Page 23 of Sutton and the CEO Forever

“She is my wife,” Julio answered honestly. “Her name is Natalia Cerone, and she most definitely isn’t trustworthy, but she is good at taking on other personas. Now, I will ask you again where she is. I am not in the habit of threatening the help, but as you can see, this is an extenuating circumstance.”

“Natalie is your wife?” Jackson blanched. “She is in Otterville Falls. The address is there in the file. She plans on staying on with Brian, who is relocating the company to be closer to his family.”

Julio nodded, “Sutton, the reason why Will got involved in the first place. Do you believe in serendipity, Jackson? Could all of this truly be a coincidence, or is fate having a joke with us as she is so prone to do?”

Jackson felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead. He didn’t want to die, and he knew that if something happened to him here, he would never be heard from again.

“I think that life can be a real bitch,” Jackson answered truthfully, and to his surprise, Julio laughed.

“Indeed, it certainly can. Isabel will show you to your room. I must apologize that we won’t be staying long. The jet will be prepared to take us to America in the morning.”

“We?” Jackson was starting to wonder if he ever should have joined the PI world in the first place.

“We,” Julio confirmed, “I have no wish to hold you hostage. But if I need to inspire Natalia to speak with me, it is good to have a backup plan. Isabel?”

The slender woman appeared from out of nowhere.

“It will be right this way, Jackson.”

Jackson couldn’t do anything but follow the woman. He wondered briefly if he should make a run for it. But that was insanity talking. One didn’t run from the Mafia. And they certainly didn’t walk away from Julio Cerone.

A pinging sound on his phone indicated that he had another text.

JENNINGS:What did Julio want?

For a moment,Jackson stared at the screen. He hadn’t even noticed Isabel had stopped and read the text over his shoulder.

“Well, aren’t you going to respond?” her cultured tones were devoid of emotion.

“I am not sure that is wise,” Jackson answered, shoving the phone back in his pocket.

Isabel inclined her head toward the open door. “This will be your room for the evening. I have made certain that a light meal is waiting for you. Someone will be by in the morning to ensure you are ready for the flight. Is there anything else you require?”

Jackson licked his dry lips. “No, thank you for your help.”

She showed him inside and then shut the door as he walked across the bedroom. He felt himself start to relax. The lovely meal and gorgeous room did not make it seem like he was a prisoner.

And then he heard the door being locked from the outside. Scratch that. Perhaps he was in a gilded cage, but he was a prisoner just the same.

12

Sutton

Later that day, I came home from the grocery store to find Mark had returned. But he wasn’t alone.

“You invited him to stay in our home?” I hissed at Mark through clenched teeth.

The man sitting on the carpet in his designer slacks was none other than Julio Cerone, Italian crime lord, and altogether one of the most dangerous men on the planet.

And from the looks of things, my daughters loved him. Evie and Avery cooed and laughed up into his handsome face, taking to him like a fish to water.

Mark shrugged. “Of course, I did. When I heard he was attempting to book a room at the motel, well, it was the humane thing to do. Besides, I was talking to Elliot, and he recommended Julio to protect you and the girls. He spoke highly of the man and even went so far as to say that he would consider it a close personal favor if I would indulge Julio in his sojourn to the American countryside. I had no idea you would be opposed to it.”

My lips compressed into a firm line. “Opposed is too mild a term. Mark, he isn’t someone to mess around with.”

Mark playfully growled in my ear while grabbing my ass. “You won’t be messing around with him. So that’s not something you should worry about.”

“I just don’t understand,” I replied. “Why is he here? Elliot says that he knows this man. Isn’t that strange to you? Julio waltzed into Abberly’s a few hours ago and announced the everyone that he was an insurance salesman.”

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