Chapter 60
60
Lorenzo
My car rolls to a stop.
Rafe kills the engine and glances over at me once, his jaw locked tight.
I step out into the night air. Instantly, the cold bites through my clothes and seeps straight into my bones.
“Two on the porch. One patrolling the right side.” Rafe’s voice stays low and clipped so no one will hear him.
I adjust my gloves. “Roll out p>
We move through the trees toward the warehouse.
Two guards linger in front. They aren’t paying much attention because they are too busy smoking.
The first guard laughs at something the other guy says, head tipping back for a second like he’s offering up his throat to me.
Not one to pass up an opportunity, I take aim.
The shot is quiet. A suppressor will do that, but as the guard drops to the ground, his friend is now aware he’s under attack.
The other guy spins, mouth opening to scream, but he never gets a chance to make a sound.
It’s his turn to stumble back as the bullet finds him.
With both dead, I step toward the metal door and slide it open.
As I step inside, I notice a shadow moving at the end of the hall… and I fire without pausing.
The bullet punches into the wall next to his head. The plaster explodes, freezing him in place.
“Don’t move,” I order.
He follows my command, face draining when he looks at me.
“You—” His voice cracks. “You weren’t supposed to p>
“I know.” I interrupt, stepping forward. “I like to do things I’m not supposed to do. Keeps shit interesting p>
Rafe steps up beside me, his gun now aimed at this idiot too.
I don’t look away from the man.
“You have a woman here?” My voice is steady despite my anger.
The man’s throat bobs. “We don’t p>
I cock my head, and his lips start to tremble.
“She’s not… she’s not here p>
I tilt my head. “Interesting p>
The man shakes, frantic. “This isn’t—this isn’t what you think p>
“It never is,” I reply, sick of this shit. “Let’s search the place,” I tell Rafe.
It only takes a few minutes to search this floor, and there is no sign of Victoria.
My jaw tightens.
Rafe watches me carefully, trying to assess if I’m going to kill this guy. “Basement door p>
I follow his gaze to a door half-hidden behind a coatrack.
A faint sound can be heard, but it doesn’t sound like Victoria. I won’t know until we go down to check.
We descend, Rafe holding the man as a shield as we head down to the lower level.
Behind a table that’s filled with drugs and a scale sits a man who looks to be in his early twenties.
Fuck.
This is him.
The bastard we’ve been searching for.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” He drops the razor blade. “You’re the Amante bastard p>
I raise my gun. “I’m really not in the mood for your shit. We can do this the easy way… you tell me where she is, and I shoot you. Or you don’t, and I torture you… and you tell me where she is anyway p>
He flinches.
I lean in. “Where is she p>
His eyes flicker. “Who p>
“Got it. Torture.” I move until I’m right beside him, reaching out until the tip of my gun drags down his jaw. “I can easily shoot different places that won’t kill you, and then after, I’ll take my fucking blade and find each bullet inside you. I like to keep my trophies. Want to try again? Where’s Victoria p>
His throat works. “I don’t have her p>
“As I said before, you’re dying anyway. I know you’re the one hitting my uncle’s inventory, so how are we going to do this?” I reply.
I keep my gaze on the man. “Well p>
“Fuck you.” He spits near my boots. “Your uncle’s old. I was just trimming fat p>
Rafe’s mouth quirks. “Trimming fat? Cute p>
I gesture for Rafe to back me. He nods before shooting the human shield in his arms and then pinning his gun on Connor.
I slide the gun in my waistband before pulling out my knife.
“Tell me where she is.” I crouch closer, keeping my voice low.
“I don’t have her p>
“The hard way… got it.” I place the tip of the knife on his neck, then slice down the skin. The cut is deep enough to bleed, but I make sure to miss all the crucial spots.
The man laughs weakly, blood dripping down the path I made. “You think you scare me p>
I tilt my head. “No.” This time, I stab the blade into his upper arm, then yank the knife free with a slow pull.
His breath jerks out, and sweat beads at his hairline.
I straighten slightly, letting the silence stretch. “While you were taking swings at my uncle’s business, someone took something that is mine p>
His eyes flicker, but he doesn’t speak.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. A woman went missing p>
His mouth opens and then closes.
I crouch again, fingers closing around his chin, forcing his face toward mine. “You know something, just speak, and I won’t give you to my uncle p>
That makes him swallow. “Fine,” he breathes out. “One of my men saw something. While we were following you, one of my men hung back to see who the woman was and if we could use her p>
My hand tightens around the handle of my knife. It takes everything inside me to stop my need to slash his throat and let him finish. “Go on,” I grit through clenched teeth.
“The man I placed to watch her saw a man drive her out of her parents’ house. We followed p>
My voice stays even. “Nico isn’t working for you p>
The man lets out a shaky laugh. “No p>
“He’s not the one feeding you intel on my uncle’s business p>
“Correct again,” the smug bastard responds.
I narrow my gaze. “But he’s working for someone p>
He hesitates, then nods.
My fingers tighten on his jaw. “How do you know p>
He swallows hard. “Because he met with someone after. At the cottage p>
A chill slides under my skin.
“Let me get this straight. You’re telling me you followed Nico and watched him hand her off p>
“Yeah p>
I stare at him. “Where p>
He trembles. “I don’t know the address p>
I laugh softly. “Of course you don’t p>
I step behind him and tip the chair forward hard. He crashes face-first into the concrete with a strangled grunt. Blood gushes from his now broken nose.
I crouch beside him, knife flat against the back of his neck.
“Try again,” I whisper. “And this time, don’t make me regret being patient p>
He makes one ugly sob.
“Speak p>
He swallows. “He took her north. A cottage. The tracker on my guy’s car will have the location p>
My heart pounds heavy and violent.
Rafe’s voice turns sharp. “That enough for you p>
I look over at Rafe and nod, then glance back down at Connor. “You’re going to live… for now.” I decide, voice flat.
His eyes fly open, hope flaring stupidly.
I crouch, close enough that he can feel the heat of my presence. “Not because you deserve it. Because after second thought, my uncle would love to meet you… He’d love to know who your source is p>
“Just fucking let me go, and I’ll tell you p>
I cross my arms over my chest. “Speak p>
“He’s an Amante… one of your own, a cousin p>
Fuck. I don’t need him to tell me which cousin is causing shit. It’s got to be Salvatore. He’s around Matteo’s age, so a few years older than me, but I’ve never met him. After his father was killed by my uncle, Salvatore was no longer around, or so Matteo told me. Fuck. This changes everything.
“Kill him p>
“Wait—you said—” Connor cries.
“Shut up,” I yell at Connor. His eyes go wide. That’s right, buddy, you’re fucked now.
“And the news of Salvatore?” Rafe asks me.
“Let my uncle handle it. Right now, my only priority is my wife p>
I stand and turn toward the stairs. “Get that address. Now p>
Rafe already has his phone out, voice clipped and lethal as he barks instructions to track the car.
I move up the basement steps and head outside. The cold air slices into my lungs, but I welcome it. I pick up the phone and dial my cousin.
“What’s the good word?” Matteo answers.
“I found Connor p>
“Fuck p>
I walk toward my car. “Yeah, fuck is right. You aren’t going to like this. I found out who the rat is p>
“Just spit it out. You know how I feel about foreplay p>
“It’s Salvatore p>
A loud whistle cuts through the line. “No shit. Didn’t know the little bitch had it in him to betray the family p>
“Think he’ll be a problem p>
“Nah. He’s just a spoiled brat. Nothing to worry about p>
“What do you want to do about him?” I ask.
“Leave him to my father. He’ll handle it p>
“Got it. Call you later.” I hang up and get back to my own business. Finding my wife and the place to start is finding Nico.
Fucking hell.
But the more important question…
Who is he working for?