Filed to story: Sold to The Possessive Mafia Boss Book (Xavier & Jane) Free Online >>
My gesture for silence is met with a nod, an unspoken understanding passing between us as I slip from the bed’s sanctuary to take the call.
“Tony,” I answer, my voice a low murmur. “Tell me they’ve identified that fucker’s body in the ashes of his house.”
“Son of a bitch is still alive.” Tony’s voice is muffled.
I tense, a cold dread settling in my stomach. “What happened?”
“He wasn’t there. He guessed you’d do it so he went into hiding.”
“You sound fucked. What’s with your voice?”
“This asshole nearly broke my jaw,” Tony says, and his voice cracks, a sound that sends a chill down my spine. “There were ten of them. Came in strong. They took Emma. I tried to stop them, but there were too many. They overpowered me.”
His confession is a mix of guilt and defiance, a soldier reporting a lost battle. “I’m sorry, boss. I failed you.”
A moment of silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken recriminations and the ghost of my former self, who would’ve seen Tony’s failure as a betrayal to be punished.
The old me would have killed him for this. But the man I’ve become, the man Jane helped shape, knows better.
“Tony, listen to me,” I say, my voice firmer, steadier. “This isn’t on you. We’re going to get her back. Bring in everyone. I’ll be in as soon as the jet’s fueled.”
I end the call and turn to face Jane, now wide awake, her eyes wide with a fear that mirrors my own. She’s wrapped tightly in the sheets, a pale contrast to the darkness threatening to engulf us.
“What’s happening?” she asks, sounding worried.
“He’s got Emma,” I say.
Her reaction is immediate, a fiery determination lighting her eyes. She starts getting dressed. “We have to get her back.”
Her strength bolsters me, a reminder of how far we’ve come. “I know, and we will. Tony’s already mobilizing everyone we can trust.” I take her hand in mine. “We play this smart. We leverage every resource, every ally. We make him regret ever starting this.”
Jane nods, her resolve hardening. “And Tony? After what happened?”
“His loyalty isn’t in question. Right now, we need him.”
“You’ve changed,” she says. Her hand squeezes mine, a silent acknowledgment of the path we’ve chosen. “I hate this, Xavier. The violence, the constant danger. But Emma, she’s like family. We do whatever it takes.”
I wrap an arm around her, pulling her close. “Yes, we do. And if your father is involved?”
I watch as determination lights her up from within, a fierce protector emerging from the woman I love. Her voice trembles, not with fear, but with a raw, seething anger. “If he hurts Emma, I’ll kill him myself.”
Jane’s POV
Two days later…
I’m stuck in Xavier’s mansion in New York while his men search the city. The walls of the living room feel like they’re closing in on me, each second ticking by is another second Emma’s in danger, all because of my association with Xavier.
Is she alive? I pray she is but there’s been no news at all. Xavier tells me she must be alive. She’s no use to Garibaldi dead. She’s a bargaining chip, a way for him to come out of this on top.
My chest is a cauldron of boiling rage and guilt, emotions churning so violently I can barely breathe. Emma, sweet, loyal Emma, caught in the crossfire of a war she never signed up for. And it’s all because of me.
I believed Xavier when he said she’d be safe with Tony. That was my mistake. I watch him as he ends another call.
He shakes his head. “Nothing.” He goes to make another call.
“Why haven’t we heard anything yet?” My voice breaks the silence, sounding more fragile than I intend.
Xavier, phone in hand, looks up. “These things, they take time, Jane. We’re doing everything we can.”
I pace, the sense of helplessness threatening to engulf me. “But time is something Emma might not have. What if—”
He cuts me off, standing to intercept my path, his hands gripping my arms gently. “Jane, listen to me. Panicking won’t help Emma. We need to be strategic, not reckless.”
I shake my head, trying to pull away, frustration mounting. “Strategic? Xavier, my best friend is out there, with them. How can you expect me to just wait? You promised me Tony would keep her safe.”
He sighs, a sound heavy with unspoken fears. “I’m not asking you to ignore what you’re feeling. I’m just asking you to trust me, trust that I’m doing everything to bring her back safely. Garibaldi is letting us stew. Then he’s going to offer her in exchange for me. It’s me he wants dead. That way he gets to rule the city. He’ll call sooner or later..”
He turns back to his phone. A minute later, he nods my way. “I got a lead. I’m going to check it out. One of Garibaldi’s men is willing to talk.”
“And what am I supposed to do? Just sit here and twiddle my thumbs?” My voice cracks, frustration bleeding into despair. “I’m coming with you.”
“You need to stay safe, Jane. For me,” he pleads, his eyes searching mine for understanding.
His insistence feels like a straitjacket, restraining and suffocating. “Safe? There’s no safety in this, not for any of us. If Emma gets hurt, Xavier, if you let anything happen to her—”
“I won’t,” he cuts in, firm and resolute. “I promise you, Jane. Once I have real news, we do this together but for now, these leads could be anything or nothing. It’s not worth exposing yourself in the open. You have to trust me. Please.”