Page 72 of Broken Princess

When I arrive at the desk, whoever it is that called has already hung up, and I spend the rest of the walk back to the villa cursing him under my breath. Probably some nonsense that wasn't even urgent, and he realized his mistake.

But still, it's frustrating. I don't want to spend any more time away from Amelia than I have to, especially on our honeymoon. Soon enough, I'm going to be working for her father, and the baby will be here, so time alone will be even scarcer than it is now.

When I get back to the villa, the bed is empty. So is the room, which is open enough I can see everywhere other than the bathroom. The door is open, so I push it open further, but she's not there, either.

Where the fuck is my wife?

I’m starting to panic as I check the whole villa, but she's nowhere to be found.

She would never leave on her own, but I rush outside anyway. There's no sign of her on the beach, but I see a resort employee by the water and rush over to him, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"My wife," I growl. "Have you seen her?"

His eyes widen in confusion. "No, Mr. Rossi, I haven't seen her since you checked in last night."

"Have you seen anyone else?" I demand.

He shakes his head, looking appropriately wary, so I know I must look like the raging beast I am right now.

"Call the police on the mainland, and I want everyone in the resort looking for her. No one leaves this island," I snarl.

"Y-yes, sir," he stammers, already heading back to the resort.

I run a hand through my hair, trying to think. Someone took her. They had to. But who?

Suddenly, it hits me like a ton of bricks.

Milo.

He's the only one who would dare to take her from me, and I know he won't stop until he gets what he wants.

Revenge.

And I'm not going to stop until I have my wife back, and he's dead.

One way or another.

CHAPTER 37

LORENZO

Ipace the length of the beach, waiting on the helicopter that's coming back to take me to the mainland. My mind races as I try to come up with a plan. The police have combed the island to no avail. I know they won't find anything.

Milo is long gone by now. But I will find him. And when I do, he's going to wish he was never born.

I already called Amelia's father to tell him what happened, but it went to voicemail, so he's going to have to deal with the rest when the time comes.

He knows Milo better than I do, so he might know where he would take her, but something tells me he's going to reach out either way. He clearly wants something. And he knows she's the perfect bait to get it.

He's also enough of a coward that he waited until now, when she was away from Miceli, to make a move. But if he thinks I'm going to be any more merciful, he’s fucking wrong.

The helicopter finally arrives to take me back to the mainland, and I already have people watching the airport and every major mode of transportation he could use to get her out of Italy. We're still in the air when my phone rings, but rather than Miceli or anyone else back home, it's an unregistered number.

I answer it immediately. "Who is this?"

"Oh, you know who this is," Milo says, his voice dripping with false cheer. "And I have a little proposal for you."

"What do you want?" I growl.

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