Page 38 of Fatal Love

Time seemed to standstill for what felt like eternity. But it had been two weeks since we had returned to Vegas. Vincenzo and Riley had welcomed us into their home, and along with Massimo and Madison. I was grateful for them because they tried to keep Antonio and me from falling apart. The only positive thing to come out of Michael’s kidnapping was that the FBI had stopped pursuing a case against Riley. My former boss was still in protective custody and was also considering leaving the job. Agent Jackson was sitting around Massimo's desk talking to him and Vincenzo. Their voices were low, making it difficult to hear from where I was standing. Whatever evidence they had proved Ivanov had taken Michael, had been kept away from Antonio and me. That thought pissed me off and had me stepping into their office to demand answers.

The three men stopped speaking and turned to look at me. “Rachel, is Antonio okay?” Vincenzo leaned forward in his chair, looking for his brother behind me.

“He’s fine. Riley’s doctor gave him a sleeping pill because he hasn’t been sleeping.” I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed. “I want to see the proof.”

Massimo tilted his head. “Proof?”

Agent Jackson visibly paled and stiffened in his seat. He knew me almost as well as Antonio did, seeing as we'd been close partners for nearly a decade. And I was certain he understood what I was asking for, even if the other two wanted to pretend they didn’t.

“Yes. The proof.” I held Massimo’s gaze and lifted my chin. “I know you received something that alerted you Ivanov had Michael. I want to see it.”

“Rachel.” The sound of Vincenzo’s chair scraping the wooden floor echoed off the walls. “You’re going to have to trust us.”

“I do. But I need to see it for myself. Nothing has happened in weeks. If Ivanov has him, why isn’t he making threats or demands?”

Vincenzo pressed his hand to my shoulder. “Come. Sit.” He guided me to the chair he had been sitting in. I watched as he slowly kneeled in front of me and pulled my hands into his. “I know this is awful. I would be crazy if it were Riley or anyone I loved. But you've got to understand, we aren’t sharing that detail with you. You have to trust us that it's to protect you and Antonio.”

“Antonio what?” My eyes found Antonio in the doorway looking just as disheveled as he was earlier. “What’s going on here?”

“Rachel wants to see the evidence we have proving Ivanov has Michael.”

Antonio froze. The realization he'd not yet seen it himself was clear on his face. “I want to see it, too.”

Massimo stood and stepped toward Antonio—who moved away from his reach. “Fratello.”

“No. Rachel’s right. We deserve to see whatever it is Ivanov sent to you. Please.”

I let go of Vincenzo’s hand and pushed to my feet. I went to Antonio and wrapped my arms around his waist.

The men shared an expression of terror before Agent Jackson spoke. “I understand why you need to see it, but Antonio.” He sighed, giving me a sympathetic look. “Rachel, however, shouldn’t.”

Antonio glanced down at me and furrowed his brow. “No. She deserves the truth as much as I do. We both love him.”

“I don’t like this.” Vincenzo spoke as he stood. “It isn’t something either of you should see, Fratello. Are you sure this is wise?” He glanced back to Massimo who was shaking his head.

“Yes. I appreciate you trying to protect us, but if I—no, we… are going to accept he probably isn’t coming home… we need to know everything.”

“Fine.” Massimo ran his hand down his face. “Antonio, promise me you won’t lose it and go off on your own—and do something stupid.”

I tightened my hand on Antonio's. “He won’t. I won’t let him.”

“Follow me.” Massimo headed toward the security room in Vincenzo’s house. Vincenzo and Agent Jackson followed him close behind. “I think Antonio needs to see it first.” He gave his brother a knowing look.

“Okay.” Antonio stepped forward, letting go of my hand. “Wait here, Rachel.”

“What? No. We’re going to look together.”

“Please. If it’s as bad as they are making me feel it is, I don’t want you to look.”

I watched Vincenzo and Jackson as they stepped in behind Antonio, taking a protective stance at his backside. Massimo pulled out an iPad and pressed a few buttons. “This was sent to us through an encrypted email. Alec has been trying to locate its origin but has had no luck. Antonio.” Massimo held the tablet against his chest. “You need to prepare yourself.”

Massimo tilted the screen towards Antonio, and I watched as the man I loved crumpled apart before my eyes. Massimo set the tablet down and dropped to the floor, grasping his brother. Vincenzo was beside them, his arms wrapped around Antonio as he shattered into a million pieces. Agent Jackson turned back to me. His eyes widen with shock when he realized what I was doing. I needed to see for myself. I needed to know what put Antonio on the ground. We moved at the same time, but my fingers wrapped around the device and snatched it off the table.

“Rachel,” Jackson hollered, but my body was on autopilot.

Nothing in my life prepared me for what was on the screen. Michael laid sideways on what appeared to be a concrete floor. He was strapped to a chair, his hands bloody and twisted at an odd angle. Although his face was a bloody mess and hardly human anymore, I knew. My heart was lying helplessly on the floor.

A silent scream tore from my lips as the tablet slipped from my grasp and clattered to the floor. I vaguely heard someone shouting my name as the rushing sound filled my ears. Tiny pinpricks of black dotted through my vision as the world closed in. I couldn’t breathe. My chest ached with a pain I’d never new existed. A heart attack—that had to be what I was feeling. Nothing was in focus as I tumbled forward, my body pitching into the edge of the desk. A sharp pain echoed through my hip as I fell towards the floor in a heap.

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