Page 68 of Married to the Ruthless Mafia Heir

That night, I brought Dante home. When Maggie saw him, she froze for a second, then recovered. Her eyes dropped to our joined hands. She didn't say anything, just raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you two made up."

I blushed. "Yeah, Maggie."

Maggie walked over and looked at me. "Elena, I respect all your choices. As long as you're happy."

I hugged her, my nose stinging.

Just then, Dante's phone rang. It was Marco. I didn't know what Marco said, but Dante's face darkened instantly. The cold, vicious look of a mafia Don returned.

He spoke icily into the phone. "Watch them. I'm coming back tonight."

He hung up and pulled me into the bedroom, his expression grim. "While Valentina was in Mexico, she got involved with a cartel. She was helping them get close to me, trying to get access to one of my key shipping routes. I refused. They've been harassing us ever since. The guy leading them is named Javier. Marco's got some of them now. I have to go deal with it."

He laid it all out in a few sentences. I couldn't stop him. I just stood on my toes and kissed him. "Go. I'll wait for you."

Dante hugged me tight. "Once I handle this, I'll have time to help you run your little shop." He kissed the top of my head. "Take care of yourself. And our baby."

I nodded and walked him downstairs, watched him drive off. Unease curled in my stomach, but I couldn't place where it came from. As I turned around, I saw a shadow dart past.

Before I could react, a hand clamped over my mouth and nose, a cloth pressed hard against my face. I struggled, tried to break free, but the hand didn't budge. It locked around me like iron.

The cloth was soaked in something chemical. The smell burned into my nose. I didn't have time to think. My vision blurred. And then everything went black.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Dante

A group of people ambushed me on my way to the airport.

Gunshots shattered the silence of the night. Bullets struck the car, sending dull metallic impacts echoing through the darkness. I immediately pulled out my gun, tightened my grip on the steering wheel, and slammed my foot down on the accelerator.

The pursuing vehicles stayed dangerously close behind me, almost scraping against my car. The roar of their engines kept getting closer. I gritted my teeth, kept my eyes fixed on the streetlights ahead, and pushed the car to its maximum speed.

A car pulled alongside. A dark muzzle aimed straight at me. I ducked fast, whipped out my pistol and fired three rounds through their window. The car flipped sideways instantly.

I used the opening to shake them off hard, finally pulling over at the roadside.

I contacted Marco, kept it short. "Someone hit me. Can't make it back to New York. What's your status?"

"Javier's guys talked. Javier's not even in New York!" Marco's voice rose. "The docks might not be the target at all!"

Not the docks. Then what?

I pressed my head, thinking.

Until I remembered who I'd just left.

"Fuck!" The second it hit me, cold sweat broke out all over.

Mexico was Javier's turf. When I'd been renovating Elena's place recently, I'd noticed someone watching us. But I could protect Elena, so I hadn't worried much.

But what if they weren't there to attack—just to watch?

They'd know exactly how to play this. Kidnap Elena, use her to leverage me, accomplish their dirty goals.

I steered toward Elena's place while telling Marco, "Whatever it takes, find Javier's operations in Mexico. I'm taking them all down this time!"

These people never learned their lesson when Salvador was around. Made them bolder and bolder.