Page 184 of Vows of a Mobster

I poured a glass of wine for Marissa and called out, “Daphne, are you sure you don’t want any?”

I reached out for another glass, in case she wanted some.

“Yes, I’m sure,” her voice came from behind me and I snapped around.

“Jesus, Daphne,” I screamed. “I didn’t hear you. You scared the shit out of me.”

My heart beat raced. Several men raced from the hallway to my kitchen.

Daphne chuckled softly. “You are too easily distracted.”

“You and Antonio will be the death of me,” I muttered.

“What happened?” Lorenzo asked, eyeing both of us.

“She snuck up on me,” I told him, shaking my head. “She must be getting some coaching from her husband. I have food for you and your men.”

“You don’t have to keep feeding us,” he objected. “Although I love your cooking.”

I beamed at his comment. “Thanks, I actually enjoy it. And I barely get to do it back home.”

Home.

Yes, Mateo’s house had become home. He and Emma were all I needed. Wherever they were, that was where I wanted to be.

I headed for the back of the house, carrying a tray with food for Emma and Marissa along with her glass of wine. Daphne stayed behind speaking with Lorenzo. She was questioning them when Antonio and Mateo would be back.

I pushed the backdoor open with my hip, my eyes seeking out the two of them. The yard was small but my brain kept refusing to catch up, darting around it, lingering on each corner. As if they could have somehow made themselves invisible and hid.

And slowly, ever so slowly, my brain caught up. The opened gate registered, Marissa’s phone laying on the ground, Emma’s flip flops.

The tray crashed onto the ground, everything splattering everywhere.

Sixty-Four

Mateo

Antonio and I barely got through the door when the sound of dishes crashing alarmed us all and I ran towards it to find Brianna surrounded by broken glass and porcelain. The panic on her face was alarming, her dark eyes stark against her pale face. I took the situation in and took her shaking hands into mine.

“Emma and Marissa are gone,” her voice was borderline hysteric. “Can you-” she took a deep breath, as if desperately trying to calm down. “Someone took them. They barely just came out.”

“Look at me,” I ordered her, keeping my voice free of emotions. Her eyes raised to mine and there was so much fear in them, it tore at my heart. “Everything will be okay.”

It better fucking be okay. I promised my wife I’d make her happy, I’d keep her safe.

I met Antonio and Lorenzo’s eyes above her head. “Check the surveillance.”

Lorenzo nodded and went straight back into the house. She shook with fear in my arms.

“Antonio, send the word to all our men and the Irish,” I ordered and heard him bark the orders in the background. I took my wife’s face between my hands. “We’ll find her, safe and sound.”

She bit into her lip and I knew she was scared. Things were finally calming down and Brianna was happy. She sensed the tensions but I tried to spare her from the stress. The goal was to eliminate the threat without worrying her unnecessarily, something I had failed to do over the last few days. And now this shit. I’d kill her mother and all the people helping her. I nudged her back into the house. I didn’t want her out in the open. The threat was still out there.

Declan burst through the door. “Is it true? Someone took Emma?”

Brianna turned her head to him, her eyes shining with tears. “And Marissa too. I almost hoped it was your family,” she whimpered.

“Do you really think so little of us, Brianna?” he spat, hurt flashing in his eyes.