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“Sofia, I need you to come pick me up. I don’t have time for questions, just get here quickly.”

I hear the rattling of keys. “Where’s here?” I look over at Nico who rattles off the directions from the exit we took. “I’ll be there soon.”

She hangs up without another word.

Nico reaches into the glove box, taking out all the paperwork for the car. The road we’re on is quiet, but who knows how long that will last. He pulls a lighter from his pocket and sets them ablaze right next to the car. Next, he yanks off the license plate and shoves it behind his back, right into his belt loop.

He gaze focuses on the driver door that is flat against the ground. “Please fucking tell me that he changed the VIN numbers?”

“On every car. There isn’t anything left to tie this car to us.”

He grabs my hand and practically hauls me down the street, away from the mangled piece of metal. “We wait away from the car in case anyone comes back.”

We move into the woods and stand behind a couple of trees. Enough to give us cover from people coming down the road, but still let’s us see who’s coming. Once we stop, I can hear my heart pounding in my chest. The sound loud enough, I worry others will hear it and know where we are.

“Who do you think—” Nico cuts me off by placing his hand over my nose and lips. Even after being run off the road, the scent that is distinctly Nico fills my senses.

“Later.”

And I listen because I know he’s right. We need our entire focus on our surroundings. A couple of noises have me reaching into my purse to wrap my fingers around the handgun.

The moment I see a car turn off the highway, every muscle tenses and I wait. It isn’t until I see Sofia’s college license plate cover come into view that I let myself relax. She comes to a stop when she sees my car on its side.

She steps out of the car and Nico races from the trees. “We’re fine, but we need to get out of here.”

“Fuck, you’re bleeding.” She stares at Nico. When she turns to me, she takes my face in her hands. “Are you okay?”

“I will be when we get the hell out of here.”

She nods and turns to get back in the car. Nico and I climb into the back seat. The adrenaline begins to wear off. Each and every ache and pain I’ve ignored for the last thirty minutes begins to rear their ugly head. I grit my teeth and try to focus on something else until we can get home.

ChapterFifteen

Nico

The car is silent the entire drive home.

My thoughts are all over the place. I can see the tightness in Sofia as she speeds back to the mansion. She knows what happened and if there was anyone else I trusted, I would have called them, but Scarlett was right, she was the only one we could call. Or at least the only one I was willing to let her call. Not a single fucking chance I want Antonio anywhere near her. She doesn’t need anyone fawning over her, but me.

Isn’t that some fucking shit? The woman that has made me crazy every step of the way. The woman who stands between me and running the family is the one I want to protect.

Fuck you, Luis. If you had seen this woman for who she really was maybe none of us would be in this mess.

Sofia pulls into the drive and I take in my first easy breath since I saw the black SUV following us on the highway. Without a word, we get out of the car and walk into the house.

Scarlett is holding her side. The moment the door shuts, Sofia turns to Scarlett, tears in her eyes. “What happened out there?”

“Someone ran us off the road.” Sofia takes Scarlett’s hands in hers.

“This wasn’t an accident.” she says it so clearly, I know it isn’t a question.

I wait to hear Scarlett’s answer. She knows that we can’t tell a goddamn soul what we probably both know. The DeLuca family only has one person in their way of claiming all of this. They need the fiery red head standing next to me dead if they’re going to be able to claim Luis’s empire for Frankie.

I listened, waiting to intervene if I had to. “I probably shouldn’t have trusted the buyers Luis set up for the property.”

“After everything that’s happened, why would you think that you could trust any deal he was about to make? I’m just so glad that you’re both okay.” She wraps her arms tightly around Scarlett, a screech of pain leaving her lips.

“You are not okay. Let me see your ribs,” I demand.