Turns out Lia Hansen is a conniving bitch. Seems her friendship with my girl started out as genuine, but at some point she met Robyn’s brother Jeremy, and things started to go downhill from there.
These last couple of months, Robyn’s been under the impression that Lia was visiting family when in actuality, she’s been with her brother. Izzy couldn’t pinpoint when it started, or how long it’s been going on for, but it’s clear that Lia seems to think she’s in love with him and is doing his bidding.
It’s also clear that they’ve been staying in a property just outside the city that was left to her by Lia’s aunt before she passed. Which is where we’re going now, to deal with these two assholes and get my fucking girl back.
Hold tight angel, your demon’s coming for you.
The house is the typical white picket fence in a cutesy neighborhood that’s the last place you would expect someone to be hoarding a kidnapping victim.
Luckily for us, the house is only a fifteen-minute drive from my father’s place, so we left Izzy and Alec there while me, my dad and brothers hauled our asses in the car and Marco took off like a bat out of hell behind the wheel.
We’d usually have more time to plan for our missions, but my wife being kidnapped and being subjected to who the fuck knows what is kinda time sensitive, so rather than fuck around wasting time debriefing our soldiers, we decided to just keep this one in the family and have men around for back-up if needed.
Luca has Izzy on speaker while he sits next to me as she updates us on what she’s found so far.
“It’s just a typical suburban two bed house. You’ll need to be mindful of noise, we don’t want neighbors calling the cops if we can help it. I’ve hacked into the neighbors security cams and can only see one car parked outside of the house so I don’t think there will be many there that you need to take out.”
“Got it, sis,” I say and tune out as Luca tells her he loves her. I’m happy for him, I am. But right now the only thing I want is to have Robyn in my arms, and him telling his wife he loves her is like a punch to the gut.
We pull up outside the house where everything seems quiet and file out of the car, not wasting a single second considering we don’t know what their plan is with Robyn. For all I know she could be fucking dead by now.
Nope.
There’s no fucking way.
I can’t live in a world where my girl doesn’t exist anymore. If she dies, I’ll make sure I go right along with her.
I don’t wait around for everyone else to catch up as I storm up the steps to the house, I’m about to kick the door in when I remember what Izzy said about being subtle, so I test the handle instead. Imagine my delight when I find it unlocked—fucking idiots.
I open the door slowly, since I’m not sure if there’s a look-out and don’t want to alert them of our arrival just yet if they don’t, and also because I’d rather not have the door flying off the hinges and get myself shot in the process. Only once the door opens, there’s no one there to greet us.
How very unwelcoming.
I hold up my hand to stop everyone behind me from barging in while I wait to see if I can hear anything. Only what I do hear turns my blood to ice and makes my chest squeeze.
It comes from upstairs, and it sounds like a muffled scream followed by a thud. Then silence.
I don’t stick around to see if I can hear anymore, I don’t think, I just run in the direction of the noise with my gun in my hand and heart in my throat.
My footsteps thunder as I storm up the stairs and peek into each room until I reach the last one. I hear hushed whispers from the other side of the door before I reach for the handle, only when I go to open it, the doors locked.
Fuck this.
I aim my gun at the doorknob and shoot, careful to aim downwards since there’s a high possibility Robyn’s inside and shove the door open with my shoulder to find Jeremy and Lia huddled in the corner of the room, her hiding behind his back while he points a gun at me.
He’s a real scary fucker, I’m practically shaking from fear at the way his arm trembles while he aims the gun my way and from the pasty white complexion of his face.
I’d stop and roll my eyes at them if it wasn’t for the sight of Robyn lying unconscious on the floor making all other thoughts fly from my fucking head. I don’t even think about the other two assholes that need dealing with when I rush to her side—I’ll let my family deal with them for now. I’ll have my time with them once I know my girl is okay.
I crouch down beside her and gently shake her shoulder to try and rouse her. Her lashes flutter and she lets out a whimper as I pull her into my arms. Her hair’s matted with blood and I see a black eye forming. Her eyes are sunken, and her face is pale. Her clothes are intact, so I don’t know if she has any other injuries that I can’t see yet.
“Angel,” I rasp, my voice thick with emotion as she goes lax.
“Robyn, angel, wake up for me.”
I shake her gently again and call out her name, though there’s no change. I need her to wake the fuck up, I need to look into her eyes and tell her how fucking sorry I am that I let this happen and how I’ll never let it happen again.
Though these last few days just show how much I can’t keep that promise.
Fuck, maybe I never should have brought her into my life.
A hand lands on my shoulder, and I turn to see Marco looking down at us, concern clear on his face. “Come on, I’ll take you both to the hospital while Dad and Luca deal with those two,” he says and tips his head to the two soon to be dead assholes.
I nod my head, unable to speak before standing and carrying Robyn from the room, bridal style.
Not the way I thought I’d be carrying her for the first time like this.
We were supposed to have this moment after our wedding, both happy and drunk on each other as I carried her through the threshold of our apartment.
The ride to the hospital is slow as Marco pushes the car to its limits to get us there as quickly as possible. Robyn’s still unconscious in my lap as I cling to her and murmur for her to wake the fuck up.
I once told her to run to me if she ever needed help. I told her I’d protect her, keep her safe and make sure no one ever harmed her again.
I guess I’m not only unhinged, but I’m a liar too.
Concussion, bruised ribs, and dehydrated from the drugs they gave her.
She’s gonna be okay.
Our baby’s gonna be okay.
I don’t think I’ll ever be okay again.
The haunting sight of Robyn passed out in my arms as Marco drove us to the hospital.
The not knowing whether she would make it or not.
The way they had to practically pry her from my arms when we got to the hospital while my brother physically held me back.
I’m seriously debating the whole idea of kidnapping her to a deserted island where no one can ever get close to her again.
It’s all too fucking much. I’ve gone back and forth on blaming myself for this shit, but then I remind myself that if she didn’t have me, things could have been a lot worse since the Blue Vipers were after her because of the slimy fucker my brother and Dad currently have chained up in a warehouse waiting for me right now.
My family has always made a point of not harming women and children, and as much as I’d love to break that rule, I just can’t fucking do it. Which is why I had Izzy put the bitch on a plane to Russia with no ID, no money, and no belongings.
I’m not physically hurting her, and whatever happens to her is out of my hands.
I couldn’t give a fuck what happens to her so long as she’s out of our lives for good. We’ll keep an eye on her movements though, just to make sure she doesn’t get any stupid ideas about coming anywhere near Robyn again.
I hold onto Robyn’s hand like it’s my lifeline while she sleeps. She’s been in and out of it for hours, only coming to for a couple minutes before passing out again. A side effect from the concussion, according to the doctors.
She stirs once again, and I turn my head to see those big green eyes blinking up at me.
“Hey,” she whispers and it’s the first time she’s seemed like herself. Each time she’s woken up, she’s murmured something unintelligible before dozing back off.
“Hey angel,” I murmur.
“Are you okay?”
Am I okay?
Trust my girl to be lying in a hospital bed and the first thing she asks is if I’m okay. I swear I fall harder for her every day.
“I’m good, uccellina. How’re you feeling?”
“My head hurts, and my ribs too. The last thing I remember is Jer punching me, before that they had me in a room and had drugged me to…” Her face pales as she stares at me with wild, terrified eyes.
“Angel?” I ask, panic clear in my tone.
Fuck, should I get the doc back in here?
I’m just about to stand when she squeezes my hand in a death grip.
“The baby?” Her voice cracks as she asks the question.
“The baby’s fine, angel. I had every test possible done on the both of you, you have nothing to worry about, I promise. You have a concussion, and your ribs are bruised. You’re a little dehydrated.” Understatement. I nod towards the IV in her hand. “But they’ve got you hooked up to some fluids, so you should start feeling better soon.”
She sinks back into the bed, letting out a breath of relief at the news of our little one being okay.
“I’m so fucking sorry, an—”
“Nope,” she interrupts.
“What?” I ask, heart dropping to the floor. If she won’t even hear my apology, then she must really fucking blame me. Fuck, what if she never forgives me? I wouldn’t blame her.
“I’m not gonna let you blame yourself for this, Enzo. This wasn’t your fault. There’s nothing you could have done, and I’m okay. We’re okay. And we’re not going anywhere, I promise. Please don’t blame yourself,” she pleads, and I give her a weak nod.
“I’ll try,” I mumble.
“I was scared, but I knew you’d come for me. It might take me a little time to get back to normal, but I hope you’ll bear with me,” she says, and her voice cracks as tears fill her eyes.
How is it even a question? I’d do fucking anything for this girl. I’ll take any and all pieces of her.
“Always,” I croak as my throat burns and my eyes sting.
“I love you,” she whispers before closing her eyes and falling back asleep.
