Page 5 of The Runaway Bride

“The woman has disappeared. Webelieve she may have been a childhood friend of Varina’s. Anya De Lillo. Theybecame very close after Anya’s parents died in a road traffic accident. She hasan older brother that has taken care of her since the tragedy and we think hemay have had a soft spot for Varina, too, though we don’t have any evidencethat it went both ways. There’s nothing to confirm that Varina ran away fromyou to be with him. They are not part of thefamigliaor involved in anyof our businesses so they could certainly stay off our radar. It could alsoexplain why Varina would trust Anya with evidence of her father’s wrongdoings.”

“Come back here, and we’ll have ameeting. In the meantime, I’ll contact my eyes and ears and see what I can findout.”

“Okay, Nico. I’ll be there in acouple of hours.”

Twenty minutes later, the officedoor opens and Aeron steps inside with Alexander beside him. Now, he’s beenworked over and has swelling and bruising all over his face. He’s holdinghimself stiffly and favoring his left side, which tells me he has cracked orbroken ribs.

Pointing at one of the easychairs, I step over to the one opposite where he sits, gingerly I may add.“What the fuck is going on?”

Alexander takes in a deep breath,well as deep as he can, before starting to speak. “Elli was promised that shecould find her love, the one she wanted to marry, and would never be placed inan arranged marriage. My father promised her that more than once as she wasgrowing up.

“He hit her. Did you know that?He slapped her when she mouthed off at him when he told her she was going tomarry you. She’s not a weak and mild woman who will bow down to you, and if I’mhonest, she’d be a good wife for you, as she’d not take any shit from you. Idon’t mean to be disrespectful, Boss.”

“I don’t want a woman like Varinawho was so timid they will just bow down when told. It’s what I liked aboutyour sister when I looked into her. The fact she has a voice, and isn’t afraidto use it, it’s what she’ll need. She will be the top female in the family, andshe’ll be the one who keeps wives, girlfriends, and teenagers in line.” I can’thelp the smile that appears at the thought of having a wife like that.

“You know she can fight?”Alexander asks.

“No, I didn’t.” I’m surprised atthat and turn to look at Aeron, who is smirking.

“Yeah, she can fire a weapon, usea knife and do more than basic hand-to-hand. I made sure if she was ever takenshe had some way of helping herself until I could get to her. Boss, I wouldkill the world for my sister. I would be the evilest fucker walking. She is abeautiful person, and she deserves to be happy.”

“You helped her, didn’t you?” Iask, and I’m not going to punish him, as he’s genuinely caring for his sister.That’s what I’ll need when I have her back, someone she can lean on if I’m notavailable.

Taking a deep breath, he looks mein the eye and responds, “Yeah, and I would do it again if needed. If you wantmy life for that, then it’s forfeited. I’m happy to give it, as she’s been myrock so many times that I can be hers, even if it’s the last thing I do.”

Aeron steps closer to both of usand looks seriously at Alexander. “Do you know what your father has been up to?Can you give us anything to tie him down?”

Sighing, then once more taking adeep breath. “Yes. I can help you. I just want it to be known that I think Elliwill be perfect for you, Boss, and when you catch her, which I know you will,you’ll have learned enough to win her over. I can’t help you find her becausethat would break her trust in me, and if she gets into difficulty, she needs tobe able to reach out to me. But I have every confidence that you’ll find her.”

Andre walks into the office witha huge smile on his face. “I found Elli boss, and she’s okay. She’s gottenherself a small apartment, a job at a restaurant, of all places, and she’sdriving a very nice pickup truck.”

I don’t miss the side-eye hegives Alexander, and have to grin because she’s not been off radar long but hasset herself up with a place to lay her head, and a way of paying her way.

“Who found her?” I ask.

“Hunter Six.” Andre grins. “Hesaid he needs an upgrade on his property, so wanted to earn a bonus.”

Chuckling as we all know theHunters get a bonus once they catch their prey. This is different, as they hadto find and then monitor until I told them to do a retrieval.

We spend two hours listening tothe information Alexander has regarding his father. No way is he going to bethe Underboss much longer. After hearing Aeron laugh at some of the thingsAlex, as he prefers to be addressed, tells us about Elliana and the tricks sheused to play on him, I can only think she has the spirit that I’ve been lookingfor. But I’ll have to win her over or she’s liable to cut my throat while Isleep, and from what Alex tells me, she is capable of doing just that.

Chapter 4

Elli

Walking around the small town Iam hiding in for the time being, I give small smiles when anyone deigns to giveme one. A little girl waved happily towards me and I gave her a finger wave inreturn.

I am heading to the restaurantthat has a vacancy. I’m hoping it’s still open because it was only last eveningthat my neighbor told me about it.

My neighbor Tia, short for Tiana,is a small, feisty twenty-year-old who was in the system for a long time. Sheseems to have befriended me, and has helped me quite a lot since I took thelease on the seedy apartment I’m now calling home.

Walking into the restaurant, I’mpleased to see it’s quiet with being early in the day. A couple are sitting onone side of the room with notebooks on the table, with an opened laptop. Theyseem to have a business meeting between them.

Stepping forward to the bar atthe top of the room, I wait patiently until the man working the cash registerhas finished what he’s doing and looks up.

“What can I do for you?” He asks,giving me a once over as he speaks.

“I was told that you have avacancy and I would like to apply for the position.” I do not know at thispoint what the vacancy is for, but I’ll do anything to earn enough to pay mylandlord and keep food in my stomach. I don’t want to delve into any of thesavings I have left, as I could need that if I have to run.

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