“Holy shit, Flynn. Who the hell hired this guy? What the fuck does he want from Chiara?”
“Maybe it’s not Chiara the main guy is after? Maybe it’s her father? I kind of have some feelers out on Robert Costiano’s background. If there is something fishy there, we’ll find out.”
“Great. Did you send me the picture of this asshole?”
“Sent it through. Check your e-mail and let me know.”
Zane opened up the e-mail on the other computer and Cash looked, too.
“Yep, that’s him,” Cash stated, and with the phone on speaker Flynn could hear him.
“Fuck. I was kind of hoping that it wasn’t. Get that picture out to your team that’s working the area.”
“Oh we are, Flynn. Our security company provides the majority of security cameras for the buildings surrounding the hospital, Costiano’s, here, where Chiara lives, and her route to work. We can send this image through the system and see if the fucker shows up.”
“I don’t know how you two came up with such awesome security shit. All IT stuff. I love it. Keep me posted and I will do the same. Be safe and take care of that special woman of yours,” Flynn stated.
“We will,” Zane said then disconnected the call. Next to him, Cash was already sending out the photo of the guy named Cane.
Cash was typing away and then leaned back in his chair.
“You see this shit Flynn and Jett got on this guy Cane? He’s a sick fuck.”
Zane just stared at Cash. “I can’t sit here and go over this now. There’s nothing more we can do. We have everyone we can working on this thing.”
“I know. Let’s go be with Chiara. I want to check her bandages,” Cash said, and they got up and headed to the bedroom.
* * * *
Chiara had the robe wrapped around her. She had taken a shower earlier, and then Cash and Zane helped her apply new ointment to the scratches and bandages to her arm. Everywhere else was bruised.
Zane and Cash were so upset, seeing her bruises. They looked so angry and Cash had turned away, walked out of the room, and hit the wall. She’d heard him. Cash had told her that they were both so scared, and worried, but happy that she was with them, where they could protect her. She loved them for it. But right now she was shaking, feeling as if something bad was about to happen. She thought about her father, and wondered why he hadn’t contacted her. It was difficult to face the fact that he obviously didn’t care.
Should she really feel this hurt? He had basically stopped showing any care or love for her once her mother died. Could he have been putting on an act for her mother? But why w
ouldn’t he care about me? I’m his daughter.
She should have known that he would never give her the company or offer her shares in it. She should have questioned his love to her back then. But she was too scared. She refused to give up her heart, or show emotions like that to anyone, especially her father. It was like she was always alone, except when her mom was there. It seemed like something was missing, and she feared making the wrong decisions or losing her way. It was part of why she had asked Emanuel to take her virginity. She wanted to lose it to someone she loved and cared about and someone who reciprocated those same feelings.
She had always been guarded. She wasn’t sure where that came from, but knowing what she knew now, there was a reason. She figured that gut instincts really must have kicked in. But that still didn’t make the facts easier to digest.
My father doesn’t love me. Maybe he never did.
“Chiara?”
Chiara turned to the sound of Cash’s voice. The sight of him and Zane entering the bedroom made her feel instantly safer. That feeling of dread, and worry that something bad was going to happen, minimized slightly. She loved these two men so much. She had never loved like this before.
Cash pulled her into his arms and she hugged him tight.
“What is it, baby? You’re upset,” he whispered as he kissed the top if her head.
“I just need you to hold me. I fear that something bad is about to happen. I can’t get the feeling out of me.” He caressed her back and slowly walked backward toward the bed. He sat down and held her between his legs.
“It’s probably trauma from the event. That’s why the doctor gave you some pills to help you rest.”
She shook her head as she looked down into his dark brown eyes. She absorbed the feel of his hands caressing her ass, her thighs and hips.
“I need you. I need you and Zane to make love to me.”