Page 28 of Stolen Queen

I pullup to the Rinella mansion, my stomach churning with anxiety. On my way home, I’ll stop and pick up some antacids.

As I step out of my car, I school my features into a mask of cool indifference. I'm a dead man if anyone gets a hint of my deception.

Elio and Lazaro are already there when I enter, standing with Vincenzo Rinella in his opulent study.

"I trust you've been briefed on the situation?" Rinella says to me.

I nod, keeping my expression neutral. "Elio filled me in. Your daughter's missing. Any ideas when?”

“She wasn’t in her room this morning,” Rinella says, pacing.

“Do you think someone took her from her room?” Lazaro asks.

“How?” Rinella almost seems annoyed that a kidnapping from his home is a possibility. “I have top-notch security.”

I look away knowing it’s not as good as he thinks. “Is it possible she ran away?”

Rinella glares at me. “That's impossible. Ava knows her place."

I bite back a retort, reminding myself that I need to play my part. "She disappeared somehow. If she wasn’t kidnapped and she didn’t run away, then what?”

Elio nods, backing me up. "Matteo’s right. Perhaps she had help. Is it possible someone inside the house helped her?”

“Not if they value their life.” There’s no missing the murder in Rinella’s eyes.

As the discussion continues, I find myself walking a tightrope. I’m being helpful, expressing concern, while on the inside, I need to hide the truth.

“Maybe she doesn’t want to go to New York,” I say, earning a glare from Elio. I shrug. He knows I like to poke the bear.

“What she wants doesn’t matter,” Rinella snaps.

“Maybe it does to her?—”

“You’ve got a big fucking mouth.” Rinella looks like he’d like to punch the smirk off my face.Back at you, motherfucker.

"Gentlemen, please," Elio interjects, his voice calm but firm. He shoots me another warning look before turning to Rinella. "I apologize for my cousin's… directness. We’re just trying to figure out what happened so we know where to look."

I bite my tongue, forcing myself to nod in agreement.

“Does she have friends? Someone who might be helping her,” Elio asks.

Rinella’s face contorts with a mixture of anger and confusion. He definitely doesn’t like the idea that his daughter might have connections he's unaware of.

Before Rinella can explode again, Lazaro chimes in, "There's another possibility we haven't considered. What if she did manage to get out on her own, you know, to go shopping or something, but then someone else spotted her? An enemy of yours, perhaps?"

My stomach drops at Lazaro's words. It's too close to the truth for comfort, even if he doesn't realize it.

Lazaro continues, oblivious to my discomfort. "If that's the case, we might be better off waiting for a call. Whoever has her might reach out with demands."

“We’ll talk with our men, see what we can learn. If she’s been spotted, we’ll hear about it. In the meantime, perhaps you should stay close to home in case you get a call or she returns,” Elio says to Rinella.

He nods. “Fine.”

"What will you do when she returns?” I already know the answer, but I need to hear him say it. I need to remind myself why I can't just hand Ava over to this monster.

Rinella's face darkens, his eyes cold and cruel. "She'll be punished to within an inch of her life. Then I’ll lock her away until I can send her to Nardone in New York."

My jaw clenches, and I taste blood as I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out. "And Nardone? He's still interested?"

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