Page 36 of Savage Enemy

“I told you before. Those aren’t my secrets to share.”

Taking a deep breath, I stood and dismissed Tony with a nod. When I reached my son, I kneeled in front of him to bring our eyes to the same level.

He needed to see the truth of the situation in my eyes.

“I know you said that, son, but to get your mother back, I need all the information I can get. Given the circumstances, she will understand. I don’t think she even realizes how much you do know.”

He lifted his shoulders nearly to his ears, hunching inward.

“I don’t know…”

“Yes, you do. Even if she gets mad, isn’t it better to have her here with us, mad but also safe with us, rather than in danger?”

I hated asking him these questions. Prying info from a child made me feel like a real shit. And this, from my own child.

It had to be done. Any information he had might be the difference between getting her back and losing her forever.

Enzo looked at the floor.

“Don’t be ashamed, son, for any reason. We do what’s best for your mother, no matter what it is. That’s who we are.”

“I guess you’re right,” he whispered. “I just know you’re not the one she was hiding from.”

I patted his knee. “That’s right. She never actually ran from me. I loved her so much, I agreed to let her live without me.”

His gaze met mine.

“You loved her?”

“Yes, Enzo. I did. I do.”

Relief washed away the line between his brows for a fleeting moment. Then he nodded.

“All this wasn’t because she wanted to keep me away from you. She had this money and all these plans for us to run away, but it wasn’t because of you. Well, it was a little because of you, but not all because of you.”

I nodded. “Go on.”

“Someone else scared her more, and I heard her say to Nonna that you would bring them to us.”

“What can you tell me about them?” I asked, careful to keep my tone even.

Whatever he knew, it scared him.

Fear was crystal clear in the glistening eyes of this brave boy who’d fought me, threatened me when he thought I meant to hurt his mother.

“The people who were in my room tonight,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Her father and brother—he said they’re twins.”

Twins? He and Val might have shared the same light blue eyes, but the man had looked empty. Val was full of light.

“Okay, so she’s afraid of her father and her brother,” I repeated. “Is that it?”

Enzo shook his head, staring at the floor again.

“Was she afraid of her other brothers?”

He shook his head.

“Someone else in her family, Enzo?”

---