Page 56 of Forced Arrangement

I try to keep track of where we are going, but suddenly, someone leans over the backseat and yanks a sack over my head. It smells strongly of cologne and I gag immediately. My stomachroils with pregnancy nausea and I try not to breathe through my nose.

Pay attention to sounds and feel the turns of the car, my mother and father had told me when I was little. At the time, I had thought that they were being worrywarts. Who would kidnap me with our large security details, bulletproof vehicles, and fenced compounds? Now, however, I was grateful for the advice that they had drilled into me during my childhood. It was coming in handy now as I tried to ignore my raging nausea and pay attention to where we were going.

I thought that we might be heading toward the port. The direction of each turn was correct and despite the heavy cologne smell from the bag over my head, I caught a strong whiff of fishy sewage at one point when someone in the car rolled down the window to throw out a cigarette.

I tried to remember where Guiseppe’s holdings were at the port, then my blood ran cold in my veins. What if he was going to put me on a ship? What if he was going to take me somewhere else? I knew that Angelo was exploring rumors that Guiseppe was involved in human trafficking. If that were true, he could send me anywhere and I wouldn’t be able to escape.

I fight against my panic, willing myself not to freak out yet. Angelo would probably have noticed I had vanished by now. He couldn’t be far away.

I will keep you safe, little one, I think to the tiny life nestled inside my body. I feel tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. I needed to think of both of us and I needed to make a plan as quickly as possible.

Chapter Nineteen

Angelo

Where was she?

I lean to the side, sipping at my spiked drink. The alcohol is taking the edge off the ache in my hand, which is nice. I can’t wait for it to be back to normal. It’s a small injury, but so inconvenient in so many ways.

Surely, it shouldn’t take this long to pee. But girls were always taking forever to do everything, so I rock back and forth on my heels for a bit longer, my eyes trained on the dingy bathroom structure.

Finally, I decide that I need to go see what is up. Maybe she isn't feeling well. I remember that Justine had said she had had the flu or something last week. Maybe she was lightheaded and was leaning against the wall of the building.

I wander toward the bathroom and realize that the door in is not also set up as an exit, so I go toward the back of the building. Maybe I can just pull the door and call to her from there.

As I walk around the back of the building, my heart leaps into my chest at the sight of a smashed iPhone on the ground. It's sparkly and gold, just like Sophia’s.

I hurry over, dropping the drinks without caring that they have spilled all over the ground.

The phone is dead when I pick it up, but I would know the case anywhere. Justine had brought it with her from the UK and they had both been giggling over it. It was a designer brand or something.

I text Franco,9-1-1. Sophia is in danger. Get down here to park and meet me.

I hurried around the area, trying to find other clues or signs of where she had gone. My blood felt like ice in my veins as I realized that there was nothing, no sign of where she had gone or who had taken her. However, I had a good idea.

“Dammit!” I curse. We had been so foolish. Why had I given in to her silly desire to have fun like normal people, without our guards accompanying us? An hour of fun was never worth this kind of risk and I felt like an asshole for allowing this.

On my way, Franco sends back.The guards will get there first.

I hurried back to the center of the park, scanning the area for my guards or for Guiseppe and his men.

There was no one else who could have taken her like this. No one else would have risked such a public kidnapping. And, I had to admit to myself, no one else could have stolen her from under my nose like this.

“Boss!”

I turned to see a small group of my guards running toward me. I fill them in quickly and tell them to spread out and look for any clues at all, her scarf, signs of a scuffle, cars that are parked on the street that look suspicious, anything.

I watch them all disperse and look around with frustration.

I thought of the damn tracker jewelry that I had bought for us. She had been so upset by the idea of wearing it, that I hadn’t pressed her about it. Now that seemed like just one of many stupid choices we had both made over the past few weeks.

My eyes landed on the little group of vendors where we had gotten our hot chocolate. I strode over, immediately demanding if anyone at the hot dog stand had seen my wife or where she had gone. I went from cart to cart, but no one had seen anything.

“Fuck!” I growl, kicking at a rock near the edge of one of the planters. It hurt my foot and I grimace. Childish behavior wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I tell myself to calm down.

“Excuse me.”

I glance over my shoulder to see a nervous-looking young man looking at me. He was glancing around like he thought he might be in danger and I could practically see him quivering.

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