“Don’t leave. Promise me. I cannot rest if you go.”
“I’ll be right here.”
His warm breath drifted over my skin.
“I love you, Evie.”
I kissed his head and ran my fingers up and down his back. I felt him succumb to sleep, his body heavier as he gave in. I closed my eyes in exhaustion, wondering what he would tell me when he woke up.
He jerked awake, instantly tense, calling for me.
“I’m right here, Matteo,” I soothed, pulling him back to my chest. “Right here.”
He exhaled, his arms a steel cage around me.
“Will you go back to sleep? You’ve only been resting for a little over an hour.”
“No,” he replied honestly.
“Will you tell me?”
“Not here. Not in our bed.”
“Then let me make you something to eat. We can talk in the kitchen.”
“Okay.”
I felt his eyes on me the whole time I made him breakfast. He ate in silence and barely touched the food, instead pushing it around his plate. Finally, he gave up and picked up his coffee, sipping.
“Matteo,” I prompted.
“It was a sex slave ring.” His head fell into his hands. “Children, teenagers. Boys, girls. The most blackhearted of bastards selling children for money. Sending them to a life so depraved, many of them would kill themselves rather than bear it.” He slammed his hand on the table. “Some already too far gone for us to help.”
I covered his hand. “Tell me.”
“I can’t, Evie. Please don’t ask me to share what I saw. I cannot speak of it to you.”
“You need to speak of it to someone, Matteo.”
“I will. I do. Julian has a team for us.”
“Do you allow them to help?”
He met my eyes. “I will this time. I promise.”
“All right.” I soothed him by running a hand through his hair. “You saved them, Matteo. So many of them.”
He flipped his hand, grasping mine. “There is more, Evie. Something much worse.”
I nodded, the naked fear in his eyes terrifying me.
“We got the leaders.” He swallowed, struggling with words. “All but one.”
“Who?”
“The mastermind. He was prepared. Despite all our precautions, he knew we were coming. He was cornered, but he got away. He had escape routes plotted out.”
“I’m sorry. I know you’ll keep looking.”
He stood, pacing, pulling on his hair. “You don’t understand. I have to do more. I need to send you somewhere. Somewhere secret. Somewhere safe.”
“What are you talking about?” I gasped. “There can’t be any place safer than here with you.”
“Not anymore!” he roared.
“You aren’t making any sense.” My voice broke. “W-why are you sending me away, Matteo?”
“I have to make sure you’re safe and protected.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what’s going on. But there is no place safer than close to you.”
He dropped in front of me, holding my face. “I don’t want to let you go, but I have to. I have no choice.”
“Why?” I pleaded with him, tears beginning to gather in my eyes. “I don’t understand.”
His voice was rough. “Evie, he knew me. He said my name. Your name. He made sure I was the one who followed him. He waited for me to taunt me. He told me I would regret what I had done. He said I had taken away everything of value to him, and he was going to do the same to me.”
Our eyes locked.
“He had a trap set. A bomb meant to distract and hurt as he got away. We retreated, but we still took hits from the blast. He told me he was going to take you away from me. The last thing he said to me was I would never find you, and he would make sure you paid for my interference.”
My breath caught in my throat at the despair and torment in his expression.
“I have no choice, Evie. I have to let you go.”
I stared up at him in disbelief.
Let me go?
A voice startled us both.
“Matteo. Stop this madness. You’re frightening Evie.”
Matteo sprang to his feet, pivoting, his arms thrown open in a protective gesture. Geo stood in the doorway, Julian behind him. Geo lifted his hands in supplication.
“Relax, Matteo. It’s only us.”
Matteo’s arms dropped.
I had only met Julian once. I had been surprised to see he was Matteo’s age. I had expected someone with so much responsibility to be older. He was tall, with dark hair, a short beard, vivid hazel eyes, and his shoulders were broad. He was muscular and incredibly fit and strong. He had been polite and kind when he met me, but I didn’t know him very well. His being here made me nervous.
They entered the room. I stood and offered them coffee, which they accepted. They sat, indicating Matteo should as well. Before I could take a seat, Matteo pulled me onto his lap, his grip tight.
Geo sipped his coffee.
Julian frowned. “I know what’s happened is upsetting, but sending your wife away is not the answer, Matteo.” He indicated the house with a sweep of his hand. “She couldn’t possibly be more protected than she is here.”