Page 103 of Giovanna

We have just burst into the dark hospital carpark and climbed into my car when a text comes through to our sibling group chat from Elio. It’s Stefan’s address.

“You gotta breathe, G,” Massimo mutters from the passenger seat. He seems to have got a hold of his emotions and is now worried about mine.

“Fuck, Massi. If anything has happened to her - “ I clear my throat as my voice cracks and then shake my head vigorously.Focus. I need to focus.

“I know. Trust me, I know,” he responds.

It takes about half an hour with me driving like a goddamn maniac for us to arrive outside the address. Giving zero fucks about the garden, I drive my SUV into their driveway, across the perfectly manicured lawn, and come to a stop in the flowerbeds next to the front door.

My Doc Martin boots trample on what is left of the colourful floral display and I release my handgun from my shoulder holster just as Massimo pounds on the front door. It swings open, unlocked, and phantom fingers of panic claw at my neck.

“Lights are all off,” I mutter. It isn’t that late. About 9.30 pm. People should still be up.

Broken glass crunches under my boots as I step over the threshold. It comes from a large picture frame that lies broken against the wall. The hallway table is empty, the floor around it littered with letters, knick-knacks, and the debris of a tipped-over vase of flowers.

We quickly move from room to room methodically and discover no one is here. On the second floor, Massi finds some of Francesca’s clothes and a bizarre purple coloured liquid smeared across the floor. It looks like there has been a struggle.

My heart sinks. I thought I was doing the right thing by giving her some space. Massi said she was hanging out with Sammy and going to work. I should never have let her stay by herself at her parents’ house. She was a sitting duck.

“Nah she’s not here,” Massimo is on the phone with Elio and Matteo, pacing in the hallway as I assess the spare bedroom where we found Francesca’s things. “Looks like there’s been a struggle.”

Where would he have taken her?He doesn’t have any other properties in his name or Allegra’s in Sydney. We have been keeping an eye out for him buying up assets since he moved his family here.

Would he take her back to Melbourne?

That would stop her from marrying Elio and he knows that means the capos will look elsewhere for a Rossi to step in. But, kidnapping her has made it impossible for him to return to Sydney without staring down the barrel of one of our guns.

It’s like none of this was planned out and that makes it very difficult to make guesses as to where he has gone and what his endgame is.

“Matteo and Elio are going to swing by some of Stefan’s known associates and see what they know,” Massimo informs me.

“How’s Dad doing?” I ask, looking up at him from my perch on the end of the bed.

“No word yet. Still in surgery.” His mouth flattens into a grim line.

After a moment he opens his mouth again. “Something I can’t stop thinking about…Cheska’s text said‘Someone is coming to get me’.Maybe Stefan is working with someone”

“But who?” I frown. He does have a point though. It is a strange thing to text if she was just dealing with Stefan.Someone.

“Baz? Azarro?” Massi names a couple of the capos we know Stefan has spent time with.

“They both made a big show of swearing loyalty to us at the meeting. Would they have leftLa Fazendaand gone straight to Stefan’s house to partake in kidnapping the future Mrs. Marino?”

“Maybe?” Massi shrugs. “Who else then?”

“The bikies?” I suggest. “They threatened her at her work.”

“But you dealt with them didn’t you?”

“We got hold of two of the three, but Billy the Kid has been hard to pin down. No sign of him since the ambush.”

“But why would they be involved?” he asks. It is a fair question because on the surface it would appear they have no shared interests here.

“They’re being paid and gambling that when Stefan takes over they will have the means to take over Billy’s Uncle Ned. Stefan and Billy are both trying to knife their family members to gain power.”

It has to be the bikies. Stefan’s mercenaries.

“Fancy a visit to the Rusty Clutch?” I raise my eyebrow grimly.

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