Page 65 of Heartless Union

He nods. “I know I did.”

I get up slowly from the table and walk over to the front door. Taking a chance, I peek through the peephole.

And I see fucking Carlo on the other side.

I step back and hurry over to my family. “It’s Carlo. How the fuck did he find this place?”

Emilio freezes. “Did Father know about this place?”

I think on it. Then… “Shit.” I rub a hand over my face. “Father must’ve known about the safe house, which means any one of his men could have gotten the information. Dammit!”

“Rocco, open up,” Carlo’s voice carries through the door. “I just want to talk.”

CHAPTER 16

Lara

Chills spread through me at the sound of Carlo’s voice coming through the door. I’m brought back to the moment he kidnapped me.

The look of fear on Rocco’s face worries me. Ever since I’ve met him, he’s been so confident. But he knows what Carlo can do because Carlo already did it—he kidnapped Gabriella and me, and it shook his confidence.

My mind flashes back to yesterday when we made love for the first time. I didn’t even know if I was fully ready, but I did know I wanted to be with Rocco. Things have changed between us since Dante and Carlo took Gabriella and me. Rocco has opened up more. Softened just the tiniest bit.

There are no more secrets between us. He knows about my father’s cancer and has accepted it. He seen all of me both literally and figuratively.

When I thought I was going to lose him to Dante, I didn’t know how to feel.

But now I do.

I don’t want to lose Rocco to anybody.

And now, Carlo somehow found us, and the possibility of losing Rocco is very real. His eyes flick over to me, and I have some idea what he’s thinking—he needs to do what he can to save all of us.

Even if it means sacrificing himself.

I can’t lose him after I’ve just gotten him.

“Rocco, I really do just want to talk,” Carlo says.

“Don’t do it,” Emilio says as Rocco takes one step closer to the door. “It’s a trap.”

“I can lead Carlo away from here. Give the rest of you a chance to escape.” He looks at me again, and there’s so much behind his eyes he’s not saying out loud. I’m desperate to know.

“No,” Massimo says. “We’re in this together. We’re not going to just let you give yourself over to the enemy. There’s the back door.” He points at it. “We can all leave now and find somewhere else to go.”

Rocco shakes his head. “Carlo will keep searching for us. He found us because Father knew about this safehouse, which means his other men know about it.”

“So, we find a new safehouse,” I say.

“It’s not that simple. It took me a long time to set this place. I won’t be able to find a new safe house within a matter of minutes while we’re on the run. I need to confront Carlo now. Try to end this. You all need to go. I’ll buy you time.”

“No.” I walk over to him and take his hand. He looks at me with surprise. “I don’t want you to die, Rocco.”

For just a moment, his eyes soften. “I’m not easy to kill.”

There’s so much I want to say to him. Like why I left him alone in bed this morning. I was still nervous around him and needed time to think about losing my virginity. I struggle to talk to Rocco, and that’s something I want to change.

But now, in front of his family while Carlo is outside pounding on the door, is not the time.