Page 68 of Sexted By a Stranger
"This is my world. At least for now." My voice rose too, trying to suppress her hysteria. "This isn't a fairy tale, Sheila. What do you want me to do? Take you and hide at the ends of the earth? Would Connor let us go? Would Soprano's enemies let us go? Reality is this cruel. All we can do is face it, control it."
"This is the best you can give a child? Luca, you really disappoint me."
"Enough." I barked. I suddenly reached out and gripped her slender wrist, stopping any movements that might hurt her in her agitation, also trying to use force to calm her down. "Cool it. Listen to me."
"Let go of me." The pressure on her wrist caused her pain, further provoking her fierce resistance.
Her cries tore at my nerves. Her reddened eyes were like a mirror, reflecting what I looked like at this moment—a tyrant returning with the scent of gunpowder and blood, a man trying to imprison her with force, the culprit who would drag both her and the child into the abyss.
Overwhelming helplessness washed over me. Finally, I gradually loosened my grip.
With the restraint on her wrist gone, Sheila stepped back twice. Without another glance at me, she quickly wiped away the messy tears on her face, then turned and rushed out of the study without looking back.
The study's gentle lighting now felt ice-cold. I stood in place like a stone statue forgotten on a battlefield.
The hand that had just gripped her wrist now hung powerlessly at my side, fingertips trembling slightly beyond my control.
I mechanically walked back to my seat and opened the files on the desk.
New territories urgently needing integration, plans for hunting down Connor's remnants, mountains of weapons and drug transaction records… countless matters awaiting handling crashed over me like a tidal wave.
I tried to focus my attention, fingers tapping the keyboard, issuing orders:
[Ragnar, expand the lockdown zone to ten blocks. Monitor all hospitals, clinics, and underground doctors for gunshot wounds. I want him found alive or dead.
Lennox, all of Connor's known mistresses in the city, secret accounts, gray market operations—dig them all up. Before dawn, I want a detailed report on my desk.]
The orders went out. However, the characters on the screen looked like twisted tadpoles, a complete blur.
Chapter 22
Luca & Sheila
Luca
Sheila moved out of the manor.
I tried showing up at the company restaurant in the morning, "coincidentally."
However, when I pulled out the chair next to me and said in the most casual tone, "Morning, stellina," she just paused for a moment, then nodded at me, said "Mr. Bellomo, good morning," and walked straight to the far end of the dining table without so much as a glance my way.
She ate her breakfast in silence. I brought over her favorite blueberry muffins and placed them in front of her. "Your favorite."
"Thank you, Mr. Bellomo."
This kind of distance and silent resistance was more suffocating than any heated argument.
My chest felt like something was lodged in it, making me want to smash something to pieces.
I took a deep breath and headed toward my office.
Ragnar and Lennox were already waiting for me, maps and various intelligence files spread across the desk.
"Any word on Connor?"
"We tracked him to an abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn, but by the time we got there, the place was empty. But we noticed some shady people hanging around near Sheila's new apartment." Ragnar reported, pushing several photos toward me—all surveillance screenshots. I examined them one by one; they showed several cars. "The license plates are fake, can't trace the source. They seem to be conducting surveillance; no further action yet."
"Increase their protection," I ordered. "The place where Leon's competing—notify our people in that district to keep a close watch. Ragnar, I want you to personally watch Sheila. Have your men search every possible hideout Connor might be using."
