Page 22 of Declan's Dove

A warm hand grips my thigh, and I jump at the feel of it.

“Easy.” Matteo lifts his hands in a placating manner. “I mean you no harm, Dolcezza,” he says, lowering his hands.

I sigh as my shoulders sag, patting his hand gently. “I know. I’m sorry. Being back here makes me jumpy.”

“Hmm. And you were going to come here alone to help your friend if the boss didn’t help, weren’t you?” he scolds.

“I’d have called Kayce.”

“Why didn’t you?” Matteo leans back in his seat, his arms now folded over his chest, watching me intently. He and Vincenzo have worked with Kayce and his team a few times, that I’m aware of. I knew enough not to ask what they did together, being that Kayce and his men are all “off the books ops” and, well, Vincenzo is a mob boss. The combination seemed enough to keep me from wanting to know any details.

“Mili asked me not to.” Matteo says nothing, but his expression says he’s waiting for me to elaborate.

“Kayce and his men recently stopped a group of women from being trafficked. I guess they stole them from the harbor and brought them to Mili to be treated for any injuries. Afterword, Kayce either returned them to their families or put them in safe homes for rehabilitation.” I shrug. “Emilia has been helping them get women out of shitty situations for years.”

“And this time she got caught.” It’s a statement, not a question.

“She was shutting down her practice so she could move to Oakridge and work for the hospital, maybe reopen her clinic there in town.”

“But you said if she went into the hospital someone would find her. How can she work there and not be found? Something isn’t adding up, Dolcezza.” Matteo pins me with his glare.

“Emilia isn’t her real name. Kayce always told us if we ever had to go to the hospital or got ourselves arrested, we would be screwed because there are moles everywhere. He would do everything he could to protect us, but there are people—connected people—who would stop at nothing to find us.”

“You mean people who would turn you in for a price,” Matteo speculates.

I don’t answer.

Matteo looks at me questioningly, but the driver calls out, “We’re here, sir.” Giving me the reprieve I need.

“Don’t open the door. You wait for me to come around and get you,” Matteo orders. He exits his side and comes around to mine, opens the door, giving me a curt nod. “Good girl,” he whispers where only I can hear him.

I glare back and just as quietly reply, “Fuck off.” Matteo laughs heartily. It’s a beautiful sound. One I don’t hear often.

“Good to see your fire hasn’t been completely snuffed out, Dolcezza. Don’t forget that.” Matteo winks then, with his hand on my upper back, ushers me toward the apartment building.

Two men exit the building and head for Vincenzo. He’s standing beside us, watching our exchange.

“The apartment is empty, boss.” One of them says.

I raise my hand, interrupting him. “She’s here. She’s hiding. I’ll show you if you’ll take me up, but only you, Matteo, and the doctor can come into the apartment. Too many men may frighten her further.”

“Very well. Lead the way, Miss Dupree,” Vincenzo says, motioning for his men to follow. “They will stand guard outside the apartment in case anyone approaches the building.”

I nod and proceed to the building, only to be shoved out of the way by Matteo’s hulking body. “Which apartment?”

“4A.”

Matteo starts up the stairs with us following close behind. Vincenzo chuckles at my back.

“Do not be angry at him, Violet. Matteo is protective by nature, but he is also doing his job.”

“I know. I should be used to his overbearing protectiveness. It’s appreciated. I’m just concerned for Emilia, and all these extra steps that are keeping me from getting to her.”

“They’re for your safety as much as hers.” Vincenzo states, sounding annoyed. “We don’t know what condition your friend is in, nor do we know if we are walking into a trap,”

I turn to look at Vincenzo over my shoulder in confusion. “Your men said it was clear.”

“And yet you say Miss D’Angelo is hiding somewhere my men have missed. Who is to say the people who harmed her haven’t found her hiding place or made one of their own and are waiting for us?”

---