Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 93425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Matteo is going to be turning five soon, I realize. I’d lost track of the days recently. His birthday is in three weeks. I feel my heart break all over again because he’ll be spending his birthday away from all of the family he loves.
It also means I probably need to buy his clothes a size up, I realize. He’s a big kid, and I always have to dress him a size up from the average for his age. Besides, these clothes might need to last me for a while. I’d hate to ask Derek to buy us more because Matteo went through a growth spurt.
Enzo should be here with me.
I don’t know if he would want to help me pick out clothes for Matteo. I’ve known enough dads who don’t care to take part in little caretaking activities like this, but he’s wanted to be involved in everything I have let him so far. Maybe he’d love to pick out new shoes.
Another thought crosses my mind when I glance across the aisle from the kids’ clothes at the baby section. I hadn’t realized it, but at some point, I started thinking about having more kids. Maybe a girl who I could play dress up with. Or another little boy who could play chase and be best friends with Matteo. If Enzo got his way, we’d have more than enough chances to get both. He practically started planning a nursery already.
“You’re a hard woman to track down when you want to be.”
My eyes snap up at the woman who is standing in front of me. Blonde hair, a bombshell figure, and fingers curled around the shoulder of my terrified son.
Nina. She’s different now than when I first met her. Gone is the flirtation and in its place is a cool, cruel expression. Matteo looks terrified. His wide eyes dart between Nina and me, her fingers curl into the skin of his shoulder.
“Why are you looking for me?”
It has occurred to me that the cruel man and his daughter might have had something to do with my kidnapping attempt, but I figured with me disappearing, they wouldn’t try too hard to find me. If Nina wants to marry Enzo, my disappearing leaves him free for marriage.
Nina lets out a harsh laugh. I step forward, but she holds up a hand to stop me. “Don’t even think about it.”
She tilts her head toward an overly large man. He subtly lifts his shirt to reveal the gun tucked into his waistband. I gulp down.
“I’m here because your fiance,” she spits the word, “is holding my father hostage on his property.”
“Enzo and I aren’t together anymore.”
“He doesn’t hold the same opinion. He’s practically tearing the city apart to find you, and since he thinks my father has something to do with your disappearance, he won’t let him go. So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to call Enzo and tell him to release my father.”
“Anything. Whatever you say.”
“And to make sure that happens, I’m going to keep this one with me until I see my father.”
“Mommy…” Matteo whimpers out.
Nina lifts her eyebrows. “I guess I know why Enzo was so determined to marry you now.”
“I’ll get Enzo to release your father. Just give me my son back.”
“No can do. My father went too far this time, and I can understand that, but I will not let Enzo kill him. The kid stays with me.”
She roughly yanks Matteo towards the exit of the store with her. It’s only when she gets to the door that I realize there are more guards than just the one she originally pointed out. They’re everywhere. I have no chance of getting Matteo back from her.
As soon as they’re out of sight, I’m scrambling for the cell phone in my back pocket. In my panic, I can’t remember Enzo’s number. Derek had programmed his number into the phone, and maybe if I call him, he’ll be able to turn on my old phone to get Enzo’s number.
When I open my contacts, Enzo’s number is already there. If it wasn’t for my panic, I’d chuckle at the fact Derek transferred it over. I was always going to go home to him, it’s obvious. I’m too in love with him to stay away.
If I had seen it sooner, we wouldn’t be in this situation at all.
My hands are shaking as I hit the call button next to his name. The phone rings twice before the familiar voice picks it up.
“Hello,” he all but barks out. “I swear Derek, if you don’t tell me where my wife is, I’ll…”
“Enzo,” I whisper into the phone. It’s silent on the other side and I worry we’ve cut out for a minute.
“Emma? Is that you?”
I let out a choked sob. “They got Matteo. Enzo, they took Matteo from me.”