All Chapters of The Ricci Heir: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

As soon as I hung up with Declan, I immediately called Doc. I needed answers, and he was the only one who could give them. I paced the room while waiting for him to pick up. The moment he did, I skipped the small talk and got straight to the point.“Tell me you have something,” I said, pacing the length of my office like a caged animal.A sigh crackled through the line. “I’m close, Matteo. The counteragent needs more time. But if the exposure is still in the early stages, I can stabilize symptoms for a week—maybe a little more.”Not enough. But better than nothing.“Pack your equipment,” I ordered. “Meet me at the airstrip in an hour.”He didn’t argue. He knew better.I hung up and scrubbed a hand over my face. I hated what I had to do next. Ciara deserved honesty, but I had no idea how she’d take it. Declan calling me instead of her… that alone would cut her deep. And the fact that he was sick—possibly poisoned—would only rip open wounds she’d barely begun to heal.I found her in her

Declan looked worse up close.His skin was gray, his breathing shallow, and every few seconds his hand twitched like his body was fighting something it didn’t understand. Ciara sat beside him, holding his hand with a gentleness that made my chest tighten. She’d barely spoken since we entered the room, but the storm in her eyes said enough.The doctor and I worked quickly. I held the IV bag steady while he inserted the line, his movements efficient but tense.“He’ll be stable enough for transport,” the doctor murmured. “But we shouldn’t delay.”“We won’t,” I said.Ciara brushed a strand of hair from her father’s forehead. “Da… we’re taking you somewhere safe. Just hold on.”Declan’s eyes fluttered, barely opening. “Ciara… lass…”Her breath hitched, but she didn’t let go.I stepped back to give them space, checking the equipment again. Everything had to be perfect. I wasn’t risking anything—not with her watching, not with Declan’s life hanging by a thread.“Matteo,” Ciara said suddenly,

Nonno never called me during an operation unless something was wrong.So when his name flashed across my screen, I already knew.“Dimmi,” I answered.“She’s gone,” he said. “Isolde. She escaped.”A cold curse slipped out. “How?”“She faked a medical emergency. Knocked out the nurse. Slipped out through the service exit. We’re sweeping the grounds, but she’s long gone.”Of course she was. Isolde was reckless, but she wasn’t stupid.“I’ll handle it,” I said, ending the call.I immediately dialed Salvatore. It took a moment — the time difference between Ireland and the U.S. meant it was early morning for him — but he picked up.“Bro?” he said, voice rough with sleep. “What’s going on?”“I need you,” I said. “Isolde escaped. And things here are escalating fast.”He was awake instantly. “Shit. How bad?”“Bad enough that I need you on a plane. Now.”“Say less,” he said. “I’ll wake Kat, let her know I'm leaving and book the jet. It’ll take me… what, eight hours?”“Closer to nine,” I said. “B

The countryside was too quiet. Not peaceful. Not calming. Just… empty. The kind of empty that made the walls feel closer every hour I was stuck in this stupid safe house. Hector had used this place years ago, before Juan took over, before the family expanded, before I existed. It smelled like old wood, dust, and secrets no one bothered to clean up.He told me to stay here. Stay hidden. Stay out of sight until he could send someone to get me. I hated every second of it. I paced the length of the living room, arms crossed, glaring at the boarded‑up windows like they were personally mocking me. Rafe sat on the couch, boots up, cleaning a knife with the kind of bored annoyance that made me want to scream.“You’re going to wear a trench in the floor,” he muttered.I shot him a look. “You don’t get to comment on anything I do.”He didn’t even glance up. “Trust me, princesa, I’m not interested in you. You remind me too much of Tiffany.”I rolled my eyes. “You’ve said that already.”“I didn’t

Declan looked better, not well, not safe, but better. The IV was doing its job, buying us time. The doctor had stepped out again, leaving the room quiet except for the soft hum of machines.Ciara sat beside him, her fingers woven through his. I stood close, giving them space but ready if anything shifted.Declan opened his eyes. “You two look like you’ve been carrying something heavy.”Ciara swallowed. “Da… we need to tell you something. And it’s going to hurt.”He studied her face, then mine, and nodded. “All right. Tell me.”Ciara took a breath, voice trembling. “Cormac… he’s not Mam’s son.”Declan blinked, confused. “What are you talking about? Of course he...”“His biological mother is Siobhan,” I said quietly.Declan froze.His face went pale, his breath catching in his throat. “No. No, that’s… that’s not possible.”Ciara squeezed his hand. “Da, it’s true.”He stared at us, stunned, shaking his head. “I… I didn’t know. I swear to God, I didn’t know.”Ciara’s voice softened. “Then