Page 25 of Stolen Tutor

The meetings take several hours, but we hammer out all the details and I’m ready for my last important task of the day.

I check the tracker on Lucy’s bag and she’s still at the asshole’s house. Checking my watch, it’s almost time for her to be home. Vittorio hasn’t checked in, so I call him, but he doesn’t answer.

“Boss, are you okay?” Dino asks. I look up at him as we pull up to the jewelers. A place I didn’t truly expect to be at.

“Yes, I’m fine.” I want her to see who that man really is, but she might fall for his con artist ways; after all, he is her father. Bastard.

“Do you want me to go inside with you?”

“No,” I shout. Then correct myself, clearing my throat. “No, I’m good to do this on my own.” He steps out of the driver’s seat and then opens my door, holding it while looking around for any threats.

There aren’t usually threats in my territory but given that someone dropped my brother and his wife six months ago just outside a restaurant, there’s no telling who is ready to end me. Still, I walk into the jewelers undeterred. Making Lucy my wife is a brilliant plan to get revenge on my enemy before I destroy him. That’s what I keep telling myself even though I can’t imagine letting Lucy ever go.

I spent an hour inside the jeweler, looking for the right ring. Once I find the perfect one, I head out only to hear the shots being fired. Bullets fly through the air and my guy pushes me into the back of my SUV, but there’s no missing the fucker shooting at me. I recognize that asshole because he works for Chief Morgan. What everyone doesn’t know is that Morgan is a fucking bigger criminal than me. I’m going to kill him as soon as I get home and stitched up.

“You need a fucking doctor,” Dino grunts, hopping into the driver’s seat and speeding out of danger.

“Take me home now. Call the doctor,” I grunt, thinking about Lucy right away. Where the fuck is she and is she safe?

“Working on it.”

“Are you good?” I ask him, wondering if he’d been hit as well.

“Yes. It looked like Morgan’s associate.”

“It was. I’m going to kill Morgan.” All the while, I’m wondering how the fuck they knew I’d be here. Only Dino knew I was getting a ring today. It was a last-minute change in the plans. Still, I drop that thought. I’ve known him too long to believe he’d do this to me.

“Boss, the doc will meet us at the house. Ms. Masters and Vittorio came home while you were in the meeting with your lawyer, but he said you weren’t answering your phone. I check the fucker and see it’s not powered on.”

“Son of a bitch. What the fuck is wrong with me?”

“Vittorio said she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. He saw her slinking past him, and he caught her.” I’m seeing red because I can’t believe she’d try that stupid shit. That’s why her bag hasn’t moved. She left it there on purpose. “Shit, Boss, are you good?”

“I’m good. I just can’t wait to punish her for trying to run from me,” I grunt and open my phone to look at the camera I installed in Lucy’s bedroom.

“Lucy, are you going to marry my uncle?”

“I don’t think so.”

“He likes you a lot. He said he was buying you a ring today.”

“No, he didn’t.”

“Yep, I heard him talking to his bodyguard.” So, I know we weren’t quite alone, but who else heard us speaking?

“Oh well, I don’t think so. Your uncle is teasing.” No, the fuck I wasn’t. I’ll be showing her I’m the fucking boss even though I hate where she came from and the reason she came into my life. I’m obsessed with her and nothing’s going to stop me from making her mine.

“You don’t like him?” Anna chokes up on her own words.

“I don’t know how I feel. We only just met, but we have adult problems. He and my dad don’t get along, so I don’t think it would be a good idea.”

“Maybe they could be friends for you.”

“I love you, sweet girl.” She hugs Anna tightly, making me smile even though I’m pissed that she’s right.

Lucy’s playing a game with Anna, and they giggle before Lucy lets out a long yawn. Running must take a lot of energy out of her.

Her father is my enemy and that won’t be fixed ever. Not even when I send the bastard six feet under. We arrive at the house and so does the doctor.