Page 79 of Keep Her from Them

“You’re welcome. Want us to bring him back?”

I blinked, but Raphael was already nodding. “Exactly what I was going to suggest.”

He thought having Dori back would help my sadness. My heart swelled and swelled.

“What have ye tried?” Valentine asked.

I shrugged. “Messaging him, calling him. He’s ignoring me. I think he might be hurt over a woman.”

Briefly, I gave the background of why I believed Dori went to Italy. “What’s north of Milan? Lake Como, where this engagement party was taking place.”

“He followed an ex,” Valentine surmised.

“Looks that way. I just don’t get the obsessive element. He isn’t like that. He drops women regardless of if they’re hot. He’s a loyal friend but doesn’t cling to relationships. I’ve never once in fifteen years of knowing him seen him behave like this.”

“Suggesting whatever is going on for him is cataclysmic,” Raphael said softly. “People turn their lives upside down when it comes to the one.”

Valentine’s gaze drifted to where Mia stood at the cars with Daisy. “Aye, they do. Raphael can tell ye about the time I messed up so badly with Mia that I had him fly me across the country toreach her when she needed me. There’s no lengths a man won’t go to when it’s right.”

His gaze held Raphael’s.

“I just want to help him,” I mumbled.

Valentine smirked. “Then let’s bring your boy home. Local number trick?”

“Exactly what I was thinking,” Raphael agreed.

“Wait, what local number trick?”

Valentine took his phone and opened an app, tapping around in it. “If someone is ghosting ye, dial them from another number. A local one has more chance of being answered, particularly if you’re away from home. I can simulate one for central Milan. Ready now?”

My heart thumped. Raphael’s hand found mine and held it. I managed a nod and gave him Dori’s number.

Valentine called it through his app.

The line clicked, then a sleepy voice answered. “Hello?”

Oh God. It was Dori. He was okay.

For a moment, I couldn’t speak. No, more than a moment. My voice dried up completely.

Dori tried again. “Is that the Leonardo? Is there a problem?”

Raphael stared at me then spoke where I couldn’t. “Dori, this is Raphael Gordonson, Alex’s,” he stumbled over the description, “friend.”

A pause followed, then Dori swore. “Hot Bodyguard. Fuckkkk.”

“Alex is worried about ye.”

“She should be. I’m a fucking wreck.”

“Let me come get ye. I’ll bring ye to her.”

Dori swore again, the sounds changing as if he’d gone outside. “Are you in Milan? If so, you’ve overshot me by a whole country.”

“You’re in France?” I finally found my voice, my tone coming out as a squawk. “Switzerland? Austria?”

Dori made a sound I’d never heard before. Almost like a sob. Definitely grief. “Darling girl, you’re there.”

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