He wants to destroy me and bring my empire crashing to the ground.
“Mounting a rescue mission could put more of your men at risk, dozens more,” Matteo says.
I agree, but doing nothing shows weakness. It proves to Luka Caruso that he can do whatever he wants. That he runs this city, and that’s furthest from the truth.
“And sitting idly by while he slaughters my men isn’t something I’m willing to accept,” I say. There’s a firmness to my tone, a brashness to what has happened is still itching through me to retaliate.
I don’t like knowing that my men, my family, is in danger.
I offer them protection, and if I can’t do that, I’m good as dead.
“I understand, Sir. You asked for my position. The safe move is to let things settle and counterstrike when they are least expecting it,” Matteo says.
He’s a sensible man, but he doesn’t understand what is at risk by waiting and not responding. Caruso will act again, and he needs to be stopped.
At all costs.
I hear the door clasp shut.
“Olivia?” I call out. I’m a bit on edge after the news Matteo just dropped into my lap.
Olivia doesn’t respond.
“I’m going to have to call you back, Matteo.”
“Sure thing, Boss.”
I end the call and shove the phone into my pocket. The lights are on in the hallway, and the alarm is set. It hasn’t gone off. I’m sure that I’m overreacting, but Caruso is not to be trusted.
If he can get to one of my capos, a man trained to kill, then he can get to Olivia.
I hope I’m being paranoid.
This place is a fortress. He shouldn’t be inside these four walls, but I can’t help but worry.
I stalk down the hallway. Olivia’s bedroom door is open. There’s a private bathroom connected to her room, so I’m surprised the door isn’t shut. Unless she’s seeking my company?
Doubtful.
I’m overreaching.
We’re just friends. Colleagues. I’m her boss. That’s it. And she’s carrying my child, but it’s not romantic. Not that I don’t have feelings for her, but I haven’t acted on them. I’m not a complete asshole.
I poke my head into her bedroom.
The bedside lamp is on. It emits a soft amber glow across the room, shadows dancing over the walls and bed. But there’s no sign of Olivia.
The bathroom door is also open.
My stomach tenses.
“Olivia?”
Okay, now I’m concerned.
Where the hell did she go? She couldn’t have just up and disappeared. The windows are shut. The front door is locked. Hell, she’d have had to walk past me to head out the front door.
Unless she snuck out the back door. But why? And the alarm would have sounded. The keypad didn’t indicate anyone turned on or off the alarm.
The door to my office creaks open, and Olivia steps out, staring at me wide-eyed. Her hand is bunched into a fist.
Is she hiding something? Did she steal something from my office?
“What the hell are you doing?”