Page 57 of These Sinful Kingdoms

Aurora

Ilookeddownatmy brother’s beaten face, emotions rolling through me. Once we had been so close and then it all seemingly fell apart overnight.

Now as I looked at him, I couldn’t help but wonder if he had been manipulated and everything that happened wasn’t his choice.

“Ms. Moretti?” The Doctor interrupted my thoughts as Caleb came into the room behind him with Kingston in tow.

“He will be in for a while under observation. There are a few broken bones, extreme dehydration, and injuries to his body, nothing that won’t heal with time.” he said as Kingston pushed past him to wrap an arm around me.

“We will have a security officer stationed at his door at all times.” Kingston said and I saw the moment the doctor went to object, looking at Kingston he thought better of it and disappeared from the room.

“I thought Luca was coming here and you were going to the Maddens?” I said softly as Kingston glanced at Caleb. It was then I noticed the tension in both of them, the tension that said something had happened since I had arrived.

“What happened?” I asked as Kingston turned me to face him.

“Luca is missing. Kenji called me when I arrived at Benjamin’s. I left the documents with them and came straight here.” He looked tired and it was then I noticed the dried blood still covering his neck and face.

“What do you mean he is missing? You saw him, he got into his car.” I could feel the panic rising as I looked between Kingston and Caleb.

“His car is missing, and he removed his body cam and blue tooth which was found where his car was parked. Kenji is searching for the traffic cams now with Theo and Declan’s help. We need to get to Benjamin’s.” He gestured to Nicolo.

“I will have my men outside the hospital and someone inside. No one will get to him without us knowing.” He watched me as I let everything sink in. Luca was gone. My phone vibrated in my pocket, I frowned at the unknown number and the video file.

“Someone sent me a video.” I said softly as I opened it, every part of me freezing as I looked at Luca tied down.

“Fuck.” Kingston said as he watched, Caleb coming over to look over my shoulder, silently making the sign of the cross as we watched the man carve into Luca’s chest. Carve my name. Luca’s screams before he passed out unlocked something savage inside me.

“Ms. Moretti. This is your first and last warning. I will send you a location tomorrow to meet me. If you do not arrive alone – and I will know if you are alone, then I will begin sending you pieces of Luca until there is nothing left of him. I think you know who I am and that I mean business. Have a good evening.” The video shut off as the man lay a single stem rose over Luca’s chest.

“The Moretti Thorn as Luca.” I whispered, clenching my phone in my hand.

“We will get him back, Aurora. I promise you. We need help. We can’t do this on our own.” Kingston said as Caleb pulled out his phone, talking quietly. He nodded before looking at me.

“Kenji. Said he may have something. I will stop by the house and pick him up. He has been called in along with the rest of us. Benjamin will be calling shortly.” He said before kissing me on the cheek.

“don’t lose hope, Aurora. There is no one as strong and determined as you. We will find him, and we will end this.” He said with more conviction than I expected from him.

Kingston’s phone rang as Caleb left. Kingston winced then put the phone on loudspeaker.

“You need to get here. We have an unexpected visitor.” Benjamin said, voice strained. A muffled voice could be heard before a woman spoke.

“Ms. Moretti. It is high time we met. Your little problem has now become my problem and I do not like problems. Send the video you just received to Declan so we can process it until you arrive. I expect to see you within the next fifteen minutes. Do not make me repeat myself or keep me waiting.” The phone hung up and Kingston and I stared at each other before I forwarded the message to Declan.

“I guess that was Katerina. Looks like we are going to meet the mysterious Russians.” Kingston said warily before he gently guided me out of my brother’s room. A man was outside, gun at his hip acting as guard.

A numbness settled within me, as well as an odd sense of calmness and clarity. Rocco was my target and Rocco had to die. First, we would find the Moretti Thorn and remove him, then I would find Rocco and pay him back in kind for every bit of pain and suffering he had caused me.

Then I would take my father’s seat and remind the crime families why the Moretti name had once been feared.

***

We walked into the office where the Mendez and Maddens were sitting around the large table, waiting for us. Serena came over to hug me, squeezing me tight.

“Fabian is safe and enjoying his time with us. He and Agatha have been causing chaos with Dante.” She said with a smile. I was glad for the distraction, the small little bit of information that was like a lifeline to hold onto.

“What kind of chaos?” I asked, glancing at Dante. Serena grinned but before she could speak, a small, petite woman with her hair tightly pulled back and thin lips stood, glaring at me.

“There is no time for emotional catch-ups. This problem must be solved now. I do not like being pulled from my bed in the middle of the night to fix things and yet here I am.” Her thick Russian accent was abrupt as she stared at me.

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