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ARCHER
L ying on the floor, I am aware of everything happening around me, but I can’t move. The stun gun temporarily scrambled my neural signals. Immobilized and helpless, I hear Carlotta yell at them to leave me alone, but I prepare myself to get a bullet in the head. Miraculously, it doesn’t happen. After another jolt, they leave me breathing and take Carlotta.
Big mistake. Big fucking mistake.
My mind reels as my muscles contract, trying to work, but failing miserably. I should’ve known it was a mistake to come here. I started getting antsy after Carlotta went into her bedroom. Those thugs must’ve been keeping an eye on her apartment.
But I’m still breathing which means I’m going to save my woman. Because, yeah, at some point Carlotta Rossi became mine. Maybe she belonged to me the moment we kissed at the masquerade party. I don’t know. All I do know is I’m going to have to do some serious groveling and hope she’ll forgive me because I was a fool.
A total and utter fool to push her away.
That thought hit me upside the damn head at the exact moment that stun gun took me down. Maybe the jolt cleared my head and I should be thankful. I don’t know. All I do know is no one better hurt my girl. I’m coming for her and whoever gets in my way is as good as dead.
I pray to God I get to Carlotta in time because there’s no doubt in my mind that she’s in serious trouble. Gallo fucked up once and lost his chance because I stepped in and rescued her. That means he’s going to be extra careful and diligent this time around. He isn’t going to stop until he snuffs out her beautiful light and I refuse to let that happen.
No fucking way.
My muscles begin to respond as the stun wears off and I sit up and pull my phone out of my jacket. With shaking hands, I call Miceli’s number.
“Archer,” he says in answer. “Is she on the plane?”
“Not exactly.” Shit. I hate having to tell her brother that I screwed up. “We got to her place and less than five minutes later, some of Gallo’s guys broke down the door.”
Miceli swears.
“They hit me with a stun gun and took her. We need to find her and fast.”
“Any idea where they went?” Miceli is all business and ready to roll which I appreciate.
“No, but I can reach out to my contacts.”
“Put an obscene reward up for any information that leads to my sister.”
“Roger that.”
“In the meantime, come over to my place. I’ll call my brothers.”
“Yeah, on my way. And Miceli…” My voice trails off. Christ, I feel awful. If anything happens to Carlotta…
Shit. I can’t even let my brain go there.
“What?”
“I’m sorry. We should’ve gone straight to the airport. I should’ve known better.”
“It’s not your fault. I said to take her back to her apartment so she could pack a bag. If anything, this is my fault.”
“We’re going to get her back,” I tell him, my voice filled with conviction.
“Call your contacts, Archer. Then get your ass over here.”
“Roger.”
We disconnect and I immediately leave the apartment and head back down to my car. They’re long gone by now and the only way I’m going to find Carlotta is by hoping and praying one of my informants comes through with a good lead. And fast because time is running out.
Once I’m seated in my Challenger, I pull up an encrypted message and send it out to everyone I have on my roster. Of course, I also make sure to mention Miceli Rossi’s name and how he’s offering a huge financial incentive for any intel that leads to his sister. After sending the message, I start my car and turn it toward Billionaire’s Row where Miceli and Alessia reside.
His sister.
The words hit me hard because not only did I fuck up by letting Carlotta get taken, I also messed up royally by sleeping with her and then telling her my insensitive demands about whatever happens stays up at the cabin, yadda, yadda, yadda.
God, I feel like an utter ass. She was a virgin and gave me her body and, I think, a little piece of her heart. And what do I do? Toss it back in her face and repeatedly say I can’t be with her because my lifestyle is too dangerous.
Yes, that’s true. Well, partly. I lead a dangerous life and I never want to put her in a precarious position. But what just happened has nothing to do with me or what I do for a living in the shadows. Carmine Gallo is bound and determined to plant his fat ass at the table with the Five Families. In order to do that, he plans on doing whatever it takes to usurp the Rossi family’s seat.
Even if I wasn’t in the picture, Carlotta would still be in danger. But because I am involved, now her chances of being found that much faster have increased. So it’s a good thing I’m in her life, right?
“Fucking right,” I grumble. Finding Carlotta and returning her safely to her family is my number one priority. And maybe, just maybe, me being in her life isn’t a bad thing. If I’m with her then she’s always going to be protected and taken care of and…loved.
My heart does a weird little dip at the thought. I’ve never been in love before, so I can’t say for sure, but I think I am damn close to being in love with Carloota…if I’m not already there. Vulnerability is something I’ve always avoided because I thought it made a man look weak. But I’m learning that having such strong feelings for Carlotta doesn’t make me feel weak at all.
The issue with Caitlin is I wasn’t there—emotionally and, most of the time, physically, too. Of course, realistically, no two people can always be together twenty-four hours a day. But, for the first time, I’m beginning to realize having me around isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I have contacts, I have skills and, most importantly, I have the experience necessary to do whatever it takes. And with zero regrets.
Traffic is a pain in the ass, as usual, but I don’t let it slow me down. I know I’m driving too fast, being reckless, but Carlotta’s life is on the line. I’m almost to Miceli’s place when the worst thought in the world hits me.
What if we can’t save her? What if I lose Carlotta?
The idea of Gallo killing her makes my gut clench and churn. She’s so sweet, so good, so innocent. I can’t let her become collateral damage like Caitlin. Suddenly, worst case scenarios start bombarding me like shrapnel. What if none of my contacts come through? What if we’re too late and, just like Caitlin, I walk into a room somewhere and find Carlotta’s lifeless body on the floor, blood pouring from her mortal wounds and soaking the floor?
“Fuck.” I push my foot harder against the accelerator and swerve around a car stopped at a four-way stop sign and blow through the intersection after a cursory glance. I don’t have time to stop or yield or wait around, and I can feel each precious second draining away like the sands in an hourglass.
And that fucking terrifies me.
Doing my best to stay focused, I suppress the biting panic threatening to make me go into a tailspin. It’s important, now more than ever, to stay level headed and be prepared, both mentally and physically.
“Get a grip, Archer,” I scold myself. “You’re no good and can’t help her if you panic.”
In all my years of ghost ops, I never panicked. Not once. I’ve always remained calm, cool and collected under pressure. But the idea of losing Carlotta is making me a little crazy and a lot worried.
Yes, we had sex, but it was so much more than that. Thinking back over our brief time together at the cabin makes my heart squeeze painfully. I’m not sure when or how, but that little firecracker cast a spell over me. She charmed me into feeling things I’ve never felt before and now all I want to do is wrap my arms around her and keep her safe.
Unfortunately, I can’t do that. Not yet, anyway. Instead, I’m trapped in some horrible waiting game, not knowing the consequences of what’s going to happen, and it’s killing me.
After what feels like forever, I pull up into the visitor parking spot at Miceli’s building and jump out of the car. Once I’m inside the tall, extravagant building, I hop in the elevator and it zooms me straight up to his floor.
Heart in my throat and clinging to my phone like a lifeline, I knock on the door and it’s immediately opened.
“Archer, come on in. Have you heard anything yet?” Miceli asks, brow furrowed and gaze intense as he closes the door behind me. I can see the worry in every line on his face and I wish I had better news to deliver, but my contacts haven’t responded yet. It’s barely been twenty minutes, though, so that’s not unusual. Just frustrating as hell.
“Not yet,” I say. “Hopefully very soon.”
He motions for me to follow him into the living room where his brothers and their wives are gathered, along with Leo Amato, his bodyguard and best friend, and his woman Gia DeLucca, Alessia’s older sister. Everyone looks so serious and glum. It fucking shreds my heart. I’m blaming myself, wishing I could’ve done more and stopped those assholes. But I can’t focus on that because what if’s and could have’s aren’t going to help Carlotta right now. I have to remain positive and we need to come together and do whatever it takes to get my girl back.
Because, yeah, she’s mine. There’s no point denying it. I’m falling or maybe I’ve already fallen. To be honest, I don’t know what the fuck is going on. My heart is in a turmoil and these feelings she’s stirred up inside of me are all so new. Whatever the case, I need Carlotta Rossi like I’ve never needed anyone before.
I need my girl like the very air I’m breathing.
The realization clobbers my normally cool heart like a sledgehammer and a fire begins to burn inside my veins. I’ll do anything to find her. Even if that means putting myself in danger or sacrificing my life in order to save hers.
I’ve always been a protector and a warrior, and I’ve sacrificed a lot for my country. But this is extremely personal. It’s not just business as usual. If this rescue mission goes up in flames and ends in disaster, I will never get over it. The guilt will be my undoing and losing Carlotta means I will lose myself, too. And this time there won’t be any coming back.
I can’t sit around and continue to do nothing or I’ll go out of my blasted mind. We need to come up with a plan. We need to find her. Leaning against the wall, I cross my arms as her brothers begin to ask a million questions about what happened at her place.
I fill them in as quickly and thoroughly as I can. There’s not a lot to share because I was down and out for most of the time. But I tell them three armed men broke the door down and when I rushed into the living room, they were waiting for me.
“I told Carlotta to hide, but your sister doesn’t exactly listen very well,” I say, my tone dry.
“Who? Lottie?” Angelo makes a mock-confused face. “You’re kidding, right?”
“She’s definitely a firecracker,” I murmur, picturing the cute way her face pinches and her nose scrunches right before she goes all ballistic about something.
“Ah, so you’ve witnessed Carlotta the Crusher?” Vin asks wryly.
I snort back a laugh. “That’s a fitting nickname.”
“Yeah, our baby sis can crush the biggest balls with ease,” Enzo states.
“She sure can,” I murmur. My heart clenches with emotion and I look down at my phone’s screen, willing a text to appear with information about Carlotta’s whereabouts. Fuck, any lead at this point will be something.
Heaving out a frustrated breath, I rake a hand through my hair then look back up and realize everyone is staring at me. Her brothers have curious expressions on their faces while their wives exchange knowing smiles.
I’m not sure when I became so easily readable, but I do my best to mask any expression from my face. No one needs to know what happened between Carlotta and I up at the cabin. Hell, it wouldn’t end well for me if four Rossi men want to kill me for touching their baby sister.
“Okay, everyone,” Miceli says, clearing his throat and taking charge of the room. “Let’s go over exactly what we know and what we’re going to do about getting Lottie back. Because if Archer’s contacts don’t come through, we’re still moving.”
Miceli Rossi is larger than life, the biggest physically out of all of us, and he commandeers a room and captivates an audience like no one else. It’s why he’s able to lead the Five Families so well. People look to him for guidance and he is respected by so many important leaders and businessmen in this city.
However, Carmine Gallo is not one of them. And he’s going down.
Because the alternative would be to let him win and there’s no way in hell we can let that happen. He’s evil personified and his agenda to take over the table can’t be good.
While Carlotta’s family discusses every single angle and possible option we have—and without intel there isn’t much—I mentally will my contacts to pull through. A sick feeling eats away at my stomach lining like a bad ulcer. If we don’t get to Carlotta soon, I’m terrified that she is going to suffer the same fate as Caitlin. And if that happens, I will never forgive myself.