Page 133 of Secrets of the Brother
Benito burst in with two of his men, guns drawn.
Cesare fell into one of the bullet-cracked acrylic chairs. “You missed all the fun, Benito.”
Benito pushed his cap back as he surveyed the damage. “Guess it was too much to ask that it be your television turned up too loud.”
I crossed to the leather chair and lifted it out of the way, prepared to help Bianca out of her hiding place. All I wanted to do was get her to safety. I would return to help clean up the mess and interrogate Longo later.
She wasn’t there.
I stared at the empty corner as if expecting her to materialize.
For a moment, I didn’t want to shift my gaze beyond the spot where I'd left her, paralyzed with fear I would see her bloody body.
I forced myself to move.
I spun in a circle.
She was gone.
Papà had shoved Longo into a chair and was leaning over him, shouting questions about the setup and who was involved.
“She’s gone,” I forced out through a stiff jaw.
No one heard me.
“She’s gone,” I said louder.
The room quieted. Everyone turned.
“She’s gone!” I raged. “Bianca! Bianca!”
I began turning over bodies and moving around the room, searching for her. I raced up to Benito and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Did you see her leave?”
“Who?”
“Bianca Moretti.”
“Your sister-in-law?”
I never…ever… wanted to hear her referred to as such ever again. “My fiancée. My future wife. My woman,” I raged through clenched teeth. My vision was turning black along the edges as blind panic and rage were taking over.
Finally realizing the situation, Benito’s eyes widened. “Yes! Yes! I saw her with her mother, Claudia! They got into a car and drove off. Her mother was holding her around the shoulders. She looked unwell.”
“They drugged her. The bastards drugged her.”
My father ran his hand through his hair. “They had this planned from the start.”
Cesare frowned. “That must be why Bruno could barely sit still and kept checking his watch and looking at the door. He knew they were coming.”
Papà shook his head. “How did they manage to drug her?”
Matteo picked up Bianca’s cup. “Her caffe, which would mean… Liliana? No. Who instructed Liliana to bring coffee?”
I frowned. “She said you did.”
Matteo shook his head. “No. It wasn’t me. She must have been a spy for the Agnellos this whole time.”
Christ. We were surrounded by vipers.
