Helena practically shoves Giulio and me out of the door. “Go! Go to the police! You don’t have much time!”
I pull her into a tight embrace and smile softly at Oscar and Slonne who come rushing down the stars behind their cousins. Giulio pulls us all into one massive group hug. When I kiss Oscar and Slonne’s foreheads, I tell them everything is going be alright and that we’ll get our happy ending.
“Thank you for everything you do for me.” I tell my sister.
Helena shakes her head, a tight smile on her glossy pink lips. “Thank you. Now go on. Go on and bring her home!”
“Are you going to bring Addilyn home, Mommy?” Slonne asks, her vibrant eyes hopeful.
“Yes, baby. We are going to bring Addilyn home.”
Giulio and I take a moment to breathe when we park in front of the police station.
“Do you really think Marcus is capable of this?”
“That’s what I keep asking myself too.” Giulio sighs, holding my hand in his between the leather car seats. His soft skin relaxes me. “There’s only one way to find out.”
“Whatever the verdict is we will have Addilyn and each other now.”
“Yes, my darling. That is the only thing that matters.”
When Giulio kisses me, everything slows. Like a rapid reminder of everything that has happened between us. It intensifies into need, as if this is the pinnacle of our existence. Because it truly is. This is our reason why and soon we will seal our forever with our sweet angel.
On the other side of the sword, if something bad does happen, at least we have this and we’ll go down as a family.
I will always love Giulio Giannotti.
Always.
The moment we pull away, there’s nothing but adoration in his eyes. It resonates within me too. We have just been given a lifeline by Bryce—a last hope.
I catch the sight of our wedding rings and my heart flutters. “Through all the crazy, I’m glad you didn’t let me go. I’m happy you’re here with me.”
“I’m here. I am right here and I will never let go. Never again, Lencia.”
“We’re in this together.”
“We always will be.” And despite the agony, he gives me that slow, sexy smile. “Let’s do this. Let’s get our baby back, amore.”
If somebody told me seven months and fifteen days ago that we’d reach the point that the Seattle police department would be preparing to enter the suspected house Addilyn has been held captive in, I would have dropped to my knees. The entire drive behind the police seemed an eerie joy. The reality is this could very well turn into a recovery mission; the police made that very clear. We don’t know what we’re going to find. We just have to brace for it all and be bold. It’s all we can do.
As the several police cars near this dark unknown suburban home, I hold onto Giulio’s hand tighter. Freezing air rushes down my spine as an officer orders us to stay close to our car.
We are early, with eighteen hours to spare.
Five officers march up the dark porch steps. “SPD! OPEN UP!”
One pounds on the door with a thud. At the second attempt, Sergeant Flynn emerges and breaches the door. It flings open and the officers enter with guns drawn.
Giulio pulls me to his side.
The urge to rush inside behind them is there, but we can’t just yet. Staying behind fosters agitation to pump wildly through my veins. I need to distract myself and I do so with Giulio’s pounding heart against my ear. I listen until our beats merge into one.
Soon, SPD officers emerge from the house with a group of women and men. I don’t recognize any of them. Their hands are cuffed behind their backs and their heads remain low as officers place them into the backs of four separate police cars.
Sergeant Flynn is the next to step out of the house.
“Oh my god!”
He’s with a handcuffed Marcus.
Sergeant Flynn is met with an SPD detective who gestures towards one of their cars, but he shakes his head and eyes flicker in our direction. Marcus’ sinister stare entraps me. I’m distraught as he walks to us with Sergeant Flynn, coming to a halt only a foot from us.
It’s true. Marcus is involved. He had Addilyn this entire time.
Trusting him was a losing game.
Oh my god!
Marcus’ face remains clenched as he emotionlessly glances between us.
“I trusted YOU!” The pain is written all over Giulio’s face as he launches forward, an accusing finger jabbed into his half-brother’s chest. “With my kids. With my wife. With my company. WHY? WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?”
Marcus flinches. “You think I did this alone, brother? Oh no. Who do you think helped me? Who do you think constructed those letters? We both know I am not a tough or creative guy. Bryce did that.”
All the air sucks out of me at the confirmation. The coldness Marcus emits foreshadows the end before he even begins. His words cut deep. Too deep.
Why would he do this?
Why would he destroy his own family?
My God…
“We know what Bryce did, but you did the rest. You hired all these people to hurt us. You planned that fire. You kidnapped Oscar and Slonne. You tried to kill Giulio and me. You took Addilyn away from us!” When Marcus’ only response is to look at me, I cannot take it. He gives me everything and nothing. It takes everything in me not to break down in front of him. He’s not worth a single tear. “You should be ashamed of yourself, Marcus!”
“More than ashamed. Why would you bring Bryce on board?”
“Mr. Giannotti, these questions will be answered by Marcus down at the jai—”
Marcus cuts Sergeant Flynn off. “Because after kidnapping her, I tracked Bryce down in a bar one night in May. He didn’t know me…but
