“Yes, sir, I understand. I’ll get the details to you immediately. I’ll make some calls and I’ll send some people to locate Cane and search his residence.”
“Good. Get back to me quickly.”
Angelo disconnected the call, and then stood by the window looking out of the city.
Obviously, I need to handle Robert myself. There just doesn’t seem like anyone can get the job done like I would.
He looked out the window.
Chiara was right at the hospital, just blocks away from where he lived now. For months, he’d watched her, watched Robert, and learned their habits. He wanted what belonged to him. He had planned this for twenty-five years. Twenty-five years as he rotted in prison in Italy for a crime he didn’t commit, but that Robert committed. He and Robert were best friends. They had done everything together. They made their first bit of fortune together, and their future seemed so bright and prosperous. But Robert got greedy. He let the money, the power rule him, and in the end, he set Angelo up to destroy his future and his life. Robert probably counted on the Italian judge to give him a life sentence. Robert probably paid someone to make his paperwork get lost and fucked up, then extended his time, hoping Angelo would die in prison. But Angelo had been determined to survive. He was determined to get revenge, and ultimately, he had been determined to see the woman he loved, once again.
Patricia. God, baby, I missed you so much. Why did you have to die before I could see you again, hold you again, and love you? Why, Patricia?
Angelo felt the tears sting his eyes. She was gone, but Chiara wasn’t. She looked identical to her mother. A gorgeous, vibrant, strong-willed woman, with vision and dreams.
Robert had corrupted those dreams, and controlled her destiny. Patricia died probably thinking that Angelo didn’t love her, and nothing between them mattered. But it mattered more than she would ever know.
I am not able to tell you the truth, Patricia, and set the record clear, but I can tell Chiara. And maybe, just maybe, Chiara will let me be part of her life. She’s all I have left of you, Patricia. All I have left.
* * * *
When they entered the room, Chiara was waiting there. The moment she saw her lovers and her best friends she cried.
“Oh, baby, Jesus,” Cash said as he rushed to her side. Zane went to her other side. They each kissed her, caressed her cheeks, and whispered how much they loved her and were glad that she was safe.
“I love you, too. I was so scared,” she said as they slowly stood up and looked over her injuries. Zane held her gaze as he moved the hospital gown to the side a little.
She placed her hand over his and their fingers locked.
“I got scraped up pretty badly.”
“Oh God, Chiara. I can’t believe someone tried to take you, and that you had to throw yourself out of a moving vehicle to get away. You are fucking crazy, woman,” Heather said as she placed her hand over Chiara’s leg and squeezed it through the covers.
“I’ve never been so scared,” she whispered as she fought the tears to remain away.
Emanuel and Keith looked at her.
Zane and Cash didn’t look too happy about moving away from her for a moment for Emanuel and Keith to kiss her and hug her next.
Emanuel held her face between his hands. “Never scare me like that again,” he whispered, and she saw the tears in his eyes. He kissed her nose and then her cheek. Zane and Cash cleared their throats. This was torture for them, Chiara could tell.
Emanuel released her and smiled, then winked. Then Keith kissed her cheek and brushed his thumb lightly across her lower lip.
“You take care of yourself, and let your men pamper you. You’re going to need a lot of rest, and no going anywhere until this asshole is caught.” He smiled.
“They’re going to help us out. We asked them to go along with Heather back to your office to the safe. We don’t want Heather going there herself with Marvin and this asshole on the loose,” Cash told her as Heather looked at Chiara and gave her a wink. It seemed that Heather was hoping to finally snag Emanuel and Keith’s attention. Both men placed a hand to her lower back, and Chiara thought that they made a nice little ménage trio. She smiled.
“Take care of her, guys. She can be a bit recalcitrant, and bossy, and mouthy,” Chiara told them.
Emanuel moved his hand up behind Heather’s head and hair. It appeared like he held her very snugly, and by the blush that appeared on Heather’s cheeks, she liked the Dom in Emanuel. Chiara had failed to let Heather know that Keith and Emanuel were Doms, and they expected respect in a very unique way. She had been shocked when Emanuel and Keith told her, but they were happy, and that was what mattered to Chiara.
“Don’t worry about that. Keith and I are experts in handling a woman like Heather.” Emanuel guided her toward the door.
“Yeah, she’s in good hands, Chiara. You know that right?” Keith winked. Chiara smiled.
“We’ll keep in touch,” Keith said and the three of them exited the room, with Heather appearing out of sorts and already more aroused than she probably ever had been. Heather might have finally met her matches.
Chiara looked at Zane and Cash. “They said that my ribs are fine. There is a lot of bruising on the outside of the skin. It’s already black and blue and red. It’s all scratched up. Oh God, I can’t believe this happened to me. I don’t get it.” She ran her fingers through her hair. The move made her cringe.