“Let them in.”
My security gives me a strange look but ultimately does as he’s told.
“Please… let’s discuss this upstairs.”
Lauren calms a little, and they follow me to my apartment.
“Can I get you anything? Water, juice, coffee?”
“Where’s Lilly? Is it true what they’re saying on the news that a doctor has been kidnapped? I haven’t heard from her, Luca.” Tears are streaming down her face as her fiancé holds her tightly.
“Yes, it’s true. It’s Lilly who has been taken.”
“Oh, God… no. No. She’s my family, Luca. My family.”
“I know. I promise you… I’m doing everything in my power to get her back.”
“It’s been twenty-four hours. Shouldn’t there be some kind of ransom or something?” Lauren asks.
“We believe it’s not a traditional kidnapping. They’re not after money.”
“Then what the hell do they want from her?” Lauren’s bright blue eyes remind me of Lilly so much. You can see the family resemblance between the sisters. “Oh God, they are going to sell her. Lilly is beautiful. Smart. She’s going to be someone’s…” she trails off.
Reaching out to Lauren, I grab her hands. “Nothing is going to happen to her, I promise you. They wouldn’t dare touch a hair on her head.”
Lauren looks up at me. “You’ll make them pay if they do.”
“I promise you I’ll burn everything to the ground if they touch her.”
After setting Lauren and Alistair up in a hotel and reassuring them I’ll keep them in the loop with anything to do with Lilly, I’m able to sit down with the people Giorgio recommended could help. Sitting on my sofa, I nervously wait for the people who are going to help us to arrive.
“Would you relax?” My brother halts my leg from bouncing with his hand. “They are the best. They know what they’re doing, I promise.”
“How do you know them?”
“You don’t need to know how,” Giorgio replies mysteriously. I don’t have time to work that out. All I care about is getting Lilly home safely.
“Guys, they’re here,” Natalia announces as the elevator doors open.
We all stand and watch as three serious-looking people enter my apartment. A blond version of the Hulk. Another man who looks like he could simultaneously hack into your system while fighting a bear. Then there’s this tiny blonde woman who gives off some sort of super scary vibe.
“Your Highnesses…” the woman greets us. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I certainly wish it was under better circumstances.”
Is that an Australian accent?
Who are these people?
“I’m Sophie, this is Mac…” she points to the hulking man, “… and this is Trent.”
“Please, take a seat.” Giorgio points to the living room opposite us while Natalia busies herself in the kitchen.
“We have looked through all the media transcripts of what’s happened,” Sophie starts.
“We also looked into the security footage from the clinic and the surrounding areas,” Trent adds, opening his laptop.
“Thank you for the information about Kosovo, that was extremely helpful,” Mac states.
“So, we have been concentrating on that area. Due to the ongoing conflict in that region, the Bratva is able to easily move without much worry,” Sophie advises.
“We have a rough idea of the area and where the Bratva has safe houses, but the important places aren’t so easy to find,” Trent adds, showing us a map of Kosovo. “This is the last known ping from Lilly’s phone.” A little green dot is highlighted on the map. “This road here…” he points, “… is the main highway between Albania and Kosovo.”
“So, she could be anywhere?” I thought these people were experts.
“No. I know it doesn’t look like much, and it may seem like we’re searching for a needle in a haystack, but trust us, we will find her,” Sophie attempts to reassure me.
“The good thing about all this is that Lilly is a doctor,” Mac adds. “Which means they need her for something.”
My eyes widen at his comment.
“She specializes in women’s health, doesn’t she?” Sophie asks.
I nod my head.
“They must be having problems with their girls.”
My eyes widen at her words, and one in particular—girls.
“Lilly is passionate about human trafficking. That’s why she was there.”
Sophie nods her head in understanding. “Both of my sisters were kidnapped by the Bratva. Unfortunately, they were on the sold side of the business.” Shit! “We got them back, thank goodness. But that’s why we have this business because it’s our passion to save women from this life.”
Lilly would like Sophie so much, they both share a deep passion for saving women. They have so much in common.
Natalia sets down glasses of water on the table. “Do you think Lilly has a chance?”
The three of them look at each other.
“Yes. If she’s smart and does what she is told,” Sophie advises me. “If she tries to escape, they’ll kill her.”
Fuck! Running my hand through my hair, I think, Please, baby, don’t be brave. I’m coming for you.
“Most people who have been kidnapped think they’ll try and escape, but in reality, they never do,” Mac advises.
“Like I said, Lilly is a doctor, and that’s a hot commodity to have. She could be there to save the boss’s life, his wife, his child, or maybe he’s just doing the right thing and looking after the girls he has. We don’t know yet, and that’s the million-dollar question.” Sophie tries to sound positive.
“How long do you think it will take to get her back?”
The three of them look at each other, and I don’t like the looks they are sharing.
“It’s hard to say. There are many variables in this scenario. I don’t want to give you false hope.”
Shit. No. I can’t lose Lilly.
You stubborn fucking fool, I should never have given up. She’d be safe and in my arms right now.
“We’re the best,” Sophie reminds us.
“They are going to bring Lilly home, Luca.” Natalia curls into me on the sofa.
“They are the best, Luca,” Giorgio reassures me.
“I should
