Page 68 of Craving Chaos

Amen.

CHAPTER 40

SHAE

I feel marginally better when I wake the following morning, though dealing with a call to Mari and cleaning up after the break-in quickly zaps my newfound energy. I can’t fathom why someone would ransack my place but not take anything. What were they looking for? Could it have been a warning? From whom?

As far as the kidnappers know, we died in the plane crash, but no other culprits come to mind. I told my cousins that we suspect the Albanians but can’t be sure. They weren’t able to learn anything while we were gone. All they knew was that we’d disappeared with the guns. That was it.

I have to figure out who was behind all of this—the kidnapping and my break-in—for my own peace of mind and because it would be a perfect distraction from thoughts of a certain bullheaded Italian. But first, I have more immediate matters to deal with.

My place is nearly returned to order when Mari buzzes the intercom to come up. She insisted on coming over when I called to let her know I was back. I have to deal with her at some point. Might as well get it over with.

She flies at me the second I open the door, hugging me like her life depends upon it. “I can’t believe you’re here. I was so worried.” Her words are saturated with emotion, so raw and dripping with heartache that I’m speechless.

My muscles crawl with the need to pry myself free, but that would be cruel. She obviously took my disappearance much harder than I expected. She not only noticed my absence but that I was ghosting her, then figuring out I’d been abducted when she went to the gym to confront me. While I hadn’t introduced her to my family, she knew the gym where I spent most of my time. A bunch of my cousins box there as well. Conner told me on the plane ride home that a woman had come around asking questions. I knew it had to be Mari.

“Are you okay? They said you’d been taken. How did you get away? What happened?”

I realize that maybe the truth is the best way to go. The whole truth—I think it might ease the sting of me ending things.

“It’s complicated, but the thing you need to know first is my family business isn’t exactly legitimate.”

“Your self-defense classes?” she asks in confusion.

“No, I don’t even teach classes. I help with demonstrations sometimes at the gym where I train. My family owns a number of businesses. In particular, I help with security at a club called Bastion.”

“I’ve never heard of it.” Her arms cross over her chest.

“I wouldn’t expect you to. It’s a well-to-do social club.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me? And what does that have anything to do with you being abducted?”

“That’s just one aspect of our business. I can’t go into the others, but they put us in contact with some unsavory individuals. People with vendettas and no moral compass. In this case, someone tried to steal something from us. I happened to show up in the process and complicate things, so they took me and the man I was with.”

“What do you mean the man you were with?” she blurts.

The question catches me off guard. I’m telling her about being kidnapped, and she’s focused on who I was with?

“He’s a business associate, Mari. I had a scheduled meeting with him.”

She nods, sufficiently chastened.

“The thing is, my life isn’t what you think. I’m not the person you think.”

Before I can continue, she launches into another aggressive hug. “I don’t care about any of that. I’m just so grateful to have you back. I’ve felt awful this whole time.”

“Why would you feel bad? None of this is your fault.”

“No, but I thought some pretty awful things about you at first.”

“You couldn’t have known,” I offer gently while trying to keep a professional tone to my voice. This is not going how I’d hoped. I’m not sure how to say goodbye when her emotions are already raw and exposed.

She pulls away and nods, her teary eyes cast to the floor. “Still … when I thought maybe I’d lost you, it changed everything. I’m just so relieved you’re back.” She sniffles and gives me a sad smile.

“It’s definitely good to be home,” I say vaguely. “It’s been a lot to process, though, so I’m going to need some time…”

“Oh, of course. I understand. You do what you need to do, and I’ll be here to offer any support you need.”