Chapter 56
Vee’s eyes flew to his instantly, her cheeks burning. She pressed her lips together. The man knew exactly what he was doing—probing, testing, pressing buttons she wasn’t ready to acknowledge.
“They can’t help it. Cassidy said not you,” Voss continued, his gaze narrowing slightly, studying her reactions. “He trusts you. He adores you. If you know something that can help me find him, now is the time to tell me p>
Vee’s tongue felt heavy in her mouth. Her heart pounded so loud she was certain he could hear it. She wanted to speak, to scream, to do anything that might help—but then her mind flashed to Valentina. She felt torn apart.
The choice loomed in front of her: tell the truth and risk her sister—or protect her sister and betray Cassidy. Her throat tightened, and she swallowed hard. “I… I… don’t know,” she stammered, trying to protect herself with the lie, trying to buy time to breathe, to think, to reconcile the impossible.
Voss leaned closer, his dark eyes burning into hers. “You do,” he said quietly. “Miss Scalese… I don’t ask lightly. Lives are on the line. Yours. His. Others. If you know something, even a small detail, it can save him. Don’t waste time p>
Vee’s chest heaved. She could feel her pulse in her throat, in her ears. Heat rose to her face, her hands shaking, her heart split into shards of guilt, fear, and the anger she could barely keep from herself. “Detective Voss… I… I do not have any idea whatsoever what happened to Cassidy. And really… shouldn’t you be out there looking for him p>
“I am out there, Miss Scalese,” he said. “But every lead counts. Every moment wasted is another risk for him. Right now, I need you p>
Her eyes darted toward her father, and she realized the gravity of her own silence. In protecting one, she was endangering another.
“Miss Scalese? I can help you,” Voss said again. “Please, let me help you. I can save you and your sister, but I need one person… just one person to come forward. I can turn his life inside out, find Cassidy before it’s too late p>
“Myself and my sister are fine, Detective Voss. Please… leave and find Cassidy. Because if he is in trouble, then you put him in it!” Every muscle in her body screamed in fear for him.
“No, I didn’t,” Voss said. “Your family did. Your father did. Your father dragged an innocent man, whose only crime was to love you, into this. The moment you got entangled with Luciano Genovese, Cassidy was as good as dead p>
“Cassidy isn’t going to die. Please… leave! Now! Detective,” she snapped, pointing toward the exit.
Voss tilted his head slightly. “Still don’t have my pizza,” he said lightly.
She grabbed one of the delivery orders, her hands trembling. She shoved it at him. “On the house. Now get out p>
Voss didn’t rush. He lingered. His eyes flicked to hers, holding a quiet patience. Then, finally, he turned and walked toward the door, the bell jingling behind him, leaving Vee trembling in his absence.
She exhaled slowly, and turned to her father. His eyes were downcast, his hands stuffed into his pockets. She shook her head. “Why didn’t you tell me he was asking for Valentina to call him? I could have arranged it, taken the heat off while I find a way to get her back p>
“I do not want to get on Luca’s toes,” Vito said quietly.
Vee’s eyes bulged in disbelief. “You are not alright, dad. Not one bit p>
Without waiting for a reply, she swung her bag over her shoulder and bolted from the pizza shop. The sun hit her face as she stepped onto the sidewalk, but she barely noticed the warmth, her mind consumed with a thousand racing thoughts—Cassidy, Valentina, Luca, and the choices she had no control over.
The city around her blurred: the honking cars, the pedestrians weaving between each other.
As she stepped on to the side walk, the car Luca had provided pulled smoothly to the curb. The driver opened the door, and she slid inside, informing him of her destination.
Luca was still buried deep inside Dante’s girl when the office door burst open, slamming against the wall. The sudden intrusion yanked him out of the haze of pleasure and heat, his cock pulsing violently in protest as his rhythm stuttered.
At first, he caught the flash of surprise in Veronica’s eyes, her dark orbs wide. Then it shifted instantly—like a switch flipped—to anger, pure, unfiltered, blazing fury. She stalked further into the office, her eyes locked on Dante’s girl bent over his desk.
“You! Get out, now!” Veronica thundered.
Dante’s girl looked up. “Who the fuck are you?” she spat, venom dripping from her tone.
“You do not want to know,” Veronica said, stepping closer, her presence filling the office, radiating raw authority. “Get the fuck out or I’m going to fuck you up!” She flexed her fists, every inch of her vibrating with controlled wrath.
Luca groaned audibly, rolling his eyes at the chaos. He peeled himself off Dante’s girl, who now looked like a startled deer caught in headlights. “You heard her,” he said lazily. “Get out. I’ll forward your payment to Dante p>
The girl’s eyes flicked to him, before she adjusted her dress and backed toward the door. Luca’s hand lingered near his cock, sliding the condom off with a swift flick and tossing it into the bin. He muttered under his breath, “Fucking hell his voice rough and edged with frustration—realizing he hadn’t even gotten the release he craved.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Vee turned on him like a coiled spring, her eyes ablaze, hands balled into fists. “Where the fuck is Cassidy?” she thundered.
“Great! You cock block me for him! Fucking epic move.” Luca spat.
“I know you have him, Luca. What have you done to him?” Her hair fell in her face as she stepped closer, hands clenching and unclenching at her sides.