I
T’S BEEN THREE MONTHS since I lost my beautiful girl on that horrible winter night. There has been no contact, and all leads have gone dry. I have Tony hacking every computer that I can think of for some sort of potential lead. We know they left the country. They had to, after the murders. Max wants me to prepare myself for the possibility that she might not be alive, but I won’t believe that. Every day, I bring Mick a coffee and check to make sure he is doing okay in his new job. He lets me just be miserable. He understands the loss, he loves her too.
“Don’t give up on her, Jax. She is a lot stronger than you think.”
I find comfort with his words. “I will search forever, Mick.”
I head upstairs to try and do some sort of work. I’m barely running my business, and I am seriously thinking of selling it. I have a new assistant, and bless her for being patient with me. I made sure that I hired someone that I felt I could trust. I had Max check her all the way back to her birth hospital. Her name is Mrs. Osla. She’s a fifty-five-year-old widow, originally from Edinburgh, Scotland. I think Max and I are the only ones, other than my mum, that understand her when she’s talking. I know my mum is happy with her. She feels like Mrs. Osla takes good care of me and my business.
Mrs. Osla buzzes me, letting me know my mum is here. I love my mum, but my family has done nothing but hover over me since the incident. My mum flies through the door announcing it’s tea time. Really?
“Mum, can I ask you a question?”
She smiles at me. “Of course, you never had to ask before.”
“What do you think I do all day long?”
She opens her mouth to speak, and then shuts it. “Well, you don’t have to get all snippy just because I’m your mother, and I was only in labor with you for twenty-six hours. I am worried about you and thought I should just pop in and have a spot of tea with you. However, if you’re too busy to make time for your mum, then I’ll just go see what Maxwell is doing.” She clasps her hands in front of her. I knew the guilt trip would come, but what’s even funnier, is Max, walking in at the end of her speech and realizing he was next on her list! He tries to quietly back out of the room, and I swear that woman must have eyes in the back of her head. “Maxwell, don’t even think of leaving now!”
He is so busted, and I laugh a good laugh, which I haven’t had in months. I lean in a kiss my mum. “Thank you.”
She points to the sofa “Tea. Both of you, now.” Max sits right down, and I’m trying not to laugh at him.
“Now, I have questions for both my boys. Maxwell, how is Jackie doing?” She inquires. He looks surprised that my mum knows about him and Jackie. “Don’t look at me like that, Maxwell. I’m a mother, and I know.”
He shrugs, “Um…she’s doing okay. She misses Raven, and she hasn’t heard anything, if that’s where you’re going with this.”
Oh boy she’s giving him the eye . . . that’s never good. “Don’t smart mouth me, young man, I’m just concerned.”
He takes a deep breath “I’m sorry, ma’am.”
She smiles, “That’s better. Isabella sent Junior back to school today. The doctors suggested that he gets back to a normal routine.”
I know I need to spend some time with him. “Mum, I will pop over there tonight and see if he is up to a Doctor Who night.”
“How is Mrs. Osla working out?”
I laugh, “Good, Mum, it’s like having another you around the office all day.”
As I hit her with my Jax smile, Max laughs until Mum pulls his ear. “Maxwell, will you never learn?”
I love the look of fear on Max, “Sorry, ma’am.”
“Hmm, that seems to be the story of your life, lately.” With that, she leaves, just like the whirlwind that she blew in with.
“Max, you know she is going to be on you about Jackie. Mark my words, it’s only a matter of time.”
“Not that I need any more motivation to find Miss Raven, but that would do it.”
“Speaking of which, what do you have for me today?”
“Well, I took your advice about the money trail, and now I have Tony working with my contact that deals with wire transfers that are questionable. What about you, Jax, do you have anything to report?”
I take a deep breath, “Yeah I paid off the mortgage on Raven’s place.”
Max has the grace not to say anything. I know I look like a lovesick puppy, but going into her home every day, I can still smell her, and I feel close to her. Fuck, I really need some help.
“We already went through Marco’s stuff that first day, but you know I think I want to pop over there and take my time looking through his stuff again. I just have a hunch that we missed something. I also had all of Duke’s stuff sent to Tony so he can double check it all.” Max gets up. “Come on, I’ll drive.”
As we head over to Raven’s, Max’s phone rings. “Tony, you’re on speaker. It's just Jax, you can talk freely.”
“Okay. First, Joseph died today. Second, a notice just came that both of you have been requested at the reading of the will, along with Raven. Third, I found a money trail leading to a small town in Italy. Before you ask, I have the plane getting ready for the international flight. You leave in four hours from Teterboro.”
Max finishes the call, since I’m just sitting in shock. Could it be that there is some hope to find my girl? Do I even dare hope? We pull up to Raven’s, and I can’t tell Max how much I come here just to be near her. When we get inside, I just sit on the sofa and think about all of our times together. It was fast and furious. I miss her so much, it hurts. Even my cock—who is usually always on alert—has gone dormant.
“Jax get in here!”
“Max, I don’t want to be in this fucker's room.”
“Jax, just shut up and get in here.”
Okay, Max is pacing. “Jax, when I walk into this room, the hair on my neck tingles. Okay, I know it sounds strange, but something is off. Do you remember the day that Junior was kidnapped and Vito was in your office?”
I’m thinking, “Yeah, he was flipping out as usual. Only Junior and Raven can control that dog.”
“He flipped out when Duke and Marco were in the room. He knew something was off with them, just like I feel something now. We need to rip this room apart. There has to be more, especially since Marco was a poker player. They always have an ace up their sleeve.” He taps my arm with the back of his hand. We start at one end of the room and rip apart every inch. Nothing. Max turns to me. “Bathroom next.”
I just want to get on that plane. “Max, I don’t see anything.”
“Look, Jax my tingle sense has never been wrong, keep looking,” he raises his voice.
I pull apart the medicine cabinet and I pull out a box of condoms. I open it, and inside there is a thumb drive. “Max, I think I just found the ace.”
He grabs his keys. “Okay, Jax, we need to get this to Tony, and we have to be at the airport.
Where is your passport?”
I have to think a minute. “It’s in my office.”
We race to the car and, of course, Max drives. “Jax, call Mrs. Osla and have her get your passport and mine. Tell her to give them to Tony and have Tony meet us at the airport.”
“Where is your passport?”
“It’s in my office safe.”
I’m confused “I thought only you and I have the combination?”
He nods. “You can give it to her.”
My shocked face registers with him. “Jax, there only two people I fear, your mum and Mrs. Osla.”
I almost bust a gut laughing. We just make it to the airport, and Tony is waiting. Max gives him the thumb drive. “As soon as you know something, call me.”
“Tony, where in Italy are we going?”
Tony hands me the passports. “Sicily.”
I look at Max. “Who knows where we are going?”
He reads me better than anyone. “Only Tony and the pilots, and that’s the way it will stay.”
We g
et on the plane. I sit back and put on Raven’s iPod. She has such a wide variety of music. I put it on shuffle. The first song that comes on is by Nickelback called “I’d Come for You”. Hang on, baby, I’m on my way.
EVERY DAY, THE SICKNESS gets a little better. So today, I decide to leave my room to get some fresh air. When I go downstairs, I hear Vincent, yelling in Italian. He is talking fast, but I get most of what he is saying. He’s telling someone that they should have hid the wire transfer better. The American and European bank system was hacked and no one knows where Phillips and Fleming are.
Oh my God, I hope Max and Jax are not coming here; it’s not safe for them. Vincent turns around and hangs up when he sees me. “Cara, do you know what is going on?”
I barely look at him “Vincent, I have been in bed for weeks, I have lost all track of time. I don’t speak Italian. What are you talking about?”
He changes the subject. “So, my brother’s special baby girl is nothing more than a common whore, getting knocked up by the biggest tycoon in New York. At least your mother was married when I fucked her.”
“Don’t you mean—when you raped her—you pig?!”
He bangs his fist on the table. “Don’t try my patience, little girl, or you will be very sorry.”
I know I shouldn’t egg him on, but I can’t control how much I despise this man. “What has you so riled up, Vincent?”
Duke walks in. “Vincent, stop yelling at her. How she chose to live her life is none of your business.” He snaps lightly. Vincent glares at me and walks away.
“Thank you for defending me to Vincent.”
“I wasn’t defending your choices, I was standing up to Vincent. He’s not your father, and he can’t tell you how to live your life. You’re looking better. How are you feeling?”
I sigh, “I’m weak, but holding down some light food and more liquids than before.” I sip some juice. “How long have I been here? I seem to have lost all track of time.”
“You were pretty sick. To answer your question, we’ve been here for three months.”
I’m in shock. I can’t believe I’ve been in and out for so long. I’ve missed so much, yet life keeps going on, whether we want it to or not. “Duke, do you know why Vincent is so mad?”
He shakes his head. “No, but whatever it is, it must be bad because he went in his office to call the States. When he talks here, it's always in Italian because we don’t understand it, but when he calls the States, he has to speak English, so he goes in his office.”
My eyes fill with tears. “Is Vincent holding you here against your will, too?”
His mood turns bleak as he looks down at his hands. “Raven, I have nowhere to go, so it really wouldn’t matter. If I went back to the States, I would be in jail or executed for murdering a federal agent. I mean, even though Marco went off the rails, he was still an agent.”
I still feel like there is more to the story than I know. “Duke, how did you ever get mixed up with them?”
“Erica was the key. She used me. She was like a black widow spider, and I fell for her hard. I didn’t know about Marco or you, until later on. It was a fluke that you were Michael’s teacher and Marco’s roommate. I think if Marco thought he could turn you, he would have, because, let’s face it, you would have been the perfect mole. No one would ever suspect the teacher, but you’re a good person.
“You weren’t supposed to be on the playground that day. I guess Jackie was lucky that you were otherwise, she would be dead right now. Then, when you met Jax and started a relationship with him, the plan had to be escalated. In the end, Erica and I were supposed to take the money and live off the interest on some small island. I never knew she was with Marco. I was told he was gay, and I believed them. It’s hard to believe they were not only together, but they were married!”
Vincent steps back into the room and he doesn’t look happy. “Cara, I have a question for you. Do you think that it was right that Joseph hid my only son’s existence from me?”
I look at him and then Duke. “Duke, is this the garbage he’s filling your head with? Joseph gave you the chance at a normal life. If you would have grown up in his world, you would be the same ruthless animal that he is.”
Before Vincent can answer, Duke gets up. “Maybe I already am.”
“Vincent, I would like to go for a walk. Am I allowed to get some fresh air?”
“Cara, there are guards throughout this place; you can walk around outside.”
I decide to walk out back, through the gardens. They stretch to the cliff, and below the cliff, is a white sandy beach and the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. I stand at the edge and let the wind blow through my hair. The warm sun feels so good on my face after being in bed for so long. I walk over to the cluster of chairs and sit for a while.
Before I know it, my eyes close and I let my mind wander to a happier place. I look down at my tummy and smile. “ My little one, you’re causing quite a ruckus, and you’re not even here yet. I wish you could know your daddy; he is such a beautiful man. He has the bluest eyes, almost like the Mediterranean Sea. There isn’t a thing about him that isn’t beautiful, inside and out. You have a cousin too, Michael Jr., and he is very tender-hearted. He has the coolest dog. His name is Vito. I hope someday if we get out of here, you’ll get to meet them all.” At least I can still dream that maybe my baby and I will make it out of here alive.
AS WE TOUCHDOWN IN Italy, I have a sense of urgency that I didn’t have before. The minute Max turns on his phone, Tony calls.
“Max, are we on speaker and is it safe to talk freely?” That’s usually means Tony did something illegal.
“Yes, Tony.”
He’s excited. “Good, I was able to hack Marco’s drive and, considering he was a hacker, that is pretty impressive. Anyway, I have big news.”
We both stop dead in our tracks. “Go on, Tony.”
He takes a deep breath. “I know what Joseph had in his will, and it’s big. Gabriella did not kill herself. She is currently at a clinic in Switzerland, and Joseph pays all her bills using a trust fund from her parents.”
Will this ever end? “Hold on, Tony. Joseph said that he used that money to set up a fund for Raven?”
“I know, Jax, but what he did was take the money that was from Gabriella’s parents, plus the settlement money from the accident, and he set it up to pay for her care. He then took the money from Antonio’s insurance, and putting his own money in with it, he created a fund for Raven. She has no idea that her mother is alive. I also obtained a copy of Joseph’s will. It names the two of you co-executors. You are both to take care of Raven and Gabriella. He named you both in the event that one of you dies.” Max’s jaw becomes tight and he grimaces. He has a white knuckle grip on the phone, probably trying to gain his self control.
“Jax, he left three sealed letters. One is for you, one for Max, and one for Raven. I also pulled Gabriella’s medical file. It appears that after she gave birth to Duke, she had a mental break down. Joseph had her sent to the clinic.”
I turn to Max, “Why would Joseph hide her?”
He shrugs, “Look, Jax, I venture to say this has to do with Vincent. The first order of business is to rescue Raven then, we go for Gabriella.”
Tony informs us that he back traced phone calls going from Sicily to the bank in Chicago. Then he cross-referenced that with holdings that Vincent has, and he was able to find a villa that was under the great grandfather's name. He sent the coordinates to Max’s phone.
I thank God that I have Max; he is fluent in Italian and knows his way around this country like the back of his hand. Max being Max, is making some calls; calling in favors and reinforcements, I’m sure.
“All right, Jax, I have everything arranged. The villa is at the top of a cliff. It is surrounded by beach, which will work to our advantage.”
“How does that work to our advantage?”
We head to the car. “We’ll be coming in by sea, just like regular tourists. Let’s go,
we have to be at the marina in an hour.”
Waiting for us when we get to the marina, is by far the brightest, loudest monstrosity of a speedboat I have ever seen! “Max, first, what the fuck is that? And second, they will see us coming from ten miles away!”
He laughs. “Relax. Jax, your right. It’s loud and that is what I’m hoping for. It’s the perfect distraction. This boat is called Phenomenon. It’s the world’s fastest speedboat, going up to 250 mph. People will have all eyes on the boat, which gives us the perfect distraction.”
It looks like a bright orange submarine that rides on top of the water. “I trust you, Max. So what’s the plan?”
“Diving gear and every kind of artillery is already loaded. We head out now and anchor off shore. After sunset, we move in with backup.”
Waiting till sunset will kill me, but the thought that my girl is coming home is all that really matters. “Okay, let’s go!”
WHEN MAX SAID FAST, he wasn’t fucking kidding me! This boat is going so fast, that it glides on top of the water. We get to the anchoring location, and I’m in shock. I know Max said the villa was on a cliff, but it is so high up. I have no fucking clue what he’s thinking. Max looks over to me, “Jax, I have some ideas so, just keep an open mind. The cliffs are very high, and with shear rocks. How do you feel about BASE jumping?”
I don’t answer him. I’m just looking through the binoculars stunned at the sight before me. It’s Raven! She is just sitting in a chair looking out to the sea. For a split second, I swear we lock violet to blues. I have to be mistaken. She can’t possibly lock eyes with me from here, but then, my dead cock springs to life! What the fuck, now you decide to make a fucking appearance?
“Jax, are you with me?”
“Sorry, Max, but I see Raven.” I yell over the sound of the engine.
He grabs the binoculars from me. “Well, at least she is allowed to walk around and is not locked up.”
I jump up, “Max, let’s go. I need to get to her.”
The Unraveling of Raven (The Unraveled Trilogy Book 1) Page 21
