Page 37 of The Prices We Pay (Vittori Enterprises #1)

Josephine

F rom behind me, I feel Luca grab something from his pocket. A second later, I realize it’s his phone when I hear Sebastian’s voice. “Hey, Baby. What’s—”

“Seb. Dante got a letter.”

Sebastian’s silent for a moment, likely trying to understand what Luca’s talking about. But when he does, I can practically hear the sound of him sitting up straight in his desk chair, followed by the sound of computer keys. “Fuck. What time?”

“Not sure. Andy said it was dropped off at the front desk this morning. ”

“Okay, I’m on it. I’ll have the information when you guys get here. She there?”

“Yeah, she’s here.”

“Hey there, Love.”

“Hi.” My voice sounds shaky as the word leaves my lips.

“We will figure this out, okay?” The softness of his voice slightly soothes my frazzled nerves.

“I know you will.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

“Thanks, Mio Re.” Luca pockets his phone and brushes his lips against my ear. “I think it’s time we opened those letters, Vita Mia.”

I sink against him and squeeze Enzo’s hand tighter, all while keeping my eyes on my gentle giant across the room, who currently looks anything but gentle. I know Luca’s right. “I’ll go to my apartment and get—”

“No,” all three of them say in unison.

Right. “Can one of you take me there so I can get them?”

“All of us will go,” Luca commands, leaving no room for argument.

“But the magazine buyout… Don’t you have a million and one things to do?”

Luca places a chaste kiss on my cheek before slapping my ass and walking toward the door. But before he leaves, he calls over his shoulder, “Closed the deal while the three of you were in here slacking off.”

Enzo snorts, “More like jacking off.”

Despite everything, we all burst into laughter, even Dante.

“Meet you at the elevator in two minutes,” says Luca’s retreating form.

Enzo kisses my other cheek before heading to his office.

Dante grabs my bag and heels. Setting the bag down, he kneels in front of me; he carefully slips each one on my foot.

Once he’s finished, he wraps his arms around my waist and buries his face against my stomach.

The softness of the moment is such a juxtaposition to the murderous look that was on his face mere moments ago.

I rub my hand along the back of his head as he mumbles against me, “I will protect you. I swear it, Joe. I’ll keep you safe. ”

Tears well in my eyes. “You do mean something, Dante. Everything that you’ve been through. Everything that you are means something. I know you’ll do everything you can to keep me safe.”

And I know that, without a shadow of a doubt, Dante DeLuca would rather die than watch someone he cares about get hurt. All four of them would.

“From everything and everyone.” The unspoken words are evident.

If the moment presents itself, he won’t hesitate to protect me from anyone who means me harm.

My flesh and blood included. And there is not an ounce of my being that would be filled with regret if they removed my father from the face of the earth.

He took my mother’s life. He almost took mine.

He treated Jasper like he was nothing. He’s done everything in his power to ensure I know he’s right around the corner.

I’m done.

Totally and completely done.

Bending over, I place a soft kiss on the top of his head and whisper, “From everyone.”

With the three of them hot on my heels, we make our way down the hallway of my apartment building to my door. However, I stop hot in my tracks when I realize it’s not latched all the way.

In one fluid motion, all three of them pull out handguns I didn’t even know they had on their person.

“Enz, stay out here with Joe. Luca, with me.”

Guns at the ready, Dante and Luca enter my apartment.

Once they’re past the entryway, I can’t hear or see them any longer as they move through each room with stealth and precision.

Enzo keeps me tucked in front of him, protecting me from anyone who might come down the hallway, and he is wrapped around me, his hand tightly clenching his gun, ready to shoot anyone who may run from my home .

But when Dante and Luca walk back toward the door, their guns tucked back into wherever they pulled them from and confused looks on their faces, I know that nobody is in there.

“How bad is it?” I ask.

“It doesn’t look like there’s anything out of place. Nothing obvious is missing,” Luca answers.

“Is it possible you left the door open?” Dante asks me.

“No. No way. I have the same routine every morning. There’s no way I’d forget to lock my door.”

“She’s right. I remember her locking it when we left for her kickboxing class this morning,” Luca tells him.

“Let me see.” Before any of them have a chance to protest, I step out of Enzo’s hold and around Luca and Dante. As soon as I enter the apartment, I see they’re right. There’s nothing that looks out of place. Nothing is missing. Everything is exactly as I left it. But something feels… off.

Don’t ask me how, but I know someone has been here. I can feel it .

Moving into my bedroom, I immediately notice something in my closet. “Hey guys!” I try to keep my tone neutral, but the three of them are in my room in a split second. “Did either of you move this, or was it there when you got here?” I ask as I point to my ottoman in the corner of my closet.

“It was there,” Dante replies.

“Shit.” Stepping up onto the ottoman, I reach for the shoebox I keep with all of Dad’s letters and immediately find it missing. “Fuck,” I hiss under my breath.

“What is it?” “Is something wrong?” “Josephine, what is it?” Enzo, Dante, and Luca all ask, respectively.

“Someone was here.”

I know they know it, too, but Dante asks, “How do you know?”

“The box of unopened letters from my dad. They’re gone.”