Tears fill my eyes when I think of him going to Barbara's house and beating her.

  Barbara was innocent. Her only crime was helping and protecting me.

  I wrestle against him, and this time he lets me go. I retreat to the other side of the bench seat, pressing myself against the doorframe. "I hate you!" I scream at him, a sob tearing from my throat.

  "I understand that. But with time, I hope you will love me again, like I know you did once."

  Sobbing in my hands, I shake my head in bewilderment. I will never love Giovanni. In fact, I don't know if I'll ever love anyone ever again as much as I loved Lucien.

  "When we get back home, things will be hectic at first. But they'll slowly get back to normal. You'll see," he says with an optimism that angers me.

  "I'm not having an abortion!" I blurt out heatedly.

  "I don't want you to," he says with a blank expression.

  My brows furrow at his words. "But…it's not your baby," I say, even though that is obvious since I never slept with Giovanni.

  "Doesn't matter. We're the only two who will know that." He flashes me a dark, stern look before adding, "And I plan on keeping it that way."

  "I don't understand," I mutter, shaking my head softly.

  "That thing inside of you right now will be the heir that the Valenti family is expecting." He grins an evil grin that has me trembling. "When I announce your return and our pregnancy, it will give me even more leverage when I take my rightful place as head of the empire, just like your father always wanted."

  I cringe in disgust and lean my head against the soft seat. "This can't be happening," I mutter.

  He's quiet for a while before he asks, "Why don't you get some sleep? We still have a few hours before we get home."

  Closing my eyes, it doesn't take long for exhaustion to cloud over me in a thick fog. I sleep, but it's plagued with nightmares…with a longing for him.

  CHAPTER 39

  ADELINE

  I'M DREAMING A wonderful dream of Lucien. I'm curled up against his chest, and he's murmuring sweet nothings to me, which warm me down to my very soul.

  "I missed you," I tell him.

  "I missed you too," he whispers.

  His hand softly strokes my hair, and I purr, nestling closer to the warmth of his suit jacket. It feels so real. My eyes flutter, but I don't want to wake up. I want this dream to last forever.

  "Lucien," I whisper, still in a twilight state between dream and reality.

  But I'm instantly snapped out of it when powerful fingers clamp around my jaw, squeezing until I'm whimpering and crying out in pain. My eyes pop open, and I meet the eyes of the devil himself — Giovanni.

  "I don't want to hear his name come out of your mouth ever again!" he roars, his voice booming in the back of the limousine. "He's dead. Do you hear me? I killed him, and he's fucking dead. He's never coming back!"

  His words are so harsh that they cut straight through me like a sharp butcher knife. I jerk out of his grip and move to the opposite side of the bench seat, quietly sobbing and rubbing my sore jaw, which is no doubt bruised.

  I can practically feel Gio seething next to me. I can't believe I curled up to him in my sleep. Shaking my head, I vow to never let my guard down around him ever again.

  "We're almost home," Gio says in a much calmer tone, and he actually sounds…happy.

  His mood swings remind me of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. And that makes him even more dangerous since I never know which personality is going to come out or when.

  This is not the same man who took care of me when I was sick as a child, who read me bedtime stories of castles and princesses and knights in faraway lands or the man who taught me how to drive when I grew older and who promised to take care of me always.

  I don't know this man. This man is nothing but a stranger.

  A few minutes later, the limo is pulling up to an unfamiliar place. There is a large, metal gate with a surrounding fence and even a guard shack.

  I peer out the window at the armed guard as he speaks to the driver of the limo. With a nod of his head, the guard presses a button, and the gate begins to open.

  Looking out the back window as we drive up what looks like a very long driveway, I watch the gate close behind us, effectively shutting us into this prison.

  Every few feet I see guards patrolling the expansive grounds, and my hope of escaping begins to dwindle little by little.

  Even if I would make it past the guards, how would I be able to climb a fifty-foot fence?

  Wringing my hands in my lap, my heart thumps erratically as the limo stops in a circular driveway and parks near a set of steps leading up to a place I cannot see.

  Giovanni steps out of the limo, and I stay seated, breathing deeply in through my nose and out my mouth, trying to calm my frantic heartbeat.

  My door suddenly opens, and Gio is there with his hand extended. Ignoring the gesture, I get out by myself, pushing my way past him. But he quickly grabs my arm in a bruising grip and hauls me back towards him. "Don't disobey me, Adeline," he hisses in my ear. "You won't like the fucking consequences."

  I glare up at him, wanting him to see my defiance and wanting him to know I'm not the naïve little girl he sold all those months ago.

  After several seconds of an intense stare down, Gio relinquishes his glare and forces me to walk beside him towards the staircase.

  I gasp at the immense size of the manor we're walking into. The front is like a sea of tinted windows overlooking the vast property. And the opulent foyer we walk into with a grand staircase and glittering chandelier overhead has me turning my head this way and that to take everything in.

  "Who owns this place?" I ask Giovanni, curiosity getting the better of me.

  "Your father did. He used to entertain his most valued guests here," he tells me. "And now it's ours." His eyes meet mine as he says, "Welcome home."

  Home.

  There's that word again that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

  People dressed in similar black and white attire appear out of nowhere, and Gio is quick to spout off instructions to them. "And show Adeline to her room, please. She's had a long day, and I'm sure she wants to get some rest."

  I glare at him as I'm carted upstairs by two men. They deposit me into a large bedroom on the second floor and lock the door after they leave.

  I rush to the window and see that it's sealed shut. Not just that, but the glass is very thick and looks like it's shatterproof…maybe even bulletproof. This place is like a fortress, and I'm just another prisoner…again.

  Sulking, I slide down to the floor and curl up into a ball. I don't know what will become of me here, but I don't know if I can survive this without Lucien.

  My heart aches for him as I sob against the plush carpet. Just as a fresh wave of tears stream down my face, I notice that my watch is glowing in the darkness.

  But instead of the date, time and other usual data…there are four words.

  I'm coming for you.

  CHAPTER 40

  LUCIEN

  "DID IT WORK?" Jax asks.

  My fingers type furiously on the laptop. Sometimes my own code is just too damn good, and it took forever for me to produce a small message to show up on Adeline's watch.

  "I think so," I tell him. I can't be sure, but I'm confident that she'll see the message. Just in case she's surrounded by others, I turn the message off after a few seconds. I just pray that she saw it and knows that I'm coming for her.

  We're currently stationed on the outskirts of New York City in an abandoned warehouse. Wraith brought in a handful of his own contacts — several tattooed and mean-looking men with more scars than I fucking have.

  And I had to pull some strings with Wepner, but he managed to scrounge up some of his best FBI agents for us to use as backup. No questions asked since Salvatore Valenti and half of the empire is currently behind bars thanks to me.

  Giovanni is still out there on the loose, and I have no doubt in my mind that he's the one who kidnapped Adeline.

  After searching through properties that the Valenti family has ownership of and using the GPS coordinates on Adeline's watch, we've narrowed it down to one place on our map.

  It's not going to be easy to break into, however, because the intel we've gathered so far has informed us that it would be easier to break into Fort Knox.

  The property is surrounded by a ten-foot tall fence equipped with motion-detector security cameras every few feet. There is a guard shack outside the entrance, and the front gate can only be unlocked with an electronic keycard.

  There's also a panic button inside the shack that the guard can press if he suspects any suspicious activity, locking down the entire place and alerting everyone inside.

  Even if we make it past the guards stationed out front and the fence, we need to take down the numerous guards and dogs stationed every several yards throughout the inside perimeter.

  The mansion itself is impressive with bulletproof windows that could withstand a firing squad and heavy, steel entrance doors that could withstand a fucking tank.

  With every bit of information I gather, the more unstable I become. I keep forcing myself to not go off the deep end, however, because Adeline needs me too much right now. I have to be strong. For her.

  I can break down later. I owe Adeline that much at least for putting her through all of this and everything she's had to endure since she met me.

  As I check the data one more time, I hear Jackson and Katya arguing several feet away.

  "You're not going!" Jackson declares.

  "Oh, so what are you going to do with me then? Tie me up again and force me to stay here?" she snaps.

  "Yes, that's exactly what I'm going to do," he says.

  She huffs and puts a hand on her cocked hip. "Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? You and your little kinks," she hisses.

  He throws his hands up in the air exasperatedly. "It's too dangerous for you to go, Katya. We could all die. I could die," he tells her adamantly.

  I expect Katya to back down then, knowing that Jax is putting his life on the line and not willing to risk hers. But she surprises me by asking, "And then what would happen to me if you never come back? I'd be left here to starve and die!"

  Shaking my head, I try to block out the two as they bicker like an old married couple and focus on the task at hand.

  I plan on sending the trained agents and Wraith's men in first. Jax and I will bring up the tail end of the mission, staying out of harm's way and going straight for Adeline once the coast is clear.

  Normally, I would want to be out front where all the action is, but I can't fight in the condition I'm currently in, and I'm not willing to put Jax's life in danger. I would never allow it, and I would most certainly sacrifice myself before I let anything happen to him.

  The government agents have gathered in a group in the corner of the room, talking in hushed voices while my crew is on the other side of the expansive room. I approach the group of agents and hear one say, "This is going to be fuckin' impossible. A goddamn suicide mission. I certainly didn't sign up for this shit."

  Clearing my throat, they all turn to look at me with surprised and then blank looks on their faces. "If you want out now, tell me. Because I assure you, gentlemen, I will move heaven and earth, if I have to, with my own goddamn bare hands to get her back," I say, giving each and every one of them a searing look. "Don't underestimate my obsession…or my undying love for her."

  There is a calm silence that settles over the men, and several nod their head in compliance.

  "I have an idea on how we can get in quickly and quietly and without detection," I announce to the entire room.

  I hear some disbelieving huffs and murmurs through the warehouse, but I block them out.

  What I need to have happen can happen. It's just that I hate pulling in favors, especially from the person I'm about to call, but all of the scenarios running through my head all lead back to him.

  "We're going to hit them and hit them fucking hard." I grin before adding, "The good news is…they won't even see us coming."

  CHAPTER 41

  ADELINE

  I STARE AT the watch as the mysterious message disappears. Could it be a message from Jax…or Lucien?

  I gasp and hold a hand to my throat as a sob threatens to escape. Just the thought that Lucien could be alive sends a spike of hope coursing through my veins.

  But slowly my hope is crushed as I realize…could he really have survived the gunshot wounds and drowning?

  Lucien is resourceful and strong…but he's not immortal.

  Still there's a small chance, and I'm willing to hold onto it as if it's a lifeline. The only other person who would be coming for me is Jax. Jax holds the key to unlocking the million and one questions I have about Lucien…about what happened to him…and if he's still alive.

  Clutching the watch against my chest, I force my tears to stop. If Jax is coming to get me, I need to be prepared.

  I need to be ready to fight back.

  Standing, I go to the door and wriggle the doorknob. The door is still locked, and it doesn't look like there's any other way out of this room.

  I decide to try a different tactic. Banging on the door, I begin to scream at the top of my lungs, hoping someone will be able to hear me.

  It takes several minutes, but eventually I hear the door being unlocked. I step back as it swings open and reveals Giovanni. "You called, Princess?" he sneers.

  "I don't feel very well," I lie, grasping my stomach. "I think maybe if I had something to eat…" I let my voice trail off and allow my eyes to fall to the ground to appear weak and submissive on the outside — the exact opposite of how I'm feeling internally right now.

  Growling in frustration, he hisses, "Fine. I think there are some leftovers in the fridge." He grabs my upper arm in a bruising grip and pulls me towards him. "Don't you dare so much as fucking breathe in the direction of anyone or I will have you hogtied and gagged in your room for the rest of the night."

  I stare at him in disbelief. Where is the man I was beginning to fall in love with months ago? Where is the man who vowed to protect me before I was even able to walk?

  I feel duped. My entire life I was led to believe Gio was a kind man, a forgiving man with a good heart and soul.

  However, he's clearly nothing but a monster disguised behind a designer suit and a killer smile.

  Giovanni tightens his grasp and practically drags me down to the kitchen. There is a maid cleaning the countertops. "Leave," Gio snaps at her.

  With trepidation reflected in her big, blue eyes, the young girl practically runs out of the room.

  Giovanni forces me onto a barstool at the breakfast bar and retreats to a large stainless steel fridge to gather several items. "You still like turkey, right?" he mutters.

  I give him a nod when he glances my way. I watch carefully as he sets everything on the counter and then begins making me a turkey sandwich with a dill pickle on the side just how I used to always like it.

  Tears fill my eyes when I realize that the man who helped to practically raise me still exists somewhere inside the monster he eventually became.

  "What's wrong?" he asks when he places the sandwich in front of me.

  "Nothing. Just hormones," I tell him before picking up the sandwich and taking a bite. "It's good. Thank you," I whisper.

  He gives me a small smile and watches me eat. I was hoping that he would leave me alone and that I could search for a way out or a place to hide, but it looks like I'm not going to be that lucky after all.

  Swallowing hard past the turkey sandwich that now feels like a big lump lodged in my throat, I ask him for a glass of water. He obliges, setting the glass in front of me.

  I take a long swallow, my hand trembling. "Are you planning on keeping me here long?" I inquire. The more information I can find out, the better.

  His eyes narrow on me as he replies with, "I don't know yet. It depends on how everything pans out."

  His answer is cryptic, and I don't really understand how he intends to take over the empire when half of the family is in prison. And I know that once my father gets out, and I'm sure he will sooner rather than later, he's going to want back control.

  The ceiling lights flicker once, twice. I slowly set my sandwich down as Giovanni stares at me. Then the whole mansion settles into complete darkness.

  "Fuck," Gio curses. His cell phone lights up his face as he dials a number.

  While his back is turned and he's intently focused on the phone in his hand, I realize this could be my only chance.

  I slink off of the barstool and take off running away from him with my hands out in front of me, feeling my way through the unfamiliar place.

  "Adeline?" I hear Giovanni call. And then harsher, meaner, he yells, "Adeline!"

  With my heart threatening to beat out of my chest, I keep moving, staying near the walls and trying not to bump into anything or make any noise.

  I can hear Giovanni talking on his cell phone asking what the hell is wrong with the lights.

  If he doesn't know, I'm hopeful that this is Jackson's doing. Maybe he's coming to rescue me right now. Just the thought of seeing a familiar face again has my feet moving faster. I'm at least two rooms apart from Gio right now, but I can't see where I'm going or where I am. I hope that I'm not going in a circle and coming right back to him.

  Suddenly, a beam of light sweeps over the room I'm in, and I turn just in time to see Giovanni's eyes landing on me. He's holding a flashlight in his hand and pointing the beam straight towards me. "Adeline, don't you fucking move a goddamn inch!" His deep voice echoes off the walls and has my breath hitching in the back of my throat.

  Turning, I run away from him in the opposite direction, wanting to put as much distance between us as I can.

 

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