Page 6 of Taking Over the Dark
“What? He got into my shit because big man over there said to let them in. I’ll never know why I listened… but Arben is a hard man to get any information on. So I did it my way,” Noah says on shrug as he continues typing away.
I hand Zamir’s phone back and open the folder Noah handed me when we got here. It’s everything that happened tonight detailed out to a T. I skim over the information I’ve already been briefed on, and I stop when I spot the screenshots of Zamir’s phone. Noah has noted that he tracked the phone being cloned, and a cell tower in Chicago was pinged for sending those texts earlier. That hacker of theirs is looking worse and worse by the minute. Which also leads me to not trust Alex either.
Fuck, I’m still iffy about Zamir.
And I know for a fact that whoever is behind this, planned for this. For me to doubt Zamir.
I’m up, slamming the folder on Noah’s desk. He doesn’t even flinch, being so used to my shit. I grit out, “This doesn’t help me find myRagazza Dolce.”
Zamir places his hand on my shoulder, and I try my hardestnotto lean into his touch. I’ve got to go tear some shit up before I blow. Zamir whispers, “Come on, let Noah work. He’ll find them.” He slides his hand down my suit jacket sleeve, and like my body already knows his touch, goosebumps litter my arm.
Fuck this isn’t going to be good.
Zamir grabs my wrist and starts pulling me out of the office and toward one of the torture rooms, leaving Noah and Vin to work.
As he opens the door to his choice, I tease, “I should’ve known you’d want to return here.” My eyes follow him as he heads over and flips the switch to heat the brands that are in here. “What do you think you’re doing, Zamir?”
“I will prove my loyalty to you and the Barone family name,” he answers almost robotically.
I don’t know what he has planned, but I watch him methodically set everything up on the table that one would need to perform a branding. Leaning up against the glass that covers the front of the room, my eyes follow him as the muscles in his arms bunch as he picks stuff up. How perfect his deep-brown natural curls are on the top of his head. The tattoos littering his body make me want to book some of my own sessions with Mack. And that hoop nose ring… it finishes off his looks like a cherry on top.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I find the number I have been holding off on calling. I didn’t want to call for help, but I truly don’t know who we can trust at this moment, and it’s already been a couple of hours since they’ve been gone. The longer we wait, the worse their health could be getting or so much worse… they could be hurting them in unspeakable ways.
“Dario Ramos.”
“Marcello Barone, who do I need to thank for speaking to you this evening?” The Spanish accent has a pang of hurt stabbing right into my heart.
I miss Nash already…
Taking far too long to compose myself, I finally get the words out, “We may need some help up here…”I would rather be repeatedly stabbed than ask for help, but when it comes to Ellie, I’m not willing to risk leaving this up to my team only. I need to know I can rely on someone if needed, and I’m certain the Albanians are not working with the head of the Mexican Cartel down in Texas.
The look of concern on Zamir’s face when I said we needed help, is one I never want to see. “Fill me in, Marcello.”
“I wanted to inform you of what’s happened so if I call again, it’s not out of left field. Ellie, my girlfriend…” Girlfriend feels like an insignificant word to call what we have, but I don’t want to hold Dario up, so I continue, “She was taken tonight, along with Nash Hayden, the Rebels star quarterback.”
“Fuck!” I wasn’t expecting that strong of a reaction out of him. “Sorry… it’s just… I’m in some big relationship, and one of them is Willow Hayden.”
“Nash’s sister?” I question him, already knowing the answer.
“Yes. She doesn’t know yet, does she?”
“I haven’t told anyone in his family yet, and the staff or the team are not aware either. So no, I doubt she knows.”
“I’ll let her know, and you call me immediately if you need us up there.”
“Thank you, Ramos.” He ends the call before I can fully get my words out. I pocket my phone, and I can tell Zamir wants to ask me something.
“Spit it out.”
“What about Nash’s sister?”
“Are you in a position to ask questions right now, Prifti?”
“No, but I know Nash would want her safe. Is she at least safe?” The concern lacing his voice is convincing enough to give him an answer.
“Yes, she’s safe…” His shoulders sag in relief, so I give him a little more. “She’s tied into the cartel somehow in Texas. But I know for a fact she’s safe with them.” I watch as he visibly relaxes and then immediately gets back to the branding materials.
“I want to earn your trust and respect back, Marcello. With everything in me, I had nothing to do with tonight. To show that, I want you to brand me with your family crest.”