Page 86 of Dangerous Deception

“He’s not the monster,” I hiss between gritted teeth, lifting my head and glaring venom at my father. “You are.”

34

RAFFAELE

It becomes a waiting game, but I’m not sitting idly by waiting for Pascal to lay out the ground rules whenever he decides to call me back. Every second Adelina is with him is a second he could take her from me for good, and I will never be able to live with myself if I don’t do everything in my power to save her.

I have my men combing the city for Adelina in every place we can think of. None of Pascal’s businesses are off limits. Neither are his hangouts or holiday homes. On top of that, I’ve called in every single favor I can think of to get the police on high alert, every vehicle in Pascal’s name hunted down, every property that he and his guards have ever gone to ransacked and stripped.

The only place that hasn’t been torn apart is Pascal’s manor. I’d have demolished the place by now if not for CCTV footage showing Adelina being dragged out of there not long after Pascal called me. He’s hidden her somewhere, and I will find her.

“Boss!” Vito sprints toward me with his arm outstretched, thrusting his tablet into my hand when he comes to a stop. “We got a ping… on her phone… That’s the address,” he gasps between breaths.

I stare down at the screen. It’s some house on the outskirts of the city, and far out of the search area we’ve been combing. Makes sense that he would try and hide her somewhere he’d think I wouldn’t look.

“When did this show up?”

“Ten minutes ago.”

“Take me there.”

“Boss, it could be a trap. Or he’s getting ready to call you and lead you somewhere else.”

“If he calls, I’ll answer.” I shove the tablet against Vito’s chest. “Until then, take me there.”

The drive is tense. Despite the speed at which Vito navigates the city, it’s not fast enough for me. My chest is in a constant state of tightness, I have a headache just behind my eyes, and my stomach is twisted in tight, acidic knots.

I should have taken better care of Adelina.

I never should have left her side.

Maybe I even should have told her the truth about her father as soon as I suspected something. In my efforts to protect her, I let her walk innocently back into his arms.

This is my fault.

When we screech to a stop outside the abandoned house, I rip my gun from my holster and sprint out of the car only to be stopped by Vito’s hand on my arm.

“We should wait for backup. This could be a trap.”

“It probably is,” I say, wrenching my arm free. “Or she’s in there and waiting outside does nothing but keep her away from me.”

Vito rolls his eyes and pulls his weapon free. “You’re an idiot.”

“Whatever.”

Together, we run up the path to the house and reach the door. I kick it in immediately, not hesitating as I stride into the home.

“Adelina!”

Vito keeps one gun raised with his attention split down on his phone, where he’s dialing Adelina’s number. We pause in the hallway. I scan the dark stairs leading to the second floor, then eye the doors on my left and right. A hallway parallel to the stairs leads to a dingy kitchen at the end, and my chest squeezes briefly as the musical notes of Adelina’s phone fill the air.

“In here!” I crash through the door to my right and stumble into the room. My blood runs cold at the sight.

A body lies slumped on the floor, hunched up and on its side. The sickly sweet, coppery scent of blood catches in my nose and splatters of crimson glitter on the floor, reflecting the light trickling in through the dusty net curtains over the window.

“Adelina,” I gasp softly, stumbling over myself to reach her. “Adelina!”

I crash to my knees on the hard floor, holstering my gun and grasping her shoulder. There are no thoughts in my mind as I roll her over, only horror.

---