He glances at the bed. My chest tightens. He’s not thinking of hurting Lara to make me change my mind, is he?
He is, I realize as he points the gun at her. “I don’t know who the baby is. All I know is you care so much about her even though she isn’t yours. If you don’t do as I say, I’ll shoot her. I bet one bullet will be all it takes to drain the life out of her.”
My fear and my anger rise at the same time. They form a lump in my throat. I swallow.
“Don’t hurt her. Please.”
Jim grins. “Would you look at that? You still know how to beg. Now, go on. Beg me to take you back.”
I glance at Lara. Jim is threatening to kill her if I don’t go with him, but what will happen to her if I do go? I can’t just leave her, and I can’t take her with me, either.
Jim moves closer to the bed, closer to Lara.
“Get on your knees and beg.”
My knees sink to the carpet. “Please don’t hurt her.”
“Not what I want to hear.”
I close my eyes as I try to come up with the words. It feels like I’m trying to throw up.
“Please…”
The door to the room bursts open. I open my eyes and see a man and woman enter. The man disarms Jim in the flash of lightning, then knocks him unconscious. I get off the carpet and grab Lara.
“It’s okay,” the woman says. “We’re not going to hurt you.”
So she says, but I see the gun on her hip and I’ve seen the man beside her move. I press Lara against my chest.
“Who are you?”
The woman takes something out of her pocket. I step back.
She shows me her badge. “I’m Special Agent Allie Chandler and this is Cain Archer. We’re looking for Antonio.”
My eyebrows furrow. “Antonio Woo… I mean Ursini?”
“Yes,” she replies. “Is he here?”
I shake my head. “He left. I don’t know where he is.”
“We’re too late,” the man called Cain says. “Sergio might already have him.”
Sergio?
“Is Antonio in danger?” I ask.
“We don’t know yet,” Agent Chandler says. “We didn’t even know he was alive until yesterday.”
“Are you his wife?” Cain asks me.
I nod, even though I’m not sure that’s technically accurate. “I’m Triss.”
“And the baby?” he asks next. “Is it his?”
“No,” I say. “We adopted her.”
We were planning to, anyway. I just hope the FBI doesn’t find out.
“And this man?” Cain looks at Jim, who’s lying unconscious at his feet.
“My ex,” I say.
“Seems like he couldn’t take no for an answer,” Agent Chandler says.
“I think he knows where Antonio is,” I add. “Or at least his friend Louie might.”
The expression on Agent Chandler’s face turns serious.
“What did he say?”
I try to recall Jim’s words. “That Antonio is helping someone take care of the family.”
She frowns.
“I think Antonio’s memories have returned,” I add.
“Returned?” Cain asks.
“He lost his memories after the accident,” I explain. “He said he got caught up in some explosion.”
“I know,” Cain says. “I was there.”
He was?
“So that’s why he hasn’t tried to contact the family,” Agent Chandler says.
“He might do that now,” I say. “Maybe you should get in touch with Leonardo Ursini.”
“You know him?” Agent Chandler asks me.
“I’ve just met him. Louie mentioned him and I went to see him. I thought he might know where Antonio is.”
“And Leo wouldn’t tell me if he found Antonio,” Cain says.
Agent Chandler points to him. “They may not look it, but they’re brothers.”
Brothers? Cain, too?
“Half-brothers,” Cain says. He looks at Jim. “So what do we do with this guy?”
Agent Chandler glances at the door behind her. “Everett?”
Another man enters the room.
“Take this man to the van,” she orders him. “And tell Gina to come here so she can watch over Antonio’s wife and daughter.”
I raise my eyebrows. “I don’t think I need a bodyguard.”
Do I?
Agent Chandler pats my shoulder. “Better to be safe than sorry. Also, it’s better if someone’s here so we’ll know right away if Antonio comes back.”
If. That means he may never come back, right?
As they leave the room, I feel even more uneasy than before. If the FBI is involved, then there must be something big going on. And I have a feeling Antonio is in the middle of it.
I whisper a prayer into Lara’s ear as I stroke her hair.
“I hope he’s alright.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Antonio
A splash of cold water pulls me from the shadows of oblivion to my grim reality.
As I try to wipe my face, I realize my hands are bound yet again. Cuffed this time. As my mind and vision clear, I find myself in a bedroom, quite spacious and lavishly furnished. I’m sitting on the floor against the wall next to the bed. Three men stand in front of me – the man who just splashed water on me judging from the empty pitcher in his hand, a barrel-chested man leaning against the table busy with his phone, and a stocky man who seems to be the oldest of the three. Judging from his suit and the shiny ruby ring on his finger, he must be the ringleader, too.