Page 49 of Savage Enemy

“How do you know so much about this?”

“Remember, my family is one of the few who can move freely between New York and Chicago. I chose to be in New York, yes, but you know most of my mother’s family is still in Chicago, and I am still very well informed.”

I snapped my gaze over to her.

Of course. Part of the reason I’d wanted to marry her.

“Informed enough to know where Val’s being held?”

I held my breath, hardly daring to hope.

Benedetta stood and wandered aimlessly around my office.

“Possibly.”

“Informed enough to get me inside? To help me bring the mother of my child home?”

“That depends. How did they find out about her?”

“Seems it was the wedding announcement I put out. Tony did some digging and found out a Chicago newspaper picked it up and then wrote about the lost Moscatelli daughter.”

She turned to face me.

“So her return is public knowledge?”

Something about the calculating look in her eyes set me on edge. It wasn’t new, but I’d only seen it in men who feigned loyalty just before they tried to manipulate me. It never ended well for them.

If Benedetta could help get Val back, there wasn’t a damn thing I wouldn’t do, even allow that fucking look. Once.

I raked my fingers through the top of my hair.

“I assume so. Why does it matter?”

“Because if it’s public knowledge, she’ll be expected to attend specific events. I can’t promise her safe return, but I can get you close enough to find out where they’re keeping her. Maybe even in the same room with her. Then you can take it from there.”

I wanted to believe her, but I couldn’t act on blind faith.

“Lay out a detailed plan… I want to know exactly what I’m walking into.”

She stared at me with a blank expression.

“I’m not just going to give it to you. If the Moscatellis find out, I’m dead. And it won’t be an easy death like a bullet to the head either. They’ll make me suffer for my betrayal. They’ll make an example of both me and my father.”

I flexed my fingers, closed them into fists.

“So you don’t want to help me. Hmm. Well, I could always make you do it.”

Benedetta took a deep breath and straightened, pushing her shoulders back and her chest forward.

“I didn’t say that. I just want you to understand exactly what I’m risking before we start bargaining.”

I stepped in close to her.

“Bargaining? Why would I bargain for anything when I could simply force you to give me what I want?”

She didn’t budge under the weight of my threat.

“You could, but you really don’t have the time. Not if you want this to work. Bargaining may have been the wrong word to use. What I mean is, you’re going to give me what I want.”

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