Finding Him

C H A P T E R - S I X T E E N

Leave the Past in the Past

V A L E R I U S '    P O V :

"You thought you could get away with touching my figlia?"

My gun clicks, my finger on the trigger.

They stay silent, not a single shake of a chain could be heard. I wait for the right moment, for the pin to drop.. for the confessions to pour out. But their hanging bodies stay still. Silent.

"Your heads will be sent to your boss on a fucking platter." Is what I spit out in Italian.

"You don't know who she is."

My lip twitches up. You can see the defeat on the other one's face. They have just made it easier for me. She. A woman is after me but for what? What have I done this time?

Let's see if this dumb prick can spit anything else out that might make him useful.

"I don't but I know where she is. It's only a matter of time, Malik." I don't know yet.. but, I will. I motion for Leon to step up and he does. "Get these two comfortable, they're going to be here for awhile." I hand Leon a hammer. "And break their kneecaps while you're at it." He nods sharply and I walk off.

Those two should've thought twice before kidnapping my figlia. I'll find their boss and when I do, I'm going to raise hell.

• • •

"Papà?"

"Yes?"

"How come you keep ignoring Allegra?"

I sigh, letting my things fall to the counter. I don't know how she knows about that. She'll never let this go. She's stubborn and I'm afraid she got that trait from me.

To my surprise, Ellie wasn't mad at all when she found out about my.. liking to Allegra. She's been pushing us two together more than I have in the past few years. I thought Ellie would have been jealous or upset but she was neither. I'm worried that once Allegra leaves when she finds out about me and what I do, that Ellie will be left disappointed.

I don't want to disappoint my daughter again.

"I am not."

"Are too."

I send her a sharp look.

She sounds like Marcello.

"Don't play this little game with me, piccolina. You know I'll win."

"In your dreams." She retorts with a sly smirk. I mirror her look.

"Oh really? Need I remind you that I put you on this earth."

"Exactly." She smiles happily. "Now you have to pay the price." Her joke makes my eyes roll but even then, I pull her into a hug, greeting her with a kiss on the forehead.

"How was it today? I'm sorry I wasn't there to pick you up."

Ellie sighed a heavy sigh. "Fine."

Just fine? "Do you like her? Do you think you can continue sessions with her?" I ask.

She nods halfheartedly. "I do and I don't know, I guess it's okay so far. I just—" I squeeze her one more time, a silent I'm proud of you.

"What, piccolina?"

Ellie started therapy today. She's seeing a woman, a woman I trust. She saw and helped my nonna after my nonno passed all those years ago. From what my nonna says, she's one of the best.