Chapter 12

Unspoken Desires - Chapter 12

Gino

It’s been two days since my private plane was hijacked. A full day since they locked Alexandra and me in a sealed concrete box.

The only light comes from a grimy little window near the ceiling. It’s too high to reach and too small to actually matter.

Alex hasn’t eaten since we got here. She’s barely touched the water trickling from the rusted sink in the corner.

Still, she keeps fussing over me like always. Checking my hands, my breathing, asking if I’m too cold, too hot. But I can see it, she’s fading. Her skin’s pale, her body trembling. Lips dry and cracked.

I hate that I can’t do a damn thing to help her.

She pulls herself to her knees and crawls toward me, slow like every joint hurts. She curls into my side, lays her head on my shoulder. Inhaling deep when she is comfortable.

I wrap my arms around her, trying to warm her with what little body heat I’ve got left.

She’s watching me, but not saying anything.

I press a soft kiss to her temple. “It’s gonna be okay,” I whisper.

She shakes her head. “But Gino… your medications. Your heart, your cholesterol… your blood pressure. You can’t…”

“I’m fine,” I lie, holding her tighter. “As long as I’ve got you here, I’m fine.”

She doesn’t argue. Just melts into me like she always does. Trusting me with her weight, her fear, and her love.

But I’m not fine. My chest is tight in that quiet, creeping way. Not screaming emergency… just whispering: wait long enough, and I will be. Still, I don’t care. Not about that. Not here.

I care about her. I care about my granddaughters. Sophia. Sareena.

Svetlana said they have Sophia. But what does that mean? Is she safe? Is she hurt? Did those bastards lay a hand on her?

I close my eyes and pray. Not for me. Not for freedom. Just for them.

I would happily give up my own life, if it’s guaranteed they would be safe.

Alex burrows closer, like she knows exactly what I’m thinking.

She’s crying. Quiet, controlled, trying to hide it from me. But I feel it in the way her shoulders twitch.

My throat burns. My chest aches. I press another kiss to her hair, slow and steady, like it’s the last thing I’ll ever do.

“Ti amo,” I whisper against her forehead.

She doesn’t answer. But her hand finds mine in the dark. And that’s enough.

————

Damian

It’s almost 3 a.m. when I get back to the condo. I’m hoping Sareena is already fast asleep, because I still don’t know how to tell her what is going on with Gabriella and Sophia.

I haven’t talked to her in over two days. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t know what the hell to say.

Her last messages were all about Gino’s plane not making it to Italy, Sophia not answering any of her calls or texts and fear for Gabby, because she knew Gabby was meeting Maximus there for a secret date.

She sent one text after another. Checking in, asking questions and slowly piecing things together.

I left her on read. I know that makes me an asshole. But I needed time to figure out what the fuck was going on before I dragged her into it.

I only found out Sophia was taken earlier today when I talked to Matteo. He’s already been scouring the city, looking for Sophia and his mother.

We offered full Familia support, but he said no. That’s on him. Typical Matteo bullshit. Macho and territorial like always.

But now I’ve got a new problem. How do I tell Sareena that her best friend Gabby got caught in a compromising situation with the guy she loves? The guy she’s been in love with forever.

Now we’re down one of our best tactical players and Gabby’s being shoved into a political marriage with that bastard from the Outfit, just to strengthen trade ties.

And Gino? No idea what the hell’s going on there, but I haven’t dug into it yet. Part of me’s afraid to.

I keep telling myself they’re fine. That he and Alex probably ditched the plan and flew to the Amalfi Coast for wine and sunsets before heading to the villa in Tuscany.

Off doing rich old people things and dodging the chaos that seems to always follow us around.

But I don’t believe that. Not really.

I unlock the front door, step inside.

All the lights are on. The TV’s blaring some late-night trash.

Sareena’s jacket’s on the floor. Shoes kicked halfway across the hall. A few drawers open in the bedroom. Clothes thrown everywhere.

My gut twists. I walk straight to the bedroom, already knowing something’s wrong.

Taped to the door is a note. Sareena’s handwriting.

“You didn’t want me to know what was happening and you wouldn’t help me figure it out. I already know. I’m going to Vegas to find my Nono and my sister.

Sareena”

Fuck. She actually did it. She really left. She asked me for the truth, and instead of trusting her, I shut her out. Tried to protect her the way I always do, by keeping her in the dark.

I pull the note down, but there’s something else behind it. Another slip of paper. Different handwriting. Not as nice as Sareena’s.

I scan through the letter. It’s from Svetlana.

Of course. That psychotic bitch is still playing games with us. And this time, not only did she try to kill Gabriella, she kidnapped both Sophia and Constance Cattaneo and she hijacked Gino’s plane and now has him and Alexandra in Vegas.

And Sareena is walking back into the lion’s den - alone, unarmed, and completely in the dark.