Page 35

Isabetta

A s I sat in the car beside Milo, I couldn’t help but feel like this was all an elaborate distraction.

A task for him to keep me busy and out of the way so Renzo and Havoc could get the actual work done.

Guilt gnawed through me at the thought of Milo being sidelined to babysit me when he could be out there helping them as well.

Another part of me worried I was putting us both in needless danger.

With someone attacking our territory, wouldn’t the best thing be to stay at home where it was safe?

I was sure the designer could have brought the clothes to the house if Renzo had asked.

Yet here I was, sitting in the back of the town car while Milo responded to messages on his phone.

My eyes kept glancing at the front of his trousers.

Was he still excited by what had happened in the office, or was he able to put it out of his mind?

Honestly, it was still all I could think about.

More guilt flooded me at the fact I hadn’t spoken up to tell Renzo what I wanted.

He must have felt me looking at him because he caught my gaze, flashing me one of his warm grins.

I loved when Milo did so, as it lit up his face and made his eyes sparkle.

He had the sort of smile that made you want to smile too.

It eased my worries, which must have been written all over my face since he reached out to take my hand in his and bring it up to press a kiss to my palm.

“You will be safe with me, ragazza dolce. Nothing is going to happen to you while you are in my care. And we are going to a clothing shop to get you something you can actually wear in front of people.” He chuckled softly as he ran his thumb over the back of my hand.

I hadn’t even considered what the clothes may be like.

Renzo had exquisite taste, so I hadn’t been worried, but now I was imagining nothing but a parade of lingerie.

“As much as we like you naked, we want to take you out and show you off. To have a good time with you in public, ragazza dolce. I can’t wait to take you dancing.

To feel your body against mine as we move with the music.

” The image in my mind changed as his words painted new ones.

Dancing between all three of them at a nightclub, waltzing with Milo on a balcony lit by fairy lights.

Finally, me dancing for Renzo as he sat in his armchair and I slowly peeled my clothes off, a look of hunger on his face that sent a shiver down my spine.

Whatever Milo was going to say next was cut off as the car pulled to a stop.

The driver got out and did a quick check before he opened the door.

I didn’t miss the way Milo reached under his jacket and touched the gun in his shoulder holster and then got out of the car.

Havoc hadn’t been home to go through the lesson Renzo wanted me to have yet, and while I was comfortable carrying a gun, he refused to give me one until Havoc had signed off.

Milo helped me out of the car, his fingers lacing with mine as I straightened up, then not letting go.

I stayed close to his side as we walked into the boutique.

The sales associate had clearly been expecting us and she greeted us warmly.

There was a brief conversation between her and Milo, as the two were clearly familiar with each other.

I took the time to look around at some clothes on display, relaxing as I saw the soft prints and clean lines.

Not too demure, but classy. Clothes I would pick for myself.

“I have prepared a rack for you of Mr. Accardi’s favorite choices. Will you follow me please, Mrs. Accardi?”

The sales associate had no way of knowing she was the first person to call me Mrs. Accardi since my wedding. I felt my heart skip a beat, and I was sure the grin on my face made me look like an idiot, but I followed her to the dressing area.

Mrs. Accardi.

Hearing it was everything I had dreamed it would be. She had said it in such a casual way, it made my heart soar.

The rack held two gowns, some cocktail dresses, and a mix of other clothing.

She took the time to explain each piece to me, how it fit into the collection, and why the designer had chosen the materials she had.

This was the most familiar thing to me since the wedding.

My mother and I had often gone shopping together, and for a brief second, I missed her terribly.

Once I resolved to call her and invite her to visit, the feeling passed.

It would need to wait until the house was more decorated, but it would be an excellent motivation to move along the process.

I left the gowns for last, and Milo gave me an encouraging smile as I selected a few dresses, then made my way back to change.

I listened out as I stripped down, curious to see if the sales associate was going to flirt with Milo.

She had no way of knowing I was also with him.

I was surprised by the feeling of jealousy that speared through me at the thought of him flirting with her.

But after a little polite conversation, the pair lapsed into silence, and I finished changing.

When I came out, the sales associate smiled from where she was sorting out clothes on a different rack.

“Your husband called through with your sizes. I am glad to see he wasn’t wrong.

We can make any alterations you need.” I wasn’t sure how Renzo had gotten the size clothes I wore, but I wasn’t surprised that he knew.

Instead, I nodded and turned my attention to Milo, who was sitting in an armchair like he owned the store. I gave a twirl, not noticing he had his phone in his hand until I heard Renzo’s voice.

“You look beautiful, tesoro. We will take it in the green as well.”

I glanced down at the phone, at where Renzo looked back at me from a video call. He must have had his phone sitting on his desk, and my cheeks heated at the memory of being bent over that same spot less than an hour before.

“Are you checking in on me?” I was glad that he was, as I had been disappointed when he told me he couldn’t come with me today. It soothed me to see he was showing an interest, though I hadn’t complained as I knew he had a lot on his plate.

“I’m watching my wife model beautiful clothes, so I can buy her more of them, and so I know what I need to replace when I tear them from her later.

” There was a growl to the end of the sentence that had me clenching my thighs.

Milo flashed me a lascivious wink, and the sales assistant gave me a knowing smile.

“Let’s get you into the next one. I have a few things here that are going to knock his socks off.” The sales associate ushered me toward the fitting room again, and I gave one last look at the phone before I followed her with more of a swish and sway to my walk than when I had come out.

This time, as I changed, I could hear the quiet murmur of Milo’s voice as he talked to Renzo.

It must have been about business, because I couldn’t make any of it out.

This dress had a back zipper I struggled to do up, and I peeked my head out around the corner looking for the sales associate, but she wasn’t there.

I stepped out of the fitting room, my brow furrowed in confusion. Milo was also gone. I wasn’t sure when I had stopped hearing his voice, possibly while I was fiddling with the zipper. His seat was empty, though the glass of water he had been drinking still sat beside it.

Panic welled up inside me, threatening to overwhelm me.

I took a couple of deep breaths, looking for something I could use as a weapon.

There wasn’t anything obvious lying around, but when my eyes landed on the drink tray, I picked it up.

It was expensive, and heavy enough to hit someone with, then give me time to run.

I quickly toed off my shoes, while my ears strained for any sound coming from the main area of the shop.

Perhaps I was being paranoid, and Milo and the sales associate had stepped out to find me some other clothes, but it made little sense that they hadn’t told me first. With my bare feet silent on the tiled floor, I crept forward and peered around the corner, my breath stuck in my throat.

At first, I saw nothing wrong. My eyes darted around to every corner.

There was no sign of Milo or the sales associate, but he wouldn’t have left me alone here.

Renzo would have his head if he let me out of his sight.

Not to mention Renzo had told me he was only letting me go out of the compound because Milo was with me.

Continuing my search, my eyes finally landed on the base of the counter, where a leg stuck out from behind it.

I had missed it at first, because I hadn’t been looking at the floor.

I didn’t have to stifle my scream, as a hand clasped tightly around my mouth and another locked around my midriff. When I bought the tray down sharply against the arm holding me, a hissed curse brushed my ear, making me pause.

“For fuck’s sake Isabetta, it’s me. Will you calm down?! I need to get us out of here.”

Milo. Milo was behind me. I turned in his grip, my eyes wide. He let go of my mouth, rubbing the red welt on his arm. “We need to get out of here. There is a back door. I have the driver bringing the car round. You need to stay quiet and follow me.”

I nodded, my teeth clenched together in fear and my fingers still holding the tray in a death grip. Milo looked at my hands but didn’t take it from me. Instead, he gripped my upper arm, moving us toward the back door, keeping me behind him as he shielded my body with his own.

“What happened? What’s going on? How did they find us?” My voice was a harsh whisper, the words spilling out of me were beyond my control. I didn’t understand what was happening. We had told no one where we were going. How had they possibly found us?

Milo shook his head before glancing over his shoulder at me, then turning his attention back to the way we were moving.

He had his gun in his hand, and he moved quickly, I had to rush to keep up with him.

“I’m not sure, but Havoc will find out. Right now, we need to get out of here. And you need to be quiet.”

His words were harsher than I was used to from him, but it made sense, given the circumstances. When the back door came into view and we hadn’t been attacked, I felt a glimmer of hope. He must have taken care of whoever had attacked the shop assistant, and once we got out of here, we would be fine.

After the dimmed, almost romantic lighting of the boutique, the sunlight we stepped into was harsh.

I squinted, but I couldn’t shield my eyes without letting go of the tray, and my fingers had such a tight grip on it I wasn’t sure I could.

The car was where Milo said it would be, with the driver standing by the back door, looking around, a gun in his hand.

As Milo pushed me into the car, I tripped, and I looked down, confused.

The car shimmered. I wasn’t being pushed into the back of our car; I was being pushed into the back of a van.

And it wasn’t Milo pushing me, but a man with a mask covering his face.

I panicked, flailing out with the tray, trying to change direction.

Then a gun hit the back of my head, making the world spin as I was shoved forward again, hitting the floor of the van.

The last thing I saw as the world went black was Milo, lying beside me, blood dripping from a gash on his head.