Page 136 of Sins of the Orchid

I grinned. “We made it.”

DeAngelo nodded.

“We need the last Anderson.” Our gazes locked. “You realize he is alive, right?”

I acknowledged him with a nod.

Except, where was he? What if we were chasing a ghost?

CHAPTER48

Santino

Carrera and I ran towards the jungle. Renzo waited there for us with our Jeep. We’d clear out quickly. The compound was destroyed, thanks to the little team taking off in a chopper. It was not how I envisioned seeing Amore again.

I tortured that fucker Ulrich Anderson when an explosion blasted through the compound, sending me flying through the room. He took off, like the damn coward he was. I recognized her right away. That body was hard to forget. I saw her put a bullet into Ulrich’s skull as I fought against the remaining men of the Anderson Cartel.

That was our mistake all along. We were searching for Perèz compounds, rather than the flimsy little Anderson Cartel.

I glanced over my shoulder at the helicopter rising and caught a glimpse of striking red hair cascading down the woman’s back.

Soon she’d be mine!

“Start the car,” Carrera shouted at Renzo.

We jumped into the Jeep and took off; Renzo’s off-road driving jarring every damn bone in our bodies. The vehicle sped down the dirt road, every second away from the camp counted.

“Faster,” Carrera instructed. “Before this place blows.”

Jesus, we might blow into pieces, and I was rock hard. When in the hell did she learn to shoot and fight like that? It was hot as hell. If I could have, I would have grabbed her and brought her along with us, then buried myself in her pussy the moment we were alone.

“Did you know Amore was going to be here?” he questioned me.

I shrugged. Until he started coming clean, neither would I. He was getting his information from DeAngelo. The question was why was Amore’s bodyguard working with Carrera?

Regardless, one thing was for sure. My little heiress was a complete badass.

CHAPTER49

Amore

Ihad been back in New York for a day. DeAngelo and I landed last night and came home expecting everyone. We arrived to an empty house.

With Ulrich dead, the looming threat felt lighter. Though I couldn’t shake off the feeling that it wasn’t over. George, the man I believed to be my father, might be alive. I had nothing pointing to it, but somehow I was sure of it. So was DeAngelo.

For the first time in my life, I kept replaying the capture from all those years ago. I went through every detail, every word, every sound… I never saw George hurt or tortured. Why hide his torture when they clearly didn’t care if I saw my mother’s?

“Where is my girl?” Dad’s booming voice traveled over the foyer, and I jumped off the couch, rushing towards the sound of his voice.

The second I saw him, a wide smile spread over his face.

“Amore,” he exclaimed, opening his arms. I walked into them, his strong embrace and familiar cologne surrounding me. In his mid-fifties, he was still a good-looking man, though since Elena’s death, I never saw him with a woman. I was sure he had flings, but he kept it well hidden and private. Which made sense. It wasn’t like I wanted to know his sex life, but I wanted to see him happy.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Welcome home,” he murmured against my head. “Finally, we get to have you back.”

I chuckled against his chest. “It’s good to be back.” For the most part, and if only I didn’t dread seeing Santi so bad. Running into him in the jungle was almost worse because I knew my attraction hadn’t eased one bit.