Page 75 of In My Blood
“Dante does know he can’t just bark orders at me all of the time, right?” I questioned as I leaned my head right back until I could see Cal.
“I doubt it but I’m sure he can be trained to,” he chuckled. “I do love the way you always do the unexpected and completely baffle him though.”
“Just keeping him on his toes.” I sighed deeply, my stomach churning with worry for Gia. “They’ll find her, won’t they?” I asked anxiously.
“Yes. It’s not the first time this has happened, and they always track her down in the end. She’ll be fine,” Cal assured me.
“And the guys? They have other men watching their backs, don’t they? Because those people who shot at us could be watching the house. They could follow the cars they went in.”
“The men who shot at us are all dead, and who ever sent them will be too busy trying to regroup after a pretty major loss. But regardless, Rafe made sure they had plenty of men followingbehind each car. Everyone will be safe. Try to stop worrying so much. They’ll contact us as soon as they have news.”
“You’re right,” I nodded, but the churning in my stomach didn’t ease. Gia was just a kid, a very naive kid from what I had seen of her, and she was out in the middle of a bustling city filled with enough danger as it was, without the criminals who were specifically targeting our family.
“We need to take your mind off of things. What do you want to do? We could reheat some of the food. Terza wrapped it all up and put it in the fridge for us.”
“Food sounds good, but I might go and take a shower first. Change into some comfortable pyjamas. You know you don’t have to stay with me if you have university work you need to do though?” I reminded him. He’d been pretty much glued to my hip since I met him, which I was all for, but I didn’t want to take him from other important things he needed to do.
“I got it all done the day you arrived, so I’m wide open. I have the whole weekend free,” he assured me. “Why don’t you go and do what you want to do, and I’ll make us up some plates and get them warmed up? Meet me in the living room and we can continue with our boxset?”
“Sounds good. I won’t be long,” I told him, then I left him, running off up the stairs. Living in that place was definitely a workout, but I hadn’t even tried the lift yet. I just didn’t trust it. It was all fancy glass and a digital screen. I wasn’t even sure I would know how to use it if I tried. At least taking the stairs was forcing me to do some much needed cardio.
CHAPTER 21
CARA
As soon as I got to the top of the stairs on the fifth floor, I could hear the ringing of a cell phone, and as I approached my room, I realised it was mine. Cal had given it to me, and helped me to set it up that morning. He’d shown me the basics of how it worked and where all of the numbers for the family were stored. I knew Rafe really wanted me to have it, so I had accepted it, but I had argued that I hadn’t needed such an expensive device. Back home I had only had a very basic model and it had done everything I needed it to. The brand new iPhone Cal had selected for me seemed way too much. I hadn’t even remembered to bring it from my room with me, and I was pretty clueless about how to use it too.
I hurried into my room at the sound of the ringing, hoping it would be Gia, or Rafe telling me he found her already. I knew the odds of him getting to her that fast were slim, but I could hope. I just wanted her to be home safe. No matter how much she disliked me, I loved her.
There wasn’t a name flashing on the screen like Cal told me there would be. Instead it was just a number, but I answered it anyway. Gia didn’t have her phone, so maybe she was calling from someone else’s?
“Hello?” I said eagerly.
“Cara?”
“Gia? Oh thank God! Where are you? Rafe is worried sick, and so am I.”
“Cara…” It wasn’t until she said my name again that I realised she was sniffling, and her breathing sounded uneven.
“Where are you? What’s wrong?” I demanded.
“I…I’m in trouble, Cara. These men…they gr-grabbed me. They said you have to come or they….they’re g-going to kill me. Please Cara. I don’t know what to do. I’m s-so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
“Gia, try to calm down. Take a breath for me. Do you know who took you, or where you are?”
“No. I…I c-can’t. They said I…I have to get you to come here. I don’t know what to do, Cara!” she whimpered between desperate sobs.
“Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?” I demanded. I heard some scuffling, then the phone was muffled. I heard a male voice, but not clear enough to make out any words. Gia cried out, then she was sobbing even harder when she came back on the line. It was obvious they had hurt her from the way her fear and panic had ratcheted up.
“Cara?” she squeaked.
“Tell the men I’ll come, okay? But only if they let you go. Tell them that,” I told her as calmly as I could. It was pointless to ask her more questions. They would only hurt her, and I couldn’t let that happen.
I didn’t understand what was going on, and why whoever took Gia wanted me instead, but if there was some way I could save Gia, I was damned well taking it. Of course I didn’t want to walk into the clutches of monsters, but I was definitely better equipped to face that situation than my innocent, naïve sister was. And besides all of that, she was my baby sister. I’d do anything to protect her.
I could hear sniffles and crying, then the line was muffled for several minutes. I waited anxiously, adrenaline kicking in throughout my body. Then I heard Gia cry out as if she had been hurt. The shrill cry reverberated through me and made my heart race even faster.
“GIA?!” I yelled into the phone.
