Taken_ A Dark Mafia Romance - Piper Stone Page 0,92

business. I’d been enthralled with the process, enamored by the powerful men in suits who’d treated my father with such respect.

Perhaps that’s the reason I’d allowed myself to get sucked into the world of the sect, believing that what my ancestors and those of four other families had provided was decent. I knew better now. We’d altered the course of thousands of lives, but were they any better? Were the families of the community made happier by the extreme wealth and influence they wielded?

I think both Christian and I would argue that the day of reckoning was long overdue.

As Christian opened the door, the impromptu meeting based on the newspaper article, the face of the single Council member inside was telling.

“Thank God, you’re here,” Bobby huffed, wringing his hands as he moved toward us.

“Bobby. Where the hell is Frank?” Christian hissed.

“I don’t know. He left me an odd message, something about being a disgrace to the sect.”

Christian and I looked at each other. Learning that Frank had betrayed the sect had been difficult to hear, the man a longtime friend of our father’s during the years and the last man I would ever think would sell out the sect.

“Goddamn it!” Christian barked. “We need to find him.”

“What the hell is going on?” Bobby insisted.

“Frank has betrayed all of us. He’s the one who’s been leaking information to the senator.” I thought about the senator’s last words, a cold chill shifting down my body.

“No fucking way,” Bobby whispered. “I should have seen this coming.”

Christian got in his face. “Whatever you know, you will come clean and there are going to be some significant changes. I’m done with this bullshit. Shut down everything that you can and do not talk to anyone about this.” He turned his attention toward me. “We have to find him before he does more damage.”

“Don’t worry, Christian. I’ll make some calls,” Bobby suggested.

My anger increased. The asshole wasn’t going to get away with this. By the end of the day, Frank Neves’ family would be without their patriarch.

As we raced out of the office, a terrible foreboding shifted into my mind.

Winter.

“We need to find Frank.” I bolted toward the elevator, furious that I’d left Winter alone. I believed she’d be protected at my house. No one but Christian had known we were back in town.

But there were few people I could trust.

When Christian wasn’t right behind me, I growled. Then I noticed he was on the phone. As he fell against the wall, I took long strides in his direction.

“What’s going on?”

Christian lifted his head, tears in his eyes. “It’s Stephanie. She’s been taken to the hospital. She collapsed. Her heart is damaged from the illness she had as a child. The stress of the baby magnified her condition. And... And the doctor doesn’t think she’ll survive the birth.”

The news was stunning, the horror hitting me hard. The sins of the past could never be forgotten.

Only I refused to allow any of the innocent ones to be destroyed.

Not because of greed or power.

“Come on. I’ll get you to the hospital.”

Then all hell was going to break loose.

Chapter Seventeen

Winter

Pacing.

That’s all I’d been doing the entire day. I was in a strange house that wasn’t my own waiting for the man I loved to return from finishing whatever plan he’d put into motion. I couldn’t stand the fact that he’d kept me in the dark, although I realized he believed he was protecting me.

To hell with protection.

I wanted normal. I wanted a real life. I wanted...

I smiled as I thought about Matteo. He was still dark and dangerous, yet the last night we’d spent together had been incredible, the passion unbridled. I could still feel his strong arms around me, the way he licked every inch of my body. Even now, my pussy quivered with anticipation of another glorious night.

If that was in the cards for us. I wasn’t entirely certain I knew given the insanity that was unfolding.

Including the fact we’d decided to cancel the wedding. It was the right thing to do, especially given the threats and potential legal issues. There was no way of telling whether or not police would show up at the church. That wasn’t a memory I wanted to see on a special day. I could only imagine my mother’s reaction, but she’d get over it. I bit back a smile, my nipples aching, wishing we were still back on the little island.

Even after the openness and joy we’d shared, by morning he’d