Page 27 of Surprise Pregnancy for Villain

“What happened to you?” he asks, pointing to my face.

“Nothing you need to be concerned about.”

“Huh,” he grunts, eyebrows raised. “I’m always concerned for you. You’re the face of this family. I don’t want it looking like a hamburger from some careless bar fight.”

“It will heal,” I say.

Stefano works his jaw a bit as he studies my face. “You’ve been making yourself very scarce for the last couple of days, Ezio. I’ve barely seen you since the administration meeting. You pop in and out like a magician.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Clearly. But I expect to be advised of your activity.”

“Just following your orders, as always. Unfortunate about the fire at the warehouse,” I say, deliberately changing the subject.

Stefano leans back in his chair, his lower lip protruding in thought. “I don’t blame you for that. Perhaps leaving the bodies of Borelli’s men in the stairwell wasn’t the best idea. I should have sent someone to clean it up, but the incident is history. Where have you been since?”

I force a smile, knowing my answer will likely placate him. “As you ordered. Sowing my oats. It does take some time.” I rub the sore spot on my head, my fake grin widening. “And finesse.”

Stefano chuckles. “I see. Found a wildcat, did you? You needn’t have pursued that to the exclusion of all else. I assume you are making progress, then.”

I give a small nod. “You could say that. I won’t know the results for another month, of course.”

“Of course.” Stefano shifts in his chair and leans forward again, placing his elbows on the desktop and interlacing his meaty, cigar-shaped fingers together. “Speaking of results,” Stefano continues, “I have new orders for you.”

I turn to shift my body position and fold my arms in a speculative pose. “Which is?”

“Alessandro has been unsuccessful in locating the Borelli girl. He says she hasn’t been seen for several days, though I’m doubtful his surveillance has been as focused as it could be. He’s inexperienced and lazy. I was wrong to trust him with this.”

My pulse starts to race at the mention of Nicki. “How do you know?” I ask. “He’s inexperienced, yes. But that’s on you. Give him a chance.” The last words I would have thought to come out of my mouth were those in defense of my brother. But the longer his ineptness delays their sick plans the better.

Stefano looks surprised. “You? Speaking up for your brother? Admirable but unnecessary.”

“It’s only been a few days,” I say. “What’s the hurry?”

“When I said the girl hasn’t been seen for days, I meant,no onehas seen her,” Stefano explains. “If word of our plan got out, they may have sent her away or are keeping her in seclusion.”

“Or maybe someone else got to her first,” I say, the irony of my statement making my throat go dry. “There are other mob factions eager to get back at the Borellis. Any of them could have gone after the girl.”

Stefano looks surprised as if the scenario hadn’t occurred to him. “If so, that validates my decision even more. Alessandro’s off the case. I’m putting you in charge, like I should have from the beginning.”

I stiffen in my seat. “What do you mean? In charge of what?” I ask, hoping he doesn’t mean what I think he means.

“Of finding and capturing the girl, of course,” he says impatiently. “Is something unclear about that?”

Fuck.This is exactly the scenario I wanted to avoid. “No. I understand.”

“Bring her here; we’ll have secure quarters prepared. She’ll be here for quite some time.”

“How long? Until the Borellis leave town? They’ll never do that; they’ll declare a fucking holy war on us. Nobody wins.”

“Are you questioning my decisions?” Stefano shouts, rising from his chair.

“I’m questioning your logic,” I reply calmly. “They’ll never stop hunting for her. The war will never end.”

“It will end,” Stefano says. “When they realize the alternative is receiving Giovanni’s daughter’s dead body back in a box.”

I stare at my father in disbelief. And I thought them plotting to rape her was bad enough. “You plan to kill her?”

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