of darting out into the street, my only option is to slip down the oncoming alleyway and try to lose them on the other side. I make an abrupt left down the alley and pound my feet as quickly as I can toward the other side.
I can hear two sets of thumping footsteps behind me. They’re close. Way too close for comfort. I push harder, struggling to suck in breaths. I’m not going to make it.
A hand closes on my arm and yanks me to a stop, nearly pulling my shoulder from its socket. I yelp in pain.
“Dumb bitch,” the first man hisses, locking my arm behind my back. “Get the baby so I can zip tie her.”
“I hate it when they make us run,” the other man commiserates, walking around my front.
I do the only thing I can think to do—I start screaming Gabriel’s name. It’s a desperate, stupid move. I should be screaming “Help!” or “Fire!” or whatever one is supposed to yell to attract the attention of the otherwise disinterested public. Gabriel can’t hear me, but I call out for him anyway, as if I might be able to draw him down this alley by sheer force of will.
“Shut up!” the second man says, reaching for Harry, who starts to scream bloody murder.
My heart races. No! They’re going to take him! I can’t let them!
But with my arm twisted behind my back, there isn’t much I can do except try to shuffle away.
“Let go of her,” comes a dark voice from behind me.
The three of us freeze, which would be an amusing tableau if we weren’t midway through a kidnapping with a crying baby in my arms.
I look over my shoulder and let out a joyful laugh. “Angelo!”
Angelo Romano has come to save the day. And he’s brought backup. He is standing with his gun pointed at the man holding my arm, and two other serious-faced guards flank him with their guns drawn. John and Matteo, I think their names are.
My attacker releases my arm, and I scurry behind Angelo. He is my favorite of Gabriel’s men and was assigned as one of my personal guards when I lived in the mansion. I suspect it was because of this personal attachment that Angelo wasn’t assigned to guard me in the apartment.
I bounce Harry, trying to calm him down, as we back out of the alleyway. John shoots a concerned look in our direction.
“What’s wrong with him?” he asks.
I frown. “What’s wrong? He’s scared. Somebody just tried to kidnap him.”
We make it to the street, and John guides me by the arm to a car waiting next to the sidewalk. “But he’s not harmed?”
Harry sniffles and hiccups.
“No, he’s not harmed.” I roll my eyes. He is clearly only worried about what Gabriel will do if anything happened to Harry. I’m no less grateful for it, but suddenly my rescue feels a little cheap. They aren’t here for me. They’re here for the goods—Gabriel’s progeny and the one growing in my belly.
I get in the car, and Angelo gets in beside me, ruffling his thick brown hair as we pull out into the street. “You do get yourself in some scrapes,” he comments.
“It’s nice to see you too,” I remark dryly.
His gray eyes sparkle with mirth. He leans over and tickles Harry’s chin, which nearly earns him a smile. Angelo’s cute, a bit too round in the face for my liking, but I could see Clara finding him attractive.
Clara, shit.
I pull my phone out and dial her number again. Her phone is still off.
“What’s wrong?” Angelo asks.
“I need to speak to Gabriel.” I bite my lip, thinking about what King Kong said to me back there about Gabriel’s arrest. Gabriel and I have a lot of things to talk about.
A pained expression flickers over Angelo’s features. “I’m not sure that will be possible. We’re just supposed to take you back to the apartment and await orders.”
“Angelo, please.”
He glances at the front seat, where the other guards are talking in low voices to each other. He chews his bottom lip.
“You know me,” I say, jumping on his indecision. “I’ll make a big scene. I’ll get Harry to start crying again, and that’s going to really freak John out.”
Angelo chuckles. “Let’s get you back into the apartment safely, and then I’ll see what I can do.”
7
Gabriel
As requested, Silvano calls me in less than half an hour to update me on Alexis’ whereabouts. “She’s safe,” he says. “Angelo and the others have