Page 105 of To Have and To Hold

Liliana laid her hand on top of mine.

When Mia returned, she had Diego, José, and Horace with her. “Don’t go anywhere until you talk to Em. I’ve come up with an option. When Rafaele arrives, Horace will offer to drive you. He’ll offer to follow Rafaele.”

“My father?—”

“Isn’t making your decisions. You and your husband are. Diego will go with Horace.”

“What about you?”

Mia shook her head. “Viviana and I are safe here. We’ll work on tomorrow’s menu. If you’re not back, I’ll call Silas or Felipe. With this plan, you have both Horace and Diego to make sure you leave the Del when you’re ready to leave. And above all, they won’t allow you to be taken back to Missouri.”

“Papà said I was spending the night.”

“Is that what you want?”

I shook my head. “I want to be here with my husband.”

Valentina nodded toward my phone. “Call Emiliano. Listen to his point of view, and the two of you decide what you will do.”

Exhaling, I took the phone toward the back of the house. The room that had couches last night was undergoing a transformation. The regular furniture was gone, and a crew of people were setting up round and long tables on the right side.

What if Valentina is going through all this trouble, and my family tries to steal me away?

I went back into my call log and calledYour husband. Em answered on the second ring. “Am I bothering you?”

Chapter

Thirty-Eight

Emiliano

Istopped walking on the sidewalk in the Barrio Logan neighborhood. I was near the location where the raid went down last night. My job was to scout around to find out who was aware of what happened and if anyone saw our crew.

There was something in my wife’s voice. “Isabella, are you all right?”

“I don’t know.”

I stepped to the side of the walk and leaned against a brick building. “Did something happen? Where’s Horace?”

“My father just called…” She spoke fast, telling me about their phone call and her concerns.

With each word, I gripped the phone tighter. If that son of a bitch thought he could come and take my wife away from me, to do something to dissolve our marriage… It would be over my dead body. No, make thathisdead body.

“Take a breath, beautiful.” I spoke as calmly as I could muster. “What’s Mia’s plan?” I nodded as she told me. “What do you want to do?”

“I want to see them. I’ve missed them.”

I sucked in a breath. This was one of those occasions where I could tell her no. It wouldn’t be without cause. Carmine Luciano could fucking be planning a kidnapping. “Do you want to stay the night?”

“No,” she answered immediately. “I want to be with you.”

That answer helped my rising blood pressure. I checked my GPS on my phone. I could be at the Del in under twenty minutes. “Izzy, I love you. If you want to see your family, go. Please follow Mia’s instructions and ride with Horace and Diego. If you have the slightest bit of trepidation, notify them or call me.”

“You? You need to work, settling dust.”

“Nothing is more important than you.”

I heard a ragged breath.

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