Page 77 of Heritage of Fire

I let the thought trail off.Nik is becoming so much more to me.

Lev steps back. His eyes wash over my face, cheeks reddening. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a flask. Holding my gaze, he twists off the top and takes a long swig.Then he takes another. And another, before finally turning and walking away from me.

Letting out a sigh, I spin and move up the stairs to the apartment.

Once I’ve successfully changed into jeans and one of Nik’s shirts, I rummage around in the kitchen for some popcorn. Finding some, I toss it into the microwave, my thoughts mulling over what Lev said as I watch it pop.

Did I do this? My thoughts shift to ways to bring up the situation to Nik. That he knows about my history doesn’t bode well for Lev. Or me, I guess. Part of me wonders if Nik would even listen to me. Would he assume the worst?

While my conversation with Lev bothers me, those thoughts are quickly drowned out by ones of Nik. I lean against the counter and hug myself, eyes closing as I relive our moment in the elevator. Nik’s kisses and exploring hands …

The loud beeping of the microwave startles me, and I slam my elbow back against the granite at the same time my phone starts ringing.Crap that hurt.

“Hello?”

“Luna? Luna, it’s Bella.” My sister’s voice is shaky, and her rasping breaths immediately cause my pulse to race.

“Isabella, what’s wrong? Where are you?” Music plays in the background, but I can’t make out much else except for Bella’s heavy panting.

“Luna,” she cries, and my heart cracks. It’s been so long since I’ve heard my sister cry. “They won’t let me leave. I—I keep trying?—”

“Bella, where are you? Send me your location.” I grab my coat and slip on my sneakers. My hands are shaking, and my muscles tighten with every move I make. I open the apartment door and race out, not even bothering to close it.

“Lev!” I shout, tripping down the stairs with only half of one shoe on. “Bella, did you hear me? Send me your location, I’m coming.”

Sobbing on the other end drives a knife into my heart, and I’m going to throw up.

“They know. They know my last name. I can’t leave.” A man in the background says something unintelligible and Isabella screams.

“Drop a pin! I’m coming.” I yell through the phone. The ding of a pin alert sounds in my ear as soon as the line goes dead. “Frank!” I shout, not seeing him.

Where the hell is Lev?

Running through the doors leading to the garage, I dial Nik’s number. Both cars are parked, so Lev didn’t leave. The phone line keeps ringing and ringing until it stops.

Shoot.

I don’t have time for this. Getting into one of the cars, I reach around for the keys, but after a couple minutes of search, I don’t find any.No, No!I try the next car while dialing my father, but there’s no answer. Just as I’m about to really start panicking, my hand connects with the key fob, and I nearly cry.

I don’t think. I just start the car and barrel out of the garage, bringing up the navigation on my phone as I drive. It’s a random location in the city. I speed toward it while attempting Nik again, and I cringe with every ring that goes unanswered.

Please. Please pick up.

My hands ache from gripping the wheel so hard. I haven’t driven in forever. I throw my phone down when he doesn’t answer. Rubbing my eyes to keep from breaking down, I try to think. They know her name and won’t let her leave. It’s someone who wants to make a buck off my father. I dial my mother again, and she answers on the third ring.

“Mom!”

“Luna, why are you yelling at me?”

“Have you heard from Isabella? Do you know where she is? She called me saying she was out somewhere, and they won’t let her leave wherever she is. They found out her last name.”

My mom seethes on the other end. “That girl?—”

My chin trembles. We’ve been coached for this. Growing up in the Cosa Nostra, we were taught not to give anyone our last name, especially since we were kept hidden for so long.

“I have her pin. I’m going to get her.”

“Don’t you dare, Luna! Your sister was supposed to be out with friends for the night. This could be her playing a game.” I shake my head. It didn’t sound that way. And Bella wouldn’t do that—not to her family.

---