112 of Not Mine to Keep

“What about the op in Oslo? Successful?” Constantine asked, a touch of optimism there. “Anyone there know where Rocco may try and take Alessandro?”

“Mission success, but Rocco’s men died. No one there to help us,” Izzy told him.

“I need to get out of this bed. Help search for him. I know how that fucker thinks.” Constantine tried once again to detach himself from wires, but it didn’t take much effort for the nurses to pin him back down.

“Son, every intelligence agency on that side of the hemisphere has Rocco on their radar now. The second they make it out of the tunnel, if they haven’t already, and Rocco shows his face on any CCTV footage, they’ll lock on to him and follow the trail,” Mr. Costa said, and I wanted to immerse myself in the same kind of optimism, but ... “Keeping Alessandro alive is Rocco’s insurance policy. He’s his hostage.”

“They’ll find him.” Izzy’s turn to be the confident one. “Enzo’s already on a plane, heading there to help.”

“Tell Enzo to pick me up the second he arrives.” Constantine lifted his hands and pushed at the air. “Don’t argue with me. I can walk out of here now. I’m fine.”

“But The League—”

“Doesn’t know Rocco like I do,” Constantine cut off Izzy. “I’m not losing more family. Are we clear?”

I stepped back from the screen, hating how helpless I felt. I’d begged Enzo to take me with him, but I’d been shot down. Same for Izzy.

Constantine shifted his attention to his father. “There’s something else you’re not telling me. What is it?”

I exchanged a look with Izzy, and she focused back on the screen and told him, “Armani heard Alessandro is missing and possibly”—Izzy paused—“dead or in Rocco’s custody. He’s already en route to New York with Marcello. He’s coming for Callie to take her home.”

“We’re not letting him take her,” Mr. Costa said before Constantine could object. “Gabriel wanted to help search for Alessandro, but at this news, he’s escorting Callie’s aunt to New York, and so he can deal with the Armani situation.”

I’d spoken to my aunt briefly, murmured a few apologies, but I’d been too much of a mess to carry on any real conversation. Until Alessandro was okay, I couldn’t think about anything else. “I’m not your problem. All I care about is that you find Alessandro.” Unsure if I could handle staying in the room any longer without another breakdown, I started for the hall, but Mr. Costa blocked the door.

“You’re family. My daughter.” He reached for my arm. “My son’s wife. That means I’ll protect you with my own life.”

“Listen to him,” Constantine said. I jolted at his deep voice and slowly turned toward the room. He’d sounded just like Alessandro then. “If Armani tries to take her, kill him, Dad. Fuck the plan to pin his death on someone else.”

My eyes went wide at his order. “No, his people will come after you for revenge. And you don’t need that, especially not now. Please, don’t do this. Not for me.” Before I could plead some more not to make any sacrifices for me, my phone chimed from a new message.

I grabbed it from the pocket of my sweatpants, prepared to ignore whoever it was.

Unknown number:*Video*

“What is it?” my father-in-law asked, and I supposed it was okay to think of him as Dad, because I refused to believe Alessandro was gone. He’d be back.So yeah, Dad it is.“Open it,” he prompted.

The blood drained from my face at the image visible behind the play button of the video.

No talking. No sound at all in the clip. Only Alessandro on the ground—buthe was alive.Outof the tunnel, because he was on a bed of leaves, surrounded by trees. Still in his military clothes, but his face ... he was lying there, banged up. Wrists and ankles bound. Mouth gagged.

He had to have given Rocco my number, but I knew he wouldn’t want me to see him like this, so the asshole must’ve forced him to do it.

“What is it?” Constantine asked.

“A video of Alessandro tied up, but he’s alive and they’re not in the tunnel anymore,” I said, surprised my voice worked. When I looked at my father-in-law, he appeared to be ... Well, this broke him.Thiswas what broke him.

“He’s doing this to fuck with me,” Constantine hissed. “Screw with us all. Let us know Alessandro’s alive but thathe’sin control.”

“Call Sebastian,” their dad ordered, probably to Izzy. “Tell him they’re out and in the forest.”

I shivered, my eyes shooting back to my phone. I was about to replay the short clip, but my father-in-law took the phone from my hand.

“Location and timestamp are turned off on the video details, but we’ll try and trace this anyway,” he said a moment later.

“I want to see him again.” I held open my palm. He nodded and handed back the phone, and I pressed play.

All I could focus on were Alessandro’s eyes.

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