Page 65 of Owned by the Italian Mafia Boss
That’s when I see Delilah.
She’s tied to a chair, her sweater cut, and blood dripping down the middle of her chest. I grab the knife from the table and cut her bindings. When she’s free, she falls forward, and I catch her, holding her head against my shoulder.
I can’t help it. Tears break free. I stare at the ceiling, hoping the harsh lights will dry the water building in my eyes. I do not cry.
She sobs against me, tugging at my suit. “You’re here. You came. You found me,” she cries so hard I can barely understand her words.
I squeeze her tighter. I’m so afraid if I let go, she’ll vanish. “I’ll always come for you. I’ll always find you. Just like I said I would.” I lean back and cup her face, trying to wipe away the tear streaks on her cheeks. “I’ll always come for you.”
I look her over, checking her injuries, and I growl when I see her gorgeous flesh cut. It will leave a scar just like mine. She’s too beautiful for something like that. I press my hand against her chest, then shuck off my suit, wrapping it around her shoulders. “You’re okay. You’ll be okay. I have you, Sweetling.”
“Romano. Romano hired him. I just want to go home. I want to go home, Carmine. Take me home,” she rambles into my shoulder.
“We are. I’m going to call a doctor to look you over, okay? You’re all right.” I swing her into my arms, and she places her head against my chest.
“You found me.”
“I placed a tracker in your engagement ring. I stole it off your finger while you were sleeping, and Matias did it.”
She chuckles, but it’s full of emotion. “I’m so happy that you’re so psycho when it comes to me. Place a tracker on me any day.”
I kiss her temple as I climb up the steps. “You’re getting one embedded in your damn skin after this. I’m not kidding.”
“Whatever you want,” she slurs with sleep. “He injected me with something that makes me weak.” Her big, gorgeous eyes look at me, her wet lashes blinking. “I don’t know if it’s bad for the baby. The baby, Carmine.”
I almost fumble up the steps and stare down at her, stopping for a moment. Her eyes hood, and I shake her, then knock on the metal doors. “Delilah, what did you say? What did you say? Tell me again. What about the baby?”
The doors open, and the sun beams in.
“I can take her, sir,” Ivar says.
“Not a chance in hell. Open the back door for me.”
“Put the girl down, Carmine. You’re coming with me to the station.” DiMartino has his gun raised and pointed directly at me.
“I’m not putting my pregnant wife down for anything. You’ll have to fucking shoot me if you want that to happen, but let me make myself perfectly clear, if you want a career, you’ll step aside or never have a job again. You know I hold that kind of power.”
DiMartino debates for a second before lowering his weapon. “Do I need to call an ambulance?”
“No, I’m taking her home and bringing a doctor to her.” I climb into the backseat of the SUV and settle her in my lap. Ivar shuts the door. The thud wakes her.
“Hey, Sweetling. Hey.” I smile at her.
“You’re here. You came,” she mumbles, repeating what she said earlier. “The baby! Carmine—" She grips my forearm. “The baby.”
I can’t help but smile and lay my head across her stomach. “You’re pregnant?”
“I wanted to surprise you. I wanted to make it a big deal because I know the baby is all you want, but I’m afraid whatever he injected me with did something. What if it did something? I want this baby with you.” She begins to cry and shakes her head. “I don’t want anything to happen to our baby.”
I pull her closer, and she wraps her limbs around me. “I don’t either. Oh my, God, my Sweetling. You’ve given me everything. I love you. I love you so much.”
She sniffles and leans away. “You love me?”
“So much, Sweetling. So much. And if anything happens to our baby, I promise I will kill Romano at your feet and let you bury his bones.”
“His bones don’t deserve to be buried if anything happens to our baby.” She intertwines our hands and places them across her stomach; then, her cheek falls on my shoulder. “I love you too. Please, just make the pain go away. It hurts. I hurt everywhere.”
“I will. I’ll always make all your pain go away. Always. Just rest. We will be home soon,” I say, gently.
