Page 94 of The Don's Soulmate

"Carlotta," she says, sipping her drink gently, "I know it won't be easy, but we'll figure this out together." The warmth in her voice wraps around me like a comforting blanket. “You reached out to me now. Why? Did something happen?”

"Things haven't been easy for us," I confess, my voice barely above a whisper. "We've been hiding away at Ettore’s cabin, but Ettore's father's men found our last hideout. We're running low on money and I pawned off all our gold, but we know we can't stay here much longer. We don’t know where to go, for now, Sof."

I glance at Ettore, his broad shoulders tense and a subtle worry creasing his forehead. He's feeling the pressure, a burden we both carry, though he tries to keep it hidden beneath the surface.

Sofia's eyes fill with sympathy. "I have some cash saved up that I can give you," she offers without hesitation. "And my grandmother's old cabin… it's been unused since she passed away. It's hidden deep in the woods. You two could stay there for a while, at least until you figure out your next move."

Ettore and I exchange glances, his eyes wide with hope, mirroring my own. Our troubles suddenly seem much smaller, more manageable. I reach out, grasping Sofia's hand tightly, mygratitude spilling forth. "Thank you, Sofia. I can't tell you how much this means to us.”

Her fingers squeeze mine in reassurance, a silent promise that she'll do whatever it takes to help us. "You're my closest friend, Carlotta. I'd do anything for you and Ettore."

Ettore's gaze lingers on our intertwined hands, an array of emotions flickering across his face before he speaks. "Grazie, Sofia. Your generosity won't be forgotten," he says, his voice low and restrained. “With time, I will find buyers for the art, and Sofia and I are thinking of leaving the country to find someplace safe where our families won’t find us.”

“Whatever you need,” Sofia nods in his direction. “But, I know just how you can thank me.”

“Anything,” Ettore promises, stepping forward.

“Next time,” Sofia’s eyes glimmer with mirth. “Promise you’ll try not to kidnap me.”

“How about we start by buying some burner phones?” Ettore grins in her direction.

“Lead the way,” Sofia downs her whiskey and jumps up, digging into her purse and pulling out hundreds of dollars.

Chapter 44

Ettore

The dim light from the flickering bulb overhead casts long shadows on the peeling wallpaper. Carlotta sits rigidly on the edge of the bed, her delicate hands clasped together so tightly her knuckles turn white. Her doe-eyed green eyes dart anxiously to the clock as the minutes drag on, each tick echoing in the tense silence between us.

I give the room a last sweep. Everything’s packed and ready to go. It’s like we were never here.

I pace the faded carpet; muscles coiled tight as a spring. My cold gaze flickers between the door and the window, watchful for any sign of trouble. I crave a cigar to steady my nerves but don't dare light one, not wanting to draw unwanted attention from the hotel staff.

The rumble of an engine shatters the heavy quiet. Carlotta's eyes meet mine, wide with apprehension. I rush to the window and part the curtains. My heart races as an unfamiliar rental car rolls into view, its headlights slicing through the darkness. Sofia’s face shines through the front window.

Perfect. We're one step closer to vanishing into the night.

“She’s here,” I tell Carlotta, closing the curtain behind me and rushing over to grab the luggage.

"Thank God," Carlotta whispers, her breath hitching in her throat. "I couldn't stand another minute in this place."

"Stay close to me," I warn as we prepare to leave the dingy motel room behind.

"Of course," she says, her voice trembling with fear.

We rush outside, and Sofia already has the boot open. We dump our luggage and get into the car. Carlotta sits in the back, and I take my place beside her in case we have to hide low during our journey.

"Alright, listen carefully," Sofia says, her voice steady as she looks at us through the rear-view mirror. "This car is registered to my name, but you can use it. They won’t trace it to you. At therental place, there were images of you both on TV. They’re still hunting nationwide, so it’s clear you can’t be seen out and about. I've arranged for my grandmother’s safe house in the mountains. It's remote and well-hidden – perfect for laying low until we can figure out our next move."

Carlotta looks at Sofia, her green eyes filled with gratitude and hope. I nod in agreement, my mind racing with strategies to keep us all safe.

"Thanks again," I say, appreciating Sofia's resourcefulness. "What's the plan now?"

"First, we need to buy supplies. The more you have, the less you have to venture out. We’ll get the burner phones too, so we can stay in touch."

"Understood," I reply, the plan making sense.

"Let's go then," Sofia says, putting the car into reverse.

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