Page 50 of Stolen Queen

A wave of panic washes over me. I rush through the rooms, checking every possible hiding spot.

"Ava!" I shout again.

The bedroom is empty, the sheets still rumpled from our morning together. The bathroom door stands open—no sign of her there, either. I tear through the closets, hoping against hope that she's just playing some twisted game of hide and seek.

I make my way to the room I’d held her in when I brought her home. It’s empty as well.

Has she been taken or has she run?

I call down to security in the lobby of my building. “Anyone come in… come up to my place?”

“No sir.”

My gut burns. “How about leaving?”

“Just the usual.”

“How about a young woman… dark hair, gray eyes?”

He talks to someone else there with him. “There was a young woman. Left about fifteen minutes ago.”

Fuck!

“Is there a problem, Mr. Moretti?” Fear sounds in his voice. He knows who I work for.

“Not with you. Thanks.” I hang up.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” The truth hits me like a sucker punch to the gut. She's gone.

The betrayal cuts deep, twisting in my chest. Didn’t I just suggest that Lana and Elio had underestimated her? It turns out I did too. I thought she was innocent and naïve. Even after she tried to seduce me the other day, I thought last night was real.

I run my fingers through my hair, wondering how long before Rinella finds her and then shows up here to kill me.

My eyes land on her hoodie, draped carelessly over the back of the couch. With a roar of frustration, I snatch it up and hurl it across the room. It’s quite unsatisfying the way it limply falls to the ground.

How could I have been so stupid? I let my guard down, let her in, and this is how she repays me?

The anger burns hot, threatening to consume me. One thing is for sure. I need to find her before Rinella or Elio’s men do. My life depends on it. And when I do, I’ll make sure she never crosses me again.

19

AVA

Istand frozen in the doorway as I witness Matteo's fury. He hurls my hoodie across the room, his face contorted with rage. For a moment, I'm tempted to slip away unnoticed. But something keeps me rooted to the spot. Maybe it's the raw emotion I see in Matteo's eyes, a vulnerability I've never witnessed before.

Taking a deep breath, I step into the penthouse. A tentative smile plays on my lips as I clear my throat. "Matteo?"

He whirls around. His eyes flash with a mixture of relief and anger as he strides toward me. "What the hell were you thinking?" he growls, gripping my shoulders. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for you to leave?"

I flinch at his harsh tone. "I–I needed a few things?—”

Matteo cuts me off. "Are you really that naive? Your father has eyes everywhere. If someone saw you…”

“No one saw me.”

“You don’t know that,” he bellows. His hands clench into fists and I step back, not sure what he’ll do. "This isn't a game, Ava. Are you so stupid that you don’t understand the gravity of our situation?"

He couldn’t have hurt me more if he’d punched me.

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