Page 102 of His Son's Ex

A dark fury grips me as my mother comes over to join us, her eyes narrowing. “He’s paying off Lombardi? So he’s in bed with them?”

“Looks that way,” I mutter, snapping the folder shut. “My own son.”

My thoughts churn. If Luca has been bankrolling Lombardi, there’s no telling how deep this runs—or what they’ve done to Eva.

My mother’s voice trembles. “Dante, I know he’s your blood, but?—”

I slam my palm on the desk. “I’ve never coddled him. He’s been a disappointment for years. Now he’s stealing from the family, aligning with our enemies—enough.” My jaw clenches. “Good work, De Santis. This stays between us. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” He nods cordially at both of us, then leaves the room.

“What now?”

“Now I find Luca and his poor excuse for a mother. I’m going to force answers out of them.” I stand, rage boiling just below the surface, threatening to spill over.

She pales. “If Linda and Luca conspired with Lombardi, they won’t hesitate to hurt Eva. Or the baby.”

My fists tighten. “They’re not going to lay a finger on her. I’ll kill anyone who tries. Even my own son.”

She swallows. “I’ll gather some of our most trusted men. But be careful—this house is compromised.”

I sneer. “I need only a loyal few. I’ll track down Luca personally. When I do, he’ll pay for every dime stolen, every move he’s ever made against me. And he’ll tell me what he’s done with Eva.”

She steps closer and rests a trembling hand on my arm. “Dante, please let me help fix this.”

My anger is too raw to forgive her yet, but I could use her help. “Fine. Move fast. I’m done playing nice.”

She exhales, relief in her eyes. “I’ll bring in our captains.”

I stalk to the door, tension twisting in every muscle. “Don’t take too long. I’m going after my son. If he’s in half as deep as I think…” I let that threat hang.

My mother nods once, face drawn. “Do what you must.”

I stride into the hall, the guards lowering their gazes as I pass. They sense blood in the air. Eva’s out there, alone, carrying my child—one she believes is fathered by a murderer. My mother’s lies damned me in Eva’s eyes.

Meanwhile, Luca and Linda are scheming with Lombardi, siphoning money for who knows what.

One way or another, this ends.

CHAPTER 34

EVA

Time is a cruel joke when you’re a captive.

Eat. Nap. Pace. Repeat. But I’m done waiting. If I stay here, I’m dead.

I’ve tried to come up with a plan, but every potential way of escaping seems impossible. How the hell do I get out?

My only real resource is the battered cot. Rusty metal wire and a sagging mattress too thin to do anything but make me aware of every bone in my body.

I’ve spent the last several hours trying to loosen one of the skinny metal wires on the frame. One final tug finally frees it. The release comes so suddenly I almost topple over. I swallow a triumphant gasp, afraid someone might hear.

The wire is a pitiful weapon, but it’s all I’ve got right now. I need to protect my baby, and that means improvising. I can’t count on being released. Not from Luca, definitely not from Linda.

Being rescued by Dante… my heart aches at the thought. I don’t even know if he’s looking for me.

I creep to the door and kneel, pressing my ear against the thin opening between the bottom of the door and the floor. Silence. No footsteps, no muffled voices. Good. Whoever’s on guard duty might’ve stepped out to smoke, or Linda sent them off to run errands. Either way, this has to be my shot.