Page 92 of The Empress

With a nervous expression on her beautiful face, she nods. “I trust you.”

Her words flow into my heart and settle deep in my soul, easing some of the heartache and guilt ripping me to shreds.

I lift her hand and press a kiss to the back of it before I let go and climb out of the car.

Knowing my guards have the area secured, I walk ahead of Haven and Dakota and pull my gun out from behind my back. Taking the safety off, I enter the mansion and head straight for where Giada and Liliana are on their knees.

I stalk right up to Liliana and fire a shot into the floor that has Giada letting out a blood-curdling scream.

Crouching in front of Liliana, I press the barrel of my gun to her head and level her mother with a merciless look. “Where is Nicolo?”

“Per favore,” she begs, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know. He just left and didn’t tell me anything.”

I keep staring at her and tighten my finger around the trigger.

“Nooo!” she cries, grabbing a terrified Liliana to her while squeezing her eyes shut. She begins to recite a prayer, which has me straightening to my full length.

“Get up, Giada,” I order.

She scrambles to carry out the command and moves in front of her daughter to shield her from me.

“What do you know of Carina Messina’s family being killed and her kidnapping?”

Confusion tightens her features. “Carina who?”

“The night my father was assassinated and I was shot, my best friend’s family was murdered. They took his six-year-old sister. Carina Messina.”

“I’ve never heard of her.”

I turn and point at where Haven is holding her mom, who looks terrified out of her mind.

“Haven is Carina. Nicolo killed my father. He murdered the Messinas in cold blood because I was at their house.”

“I know nothing about any of that. You know wives have nothing to do with mafia business.” Her tongue darts out to wet her lips, and she looks even more nervous as she says, “But I have other information that’s of importance to you.”

“What?”

“I’ll tell you, but first you have to allow Luciano to come home. My son doesn’t want anything to do with the business. He’s not built for your world.”

Liliana steps out from behind her mom and gives me a pleading look. “Luciano is a sweet soul who just wants to create perfumes. My father forced him into the business by threatening to kill his boyfriend if Luciano didn’t do as he was told.”

I stare at the two women as more guilt piles onto the shitload I’m already buried under.

I nod. “If your information is good, Luciano can return.”

“Nicolo is working with Vito Santoro. I think they’re hiding at Vito’s house in Rijeka.” She pulls a piece of paper from her pocket. “This address is my payment to get out of the mafia.”

I take the address from her and glance at it before I pass it to Massimo. “Have men go to Croatia. I want eyes on that house at all times.”

He nods and pulls his phone out of his pocket to start making calls.

I put the safety back on my gun and look at Giada again. “I’m leaving some of my men here in case Nicolo returns.”

“Liliana and I will go to a hotel,” she replies. “I don’t want to be here if he comes back.”

I keep her gaze prisoner as I order, “Don’t leave Italy until I’ve killed Nicolo.”

She nods, placing her arm around her daughter.