She was gone, taken by that psychopath to God only knew where.
Nicco was confident he would call, but it had been almost two hours since we discovered she was gone and still, nothing. Mr. and Mrs. Abato wanted to call the police, but my father and Antonio had talked them down, insisting they would do everything in their power to get Nora back safe and sound.
It had been strange, watching them work together for the common good.
“What’s taking so long?” I asked. We were at Antonio’s house. Me, Nicco, Matteo, Enzo, and Luis. Maurice was at the apartment with Jay, just in case he showed up, and Tristan was back at my father’s estate with mine and Nora’s parents.
We all knew he wouldn’t show up anywhere familiar though.
He would want to draw me away from everyone.
“He’ll call.” Nicco squeezed my knee. The two of us sat on the couch while Matteo sat in the chair. Luis stood over by the door, in his usual bodyguard stance, ready to jump into action at any moment; while Enzo paced back and forth like a caged lion.
He’d been quiet.
Too quiet.
I knew he carried guilt over what had happened, but part of me wondered if it was more than that. If he cared because it was Nora.
God, I hoped she was okay.
I didn’t know what I would do if she was hurt... because of me.
Because of Scott’s depraved infatuation with me.
My phone sat on the coffee table taunting me. We assumed Scott would contact me, but time was ticking.
“Anything?” Alessia came into the room.
“Not yet,” I said.
She sat down beside me. “She’ll be okay. Nora is a tough cookie.”
Enzo made a strangled sound in his throat.
“Maybe you should get some air?” Nicco suggested.
“No,” he said. “I need to be here in case—”
The blare of my cell cut through the air. “It’s him.” I snatched the phone up in my trembling fingers.
“What does it say?” Everyone moved closer as I unlocked the screen and opened the text.
“It’s an address.”
“Vitelli,” Nicco barked.
“On it.” Luis glanced over at the screen and began typing something in his own cell phone. “It looks like it’s an abandoned industrial unit right on the edge of Romany Square.
“Motherfucker has a death wish,” Enzo growled.
Another message came through.
“Come alone, or she dies,” someone read it out.
“Oh God,” I cried, and Alessia pulled me into her arms.
“Ssh, it’s okay. It’ll be okay.”
“How are we going to play this?” Matteo said. “We can’t just send Ari in alone.”
“Yes.” I pulled away and wiped my eyes. “You can. You have to. I will not let him hurt Nora.”
If he hadn’t already.
“You can’t ask me to do that, Bambolina.” The blood had drained from Nicco’s face.
“What other choice do we have? He won’t hurt me. Not until he gets what he wants. I can placate him while you make your move.”
“No.” Nicco looked murderous.
“She has a point,” Luis said. “He’s obsessed with her. If anyone can distract him, it’s Ari.”
“I will not risk your life.” Nicco shot up. “It is not an option.”
I stood, taking his face in my hands. “Nora is my best friend. I can’t stand by and do nothing.”
“It’s a trap. If we send you in there alone—”
“I won’t be alone. I know you’ll keep me safe, Nicco.”
“Fuck, Bambolina.” His eyes shuttered as he swallowed harshly. “Don’t ask me to do this.”
“We can send her in with a vest,” Luis said. “It’s not ideal but it’s better than nothing.”
“A vest.... fuck.” Nicco ran a hand down his face.
“I have to do this,” I said with more confidence. The longer we sat around and decided what to do, the longer Nora was with him.
“It’s our best shot at getting Nora out of there...” Luis swallowed the words.
Words I didn’t ever want to hear.
Nora would survive this.
She had to.
We all looked to Nicco, waiting. “Okay,” he eventually choked out. “We do it. But you listen to every single word I tell you.” I nodded. “I need to speak with my father, and then we head out. Matteo, you stay here with Alessia.”
“But, Nic—”
Nicco silenced him with a hard look.
His hands went up. “I’m on babysitting duty, got it.”
“Enzo, Luis, you’re with us.” He moved toward Enzo, lowering his voice so the rest of us couldn’t hear.
“Be safe.” Alessia pulled my attention from her brother and cousin.
“I will, I promise.”
“Arianne,” Luis beckoned me over, “we need to get you set up.”