Page 21 of Shattered Choices

Because unfortunately for her, now that I’ve felt her skin on mine again, I will not give up until I have her by my side. I will do whatever it takes.

Starting now.

“Marco.” I call one the person who can provide me with the information I need.

He answers, annoyed. “What can I do for you, Salvatore? Make it quick. I’m a little busy.” Before I can answer, I hear a muffled scream on the other side.

“Just tell me that is not a problem I will have to deal with when I’m back.” I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes as I lean back on the seat of my car.

Marco is a good guy, so when he insisted on being part of the family, providing me with cybersecurity, my first answer was no. However, he couldn’t stay out of trouble, no matter how good he was behind the screen. He was a vigilante only with computers, with no experience in defending himself in person. He was the nerdy guy people picked on, until he found a way to avenge himself. In our senior year of college, he got himself in trouble, and if I hadn’t saved him, he would be dead. Since then, he’s been by my side with Gabriel and Dante. His expertise is well used. He still does his part in being vigilante, only I don’t have to save him anymore. I sometimes need to deal with what happens after he does things, like the time he had his sister’s boyfriend hacked and framed for stealing confidential information from the company he was working for. The guy knew it was him and blamed him by taking it out on his sister, beating her. Marco almost killed the guy, and I had to do some damage control.

“Oh, I would worry about that when and if you come back.” He chuckles. “And no, it’s more of a private problem, with a pair of quick legs and curves.”

“Not what I need to hear right now.” I look at the entrance of the club and watch as Isabella exits with Pino. “I need Isabella’s phone number here in Italy.”

He hums on the other side of the line. “Give me an hour and you will have it.”

I disconnect the call and follow Isabella in my car. If I can’t be with her, I will at least follow her. I will be by her side, watching over her, even if she doesn’t know it.

I watch as she exits the car Pino has been driving and enters her father’s house. I turn the car ignition off and lean back in my seat, waiting for the lights in her room to turn on. I watch the window just for a glimpse of her, for her shadows or movements, and when the lights turn off, I close my eyes, making a plan for how to bring her back to me.

My phone beeps with a message.

Marco:Here is the number. Make sure you use it with intention. ;)

I save the number on my phone and massage Isabella.

Salvatore: Dream about me, Bella, because I will dream about you.

Isabella: How did you get this number?

I smirk. She didn’t need to ask who was messaging her. That means she still has my number.

Salvatore: The fact that you aren’t asking who is messaging you just proves that youhave been thinking about me as I am about you.

Isabella: True, but I was thinking about how to get rid of you.

Salvatore: Liar. Is that the reason you still have my number?

Isabella: Tonight was a mistake. It will not happen again. Leave before it is too late for you.

Salvatore: The only mistake was you not hearing me out. At least now I know your intentions.

Isabella: You don’t know anything.

Salvatore: I know one thing. You will be mine again.

I wait for an answer, but it doesn’t come. I sigh, fire up my car, and drive away, but I will be back just in time to follow her to her first meeting tomorrow morning.

I shower and change my clothes in the small house I rented under a false name. Here, no one knows me. They know my family name but not who I am.

I don’t know who I am anymore. Everything I believed in has changed. My wants and needs have changed. But what I know is that I will do everything to have Isabella with me again.

I drive back to her house and wait; she’s supposed to have her weekly hair appointment. Seeing her living the life of a mafia princess, the life she once despised, is one thing I never thought I would see. She is also predictable, which I don’t like. I don’t know if her father has enemies, however, I do know that the number one enemy of ‘Ndrangheta are Carabinieri. She is playing a dangerous game being a mafia princess leading her father’s business.

I stay behind her as she is driven to the beauty salon. I wait and watch from a distance as she is being pampered. I also watch my surroundings so I don’t get caught by her father’s men. It’s then I see a familiar beat-up car, and the man inside it, as he takes photos of Isabella.

I pull my phone out, take a picture of the man, and send it to Rocco before calling him. I don’t get a chance because he calls me first.

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