Finding Him

C H A P T E R - S I X

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

My hands cover my face. I'm exhausted.

Why can't anything just have a simple solution?

"It has to be like a half inch big, how bad could the damage be?" Mar almost laughs.

"Enough to make a mistake, killing her."

My whole body fizzes. It feels like someone is destroying me from the inside out. I need my daughter. I need to fucking kill who is doing this. I need to protect her. I need to save her.

Someone is going to wish they never fucking touched my daughter. Someone is going to pay for this.

Non scherzare con il diavolo.

I'm such a fucking failure for not being able to ever protect her the way I promise. I always put her in danger. This is why I knew I could never have kids. I'm a fucking magnet for damage.

"Then figure out how to get it the fuck out." I tell him. "I'm going to see me daughter." I walk past Carlo, bumping his shoulder.

I can't wait any longer. I need my girl.

"They're listening to everything. Whoever put that chip in her. They'll hear you."

"I don't give a shit." I snap at him, walking out of the room.

I find her room. Ellie lays on the bed. Her eyes are closed and her cheek has a slight bruise on it. I almost killed An. If she wasn't my niece she would have been dead hours ago.

I sit next to Ellie on her left side. I hold onto one of her hands.

I don't like her in this bed. She shouldn't be here. She should be at home with me. She should be awake and not in harms way.

I rub circles on the inside of Ellie's palm, that's how I used to get her to calm down when she was little. I take deep breaths but I can't stop the tears that burrow in my eyes. She can't die. I can't have her die. I spent nine years grieving her just to finally get her back and I will not let her go now.

If they weren't listening I would tell her what I know for a fact.

This isn't over, Ellie. Our story isn't fucking over.

• • •

"What do they have over her. That's the question we need the answer to." I say.

"What if they just kidnapped her? Why do they have to have something over her?"

"Because if they didn't, I know she would have found a way to tell me. She would have written it down or showed me. Ellie is an Armani, survival is in her blood." I snap back at Marcello. He's really getting on my nerves today.

I might not know my daughter the way I want to but I have to believe that she would trust I'd do anything to help her. She was always a smart little girl, not much could've changed.

"Okay. First, where was she? Where has Ellie been for the past nine years?" Papà crosses his hands over his chest, getting comfortable in his seat.