his blood tie to Aron . That must be how they found him.”
“Do you have any idea where they took him?”
“I know his parents live in Florida but he never told me where.”
“How are you feeling, Cara?” Sal asked.
Lacey drew in a sharp breath. “Oh gods. Cara, are you okay? How do you feel?”
Cara shook her head, unwilling to let her sister know how much pain she was in. “It’s manageable.”
Lacey’s eyes narrowed. She wasn’t buying it. “Cara…”
“I’m okay. For now. But Michael must be in so much pain. We have to find him. You have to get me to him. Cam, please.”
“All right,” Cam said. “We’ll find him. But we’re gonna need Aron .”
* * * * *
Michael knew he’d passed out from the pain.
He’d wanted to be awake when Bennett arrived. Wanted to face the bastard on his feet.
But he couldn’t do it, his body in an uproar because of the distance from Cara. His arus was starved for her and he felt like he was suffocating, each breath unable to fill his lungs and his blood starving for oxygen.
He did have the satisfaction of seeing absolute terror on his mother’s face just before he blacked out.
He remembered thinking it would serve her right if Bennett decided to exact some of his revenge on her if Michael died before he got there.
But he didn’t die because when he finally came around, he was no longer at his parents’ home.
And the pain was no longer as bad, several steps below agonizing.
He must be closer to Cara.
Then he realized where he was. On the floor of one of the rooms in the New York apartment where Cara and Lacey had been kept captive for years.
“I’m glad to see you’re awake and feeling better, Michael. I would hate to think you’d died before you could return what belongs to me.”
Frank Bennett stood over him, his round face a pale gleaming pink the same shade as his head with the ring of gray hair just around the edges. His round stomach gave him a benevolent appearance but there was no warmth in his dark eyes.
Michael took his time getting to his feet, letting Bennett think he was more incapacitated than he was. Letting the two goons behind him think he posed no risk.
But he refused to show any fear. Because fear would mean he had something to hide.
“You’ll never find the money, Bennett. I’m sure you’ve had men trying for two years. They haven’t found it yet. And they never will. Especially not if you kill me.”
Bennett’s expression never changed. “We both know that’s not what I’m talking about. What you took was worth more than any fortune I could amass and I want it back. And you will give it back.”
Michael met Bennett’s cold eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Bennett shrugged. “Of course you do. The girl is worth her weight in gold and you knew that. I don’t believe you’ve sold her. I would have heard of such a transaction. I have to assume you’ve kept her for yourself. Which is just selfish of you, Michael. And counterproductive to Mal interests. So the question I keep coming back to is why. Why did you take her? I would have gladly let you have her whenever you’d asked.”
Michael refused to let the man see him sweat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I took your money, Bennett. Why would I want one of your toys?”
Bennett nodded, his expression never changing. He reminded Michael of a snake. “Yes, that is the question, isn’t it? I guess I’ll just have to wait until you tell me in your own words. But first, I’d like to make you a little more receptive to my questions.”
* * * * *
Cara gasped as the pain circulating through her body eased. Just like that, it subsided to a dull ache in her gut.
“Cam,” she called. “He’s been moved. Closer.”
The oldest de Feo brother looked at her over Sal’s altar as he prepared for the ritual that would pinpoint Michael’s location.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
She nodded. “Positive. The pain…it’s all
“Do you have any idea where they took him?”
“I know his parents live in Florida but he never told me where.”
“How are you feeling, Cara?” Sal asked.
Lacey drew in a sharp breath. “Oh gods. Cara, are you okay? How do you feel?”
Cara shook her head, unwilling to let her sister know how much pain she was in. “It’s manageable.”
Lacey’s eyes narrowed. She wasn’t buying it. “Cara…”
“I’m okay. For now. But Michael must be in so much pain. We have to find him. You have to get me to him. Cam, please.”
“All right,” Cam said. “We’ll find him. But we’re gonna need Aron .”
* * * * *
Michael knew he’d passed out from the pain.
He’d wanted to be awake when Bennett arrived. Wanted to face the bastard on his feet.
But he couldn’t do it, his body in an uproar because of the distance from Cara. His arus was starved for her and he felt like he was suffocating, each breath unable to fill his lungs and his blood starving for oxygen.
He did have the satisfaction of seeing absolute terror on his mother’s face just before he blacked out.
He remembered thinking it would serve her right if Bennett decided to exact some of his revenge on her if Michael died before he got there.
But he didn’t die because when he finally came around, he was no longer at his parents’ home.
And the pain was no longer as bad, several steps below agonizing.
He must be closer to Cara.
Then he realized where he was. On the floor of one of the rooms in the New York apartment where Cara and Lacey had been kept captive for years.
“I’m glad to see you’re awake and feeling better, Michael. I would hate to think you’d died before you could return what belongs to me.”
Frank Bennett stood over him, his round face a pale gleaming pink the same shade as his head with the ring of gray hair just around the edges. His round stomach gave him a benevolent appearance but there was no warmth in his dark eyes.
Michael took his time getting to his feet, letting Bennett think he was more incapacitated than he was. Letting the two goons behind him think he posed no risk.
But he refused to show any fear. Because fear would mean he had something to hide.
“You’ll never find the money, Bennett. I’m sure you’ve had men trying for two years. They haven’t found it yet. And they never will. Especially not if you kill me.”
Bennett’s expression never changed. “We both know that’s not what I’m talking about. What you took was worth more than any fortune I could amass and I want it back. And you will give it back.”
Michael met Bennett’s cold eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Bennett shrugged. “Of course you do. The girl is worth her weight in gold and you knew that. I don’t believe you’ve sold her. I would have heard of such a transaction. I have to assume you’ve kept her for yourself. Which is just selfish of you, Michael. And counterproductive to Mal interests. So the question I keep coming back to is why. Why did you take her? I would have gladly let you have her whenever you’d asked.”
Michael refused to let the man see him sweat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I took your money, Bennett. Why would I want one of your toys?”
Bennett nodded, his expression never changing. He reminded Michael of a snake. “Yes, that is the question, isn’t it? I guess I’ll just have to wait until you tell me in your own words. But first, I’d like to make you a little more receptive to my questions.”
* * * * *
Cara gasped as the pain circulating through her body eased. Just like that, it subsided to a dull ache in her gut.
“Cam,” she called. “He’s been moved. Closer.”
The oldest de Feo brother looked at her over Sal’s altar as he prepared for the ritual that would pinpoint Michael’s location.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
She nodded. “Positive. The pain…it’s all
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