Page 14 of Secret Revenge

I held my phone up for her. “Abby is on her way to my home with my most trusted man. Are you ready to leave?”

She peered at the photo. “Yes.”

“Ma’am,” Marco interjected, “do you want us to pack anything up for you?”

She looked around and scoffed. “I don’t want anything to remind me of this asshole.” She kicked him in the ribs and grinned. “Been waiting a long time to do that.”

“Jocelyn, it’s time to go,” I urged, my hand gripping her arm as I pulled her away from Luca’s crumpled form. She struggled against my grasp, her eyes wild with defiance. “Your daughter is waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” she said, her voice choked with emotion. Together, we hurried out of the house, leaving behind the remnants of a life that had caused her so much pain.

As we approached my home, I could see Liliana and Abby looking through the living room window, anxiety etched across their faces. The moment Abby spotted us, her eyes widened with relief. Marco and I rushed Jocelyn into the house where Abby ran to her, tears streaming down her face. Seeing the rescued child in her mother’s embrace, Liliana’s gaze met mine, and I knew she understood the depth of my commitment to protecting the innocent.

“Nicholas... you did it.”

“Of course,” My voice was low, but pride swelled within me, knowing that I’d saved a mother and child from further suffering. The satisfaction of saving them greater than that of taking down Bianchi’s empire.

She kissed me gently and pulled back, her deep brown eyes reflecting her gratitude and love. “We’ll make sure they’re safe and comfortable.”

“Agreed.” My thoughts shifted to the future, envisioning a new life for Jocelyn and Abby, one far removed from the horrors they’d endured. Our shared mission to protect the innocent only seemed to strengthen our bond, fueling my determination to tear down Bianchi’s empire piece by piece.

“Tomorrow, we’ll plan their future. But for now,” I glanced at the trembling Jocelyn and her weary daughter, “let them find safety in our home.”

“Thank you.” Liliana’s voice was soft yet resolute, her eyes shining with admiration as she looked up at me. “How long will you allow them to stay here?”

I squeezed her hand gently, seeking reassurance in her touch. “When the time is right, we’ll help them start anew – somewhere far from this life, with new names and histories.”

“Will they be safe? Will Luca go looking for them?”

“Not if he knows what’s good for him.” My conviction resonated in every word, fueled by the fire that burned within me. “We’ll keep them safe, just as I promised you.”

The gratitude in her eyes spoke volumes, and I could feel the strengthening bond between us as we stood united in our mission.

“Anything for you, my love.” The words were barely more than a breath, a tender admission meant only for her ears.

Chapter 7

Liliana

The day after Nicholas and the men rescued Jocelyn and Abby, I walked into the kitchen with a good, solid plan. A flicker of relief crossed my face as I noticed Gina, our cook, hadn’t started preparing dinner yet. I was going to make Nicholas his favorite meal, chicken parmigiana.

Gina looked up from putting the dishes away. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Romano. Was lunch to your liking?”

I smiled. “Of course it was, and I’m sorry if I didn’t tell you. But tonight, I’d like to cook dinner. I want to do something special for Nicholas and I’m limited because I’m not leaving the house.”

She knew what I meant. The household staff had been asked to remain indoors for their safety as well.

“Have you ever cooked before?”

I tried to ignore the concern in her voice. I had cooked in school – we all had to learn how to make a few basic meals. “Of course, but never anything complex from scratch.” I showed her the recipe I had printed earlier. “It doesn’t look too hard.”

Gina studied the recipe, then gave me a nod of approval. “He’ll enjoy this. Make sure the sauce isn’t too acidic.”

“When should I start?” I asked, because timing an entire meal to be ready at the same time wasn’t something I’d ever done.

“You should start on the sauce immediately, then prepare the chicken and put it in the refrigerator until it’s closer to dinner time. If you’re making side dishes or dessert, do those after the chicken goes in the fridge.”

I quickly wrote her instructions on the back of the printed recipe. “Okay. I’ll do that.”

---