The Search

Chapter 42

Alexander

Day 24, Evening

An intense pain hits my cheek as soon as I enter our house back in Italy. My fuming wife isn't what I expected, perhaps I was expecting she would be a bit more happy to see me.

I shake out the slap as she begins her lecture, "what the fuck is wrong with you?" I hear the deathly tone in her voice. I immediately know that I made a huge mistake, I already knew I had for many years.

She grips her roots with both hands exasperated, "I hear from your Father! Your Father Alexander! For every time I have asked what led your sister away, when you could have been honest you lied!"

She continues, "more so, you were going to sell her off?" Tears gather in her eyes, "that might have been me many years back, I can't believe you thought that was okay."

"I know it was bad." I step forward, "please I made a mistake."

"You have a lot of fixing to do then." She steps away shaking her head. "Starting with Jade, then your brothers and Father, then your Son and I."

She heads to the stairs leaving me alone.

—————————-

"Jackson" I knock on his door and when I hear a faint "come in" I twist the knob and enter.  He's on his bed, on his phone typing away.  I sigh and sit down on his bed across from him.  I look over my shoulder trying to come up with the words that I know he needs to hear.

But what does he need to hear?

"You can start with 'I'm sorry'." He raises an eyebrow putting his phone down against his stomach. 

I swallow, "I'm sorry Jackson."

He stands up treading over to his dresser and grabs a shirt.  "For?" He asks pulling it over his head. 

"I haven't set a great example for you.  I've been swallowed in guilt and I should've tried to fix things long ago." I stand with him as he puts shoes on.

"Correct." He pauses grabbing his earbuds, "but one last thing, if you want to make it up to Aunt Jade, then go fix the mess you made."

"How do I do that?"

He turns back to look at me, "you find Sophie dumbass, I'm going for a run."

————————-

My next stop is the meeting room, my Father and Brothers are already there. Most likely coming up with the best ways to kill me.

Before they can say anything, I begin. "I know I did stupid things and I'm the biggest asshole in the whole world but right now we need to find Sophie."

My Father springs upward grabbing me by my neck, he immediately applies pressure and blocks my airway. "you will find Sophie and if you don't I will kill you myself, son or not, got it?"

I nod shaking and when he lets go I immediately embrace the air filling my lungs. I clear my throat, "Jackson went for a run before I came here, does Sophie have AirPods?" I ask.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Hudson asks.

"I remember Jackson telling me about this tracker he has on his phone just in case he looses them. If i'm correct-"

"Sophie would have had them in her pocket." James interrupts, "it helps her focus on school work."

I nod, "Jade has her phone, all we need to do is relay the message."