Unforgivable Secrets | One Mistake Away Series Bk 1 [Mob Romance]

Chapter 28 - What Have I Done?

Harper's POV:

My dad had been stubborn, but even he knew the sensitivity of the situation. He didn't balk too much; instead he'd gone upstairs to get my mom to pack up. Thank the heavens for that. I was able to get everyone back to my bunker quicker than I had thought.

Sitting at my office desk, I couldn't help but ponder how quickly things had gone from being in control to being out of control. I'd barely had time to breathe, let alone take a moment for myself. I was back to the waiting game and I didn't like it one bit.

Jumping at the sound of the phone ringing, I snatched it off its hook. "Tell me it's someone I want to hear from, Sylvy."

The woman cleared her throat. "Pull up your laptop, Siobhan. A Skype call is going to be coming through."

Fumbling for my laptop lid, I waited for the screen to light up. "Thank you, Sylvy."

Refusing to wait for a response, I dropped the phone into its holder. Typing in my password the laptop screen brought me to my homepage. Double-clicking Skype, I logged in, waiting for the incoming call to come. Using the forward facing camera, I rubbed away the sleep lines under my eyes reminding me of the barely four hours I'd snatched over the last three days. All of my energy had been wrapped up into finding two of the most important people in my life. I'd been given no reason to believe they were dead, and no reason to believe they were alive. I refused to give up. They'd earned my devotion and they'd get it.

Smoothing my hair back in a tight, professional bun, I pulled out my equally professional teacher glasses. I needed no reason for whoever was calling to see me undone or sense the exhaustion permeating from my eyes. I was strong, an unyielding force. Powerful. I was a fucking queen.

I heard the noise before I saw the box pop up to accept the incoming call. The user was unknown but that only added to my speculations. Tapping accept, my eyes narrowed at the two hooded figures on their knees. Both men were shirtless, blood dripping from their bodies in too many places to count.

I recognized Smitty's tattoos inking up his body. Hours of practice fighting had made me accustomed to his well-formed, thick body.

I was regrettably less familiar with Mason's body, but I recognized the eagle etched into his chest. He'd saved three years for the tattoo, finally getting it months before his brother had past. It was a reminder of the freedom he had as a teenager. What I hadn't seen before was the chains etched around the eagle's wings and hanging from his neck. It was a sign of the bondage I knew he felt. What he didn't realize was that not only did it remind him of the prison he felt, but it also broke me seeing it. He had added me to the prison without even realizing it. I was a slave to his pain whether or not I wanted to be. I was a slave to the memories; the torment.

"We both know this is you, Ricci. And we both know we are busy people. Are you really going to waste my limited time on staring at two bagged hostages?" I grated the words out as if I really didn't care. It was the name of the game after all --- bluffing until you no longer could.

"Aw what gave it away?" The Skype feed switched over to view the room, prisoners, and Ricci. His black turtleneck shirt and dark pants added to his distinguishing features, but he remained as unattractive as a pile of shit to me.

"Honestly who else would be video calling me with prisoners? I'm not that hated yet." I glanced at my nails assuming everyone in that room could see me.

"Eh, I forget your lack of value and importance." He snorted, acting like he received these types of calls all the time.

"Then I guess I'm fortunate." I resisted the urge to narrow my eyes, but I couldn't stop the hardening of my voice even when I saw his jaw twitch at my comment. "Why are you wasting my time, Ricci. I do have a war to win."