Out of Bondage Read online

  Nico kissed her forehead.

  * * *

  “Things won’t get worse, I promise.”

  * * *

  “But you’re still going to go after him.”

  * * *

  Nico pulled away just a few steps.

  * * *

  “You know more than anyone what Luca is capable of Eve. He’s supposed to be dead. I thought I was safe from him. But here he is, alive. And I don’t know how he survived or how long he’s been planning to get revenge.”

  * * *

  Eve looked up at Nico and tried to wipe away the tears from her eyes.

  * * *

  “I’m scared.”

  * * *

  “And I love you.”

  * * *

  She kissed Nico on the lips again. The taste of her husband’s lips was the biggest comfort to Eve since the events of the wedding. He grounded her. He made her feel safe.

  * * *

  “Do you trust me?” He asked.

  * * *

  Eve nodded.

  * * *

  Yes, she trusted him. After the incidents with the Savelli family, Eve had questioned her trust in Nico. Before the wedding, with Daniella, she had questioned her trust in Nico again. But seeing him in action in her time of distress forced Eve to recall all the ways Nico had stood by her side and everything that he’d been through just so they could be together.

  * * *

  “Yes. I trust you,” She said softly.

  * * *

  While she wasn’t eager for violence, she was aware of the fact that Nico had limited options when it came to handling his brother. He’d have to do whatever worked to get Luca off his back. Eve knew that if Nico had any idea that his brother was alive, he would have never encouraged them to come back to Italy. But now that it was clear Luca was alive, Eve had to trust Nico to draw on his lifetime of experience with violence to take care of him once and for all.

  * * *

  Nico’s violence was far more preferable to the wanton violence of his brother and if it brought peace to her home or enabled her to keep her son safe, Eve knew she’d have to accept it.

  * * *

  “Then trust that I’ll do everything to keep you safe. Let’s go back out there and I promise you that you will be safe Eve. I’ll die before I let anything happen to you.”

  * * *

  Before Eve could respond, Nico pulled her into his arms and embraced her. He planted his lips on hers and kissed her deeply, plunging his tongue between her lips and their tongues jostled back and forth. Their kisses each lasted longer than the other as neither of them were eager to return to the drama of their wedding day once more.

  * * *

  Nico and Eve preferred this existence in this suspended reality where they could sink into each other’s arms and pretend their wedding day had gone as planned. With each kiss they took a thousand honeymoons in each other’s arms, until they finally had to return to a reality of death and fear.

  * * *

  Eve pulled away and Nico grabbed her hand.

  * * *

  “I’ll take care of you. I promise.”

  * * *

  They returned to the living room where Martina and Edoardo sat in each other’s arms on the couch. Edoardo looked expectantly at his half-brother, praying that Nico hadn’t capitulated to what would only be a temporary sense of safety.

  * * *

  “I think I have a plan,” Nico said.

  * * *

  “Oh thank goodness,” Edoardo mumbled.

  * * *

  Martina sat up and rested her elbows on her knees in a rare moment of bad posture. Despite her curious position, she still possessed a shrewd elegance and as her eyes lingered on him, Nico felt the peculiar urge not to disappoint her with the plan he was proposing.

  * * *

  “Martina, Eve,” Nico started, “You should head to London and bring Matteo with you.”

  * * *

  “London?!” Eve blurted out.

  * * *

  This wasn’t at all what she’d had in mind when she’d agreed to trust Nico. He shot her a glance as if to remind her of the conversation they’d just had in the hallway. Eve inhaled sharply and tried to just give Nico a chance to explain himself.

  * * *

  “Domenico and Daniella are supposed to be headed to London to finish planning for their wedding. Domenico has an apartment there and I can have him find one for you ladies soon.”

  * * *

  Martina pursed her lips and looked towards her husband who seemed to be in complete agreement with Nico.

  * * *

  “This seems like the best way to keep you both safe.”

  * * *

  Martina nodded, slowly accepting that she’d be better served with Eve away from the action. Eve would need her in London anyways. She knew the city like the back of her hand and Eve was a country mouse in comparison. (Boston’s magnitude was nothing like London.)

  * * *

  “And what about you and my husband?” Martina asked.

  * * *

  “We’ll have to figure something out… But we need to stop Luca.”

  * * *

  Eve nodded. She didn’t love the outcome, but she trusted that Nico would at least try to keep them safe.

  * * *

  “I’ll call Domenico and have him arrange the place.”

  * * *

  Nico walked off with his phone to call Domenico. Martina planted a kiss on Edoardo’s cheek and then moved towards Eve. Eve jumped as she felt Martina’s arms wrap around her. They’d be spending a lot more time together, which was good, but Eve was hardly looking forward to more time away from her husband.

  * * *

  They’d just been married and they were supposed to be getting closer, not further away. And while Nico would be away protecting her, Eve worried that all that time away would only leave her more vulnerable.

  * * *

  “Don’t worry,” Martina soothed her, as if she could read her thoughts, “We’ll be safe in London and Nico will be back in no time. You can go on your honeymoon and all will be well.”

  * * *

  “How can you say that?” Eve replied, “You lost someone today Martina… How can you still be sure it will all be okay?”

  * * *

  Martina smiled and for the first time ever, Eve saw her holding back tears.

  * * *

  “I’ve lost many people in my life Eve, more than you will ever know,” She began, “But what keeps me going is the promise that the future won’t be so bad. We are women. We have to be strong.”

  * * *

  Eve hardly wanted to be strong, but seeing beautiful and delicate looking Martina as the face of strength inspired Eve to put on a strong face. After all, she’d never spent a significant amount of time in London. Perhaps this could be a chance to show Matteo a different part of the world and to learn about a different culture.

  * * *

  Nico returned to the room looking more tired than usual.

  * * *

  “Domenico will help us. He sounds shaken, poor boy.”

  * * *

  “And how’s Daniella?”

  * * *

  “She’s alright. They’ve left already. Domenico was too frightened to stay in Italy another night.”

  * * *

  “He had the right idea,” Edoardo added.

  * * *

  “We should leave soon then?” Martina asked.

  * * *

  “I’ll book flights. Pack a bag,” Edoardo replied.

  * * *

  Martina went off to pack bags. Of course, neither Eve nor Nico had any of their possessions.

  * * *

  “Let me go check on Matteo,” Eve announced and she left the room.

  * * *

  As she approached her sleeping baby, Eve could feel her heart welling up with a mixture of emotions. She felt like she’d betrayed her son again by causing this upheaval in his l
ife. She felt like Matteo would never know peace and because of his parents, he’d be cheated out of a normal childhood.

  * * *

  Eve kissed her son’s caramel colored cheek and pushed the tears out of her eyes.

  * * *

  “I’m sorry Matteo. I promise I’ll keep you safe,” She whispered.

  * * *

  Matteo snored but otherwise said nothing and didn’t budge from his deep sleep. Martina appeared behind Eve after a few moments and tapped her shoulder.

  * * *

  “Come on,” She whispered.

  * * *

  She carried two Louis Vuitton duffel bags into the living room and Eve followed her.

  * * *

  “I’ve packed some spare clothing until we get you both sorted out in London,” Martina said.

  * * *

  “And I’ve got you both first class tickets out of here at four in the morning.”

  * * *

  “No time to sleep,” Nico replied.

  * * *

  “And you guys promise me that you know what you’re doing?” Eve confirmed.

  * * *

  Nico kissed her cheek.

  * * *

  “Yes, I promise you, we will be fine.”

  * * *

  Martina grinned, “And I’ll take good care of your wife in London. We’ll spend plenty of time on High Street trying to treat ourselves after this tragedy.”

  * * *

  “If I can get myself to leave the house,” Eve muttered.

  * * *

  “Nonsense dear, you’ll be safe.”

  * * *

  “Let’s hope so.”

  * * *

  Edoardo chimed in, “I promise you I will be keeping my eye on both of you.”

  * * *

  “Darling, that’s much creepier than you think it is,” Martina chipped back.

  * * *

  The rest of the evening passed slowly. Eve had agreed to London and she’d agreed to trust Nico but she didn’t love the idea of being away from him while he got up to God knows what danger. But the night ticked on regardless of her desires.

  * * *

  Soon it came time to wake Matteo. He awoke gently and allowed Martina to carry him into the taxi while Eve managed their bags. Edoardo and Nico accompanied them in the taxi (both armed) and took Eve and Martina as far as they could go before they all said tearful goodbyes.

  * * *

  Matteo was asleep in his mother’s arms at this point and unable to say goodbye to his father. Nico kissed his son’s cheek and prayed that he’d get to see him again soon. His son would have to understand — his father hadn’t left to hurt him, but to keep him safe.

  2

  London

  With Eve, Martina, and Matteo gone, Edoardo and Nico were forced to leave their location Italy in favor of a more anonymous location. They checked into a small hotel near the police station and used a fake name to preserve their anonymity. Edoardo had a false ID and credit cards under the fake name which Nico didn’t bother to ask about. All that mattered was that they were safe.

  * * *

  The motel room was nice, but not outfitted with much. Edoardo and Nico had tossed hand guns into the safe and both slept with long daggers beneath their pillows. Despite being raised separately, the brothers still possessed similar levels of paranoia.

  * * *

  Now that things had settled down for the half-brothers, they were supposed to plan what to do about Luca. Edoardo seemed nervous every time Nico sat him down to talk about Luca. Instead he obsessed over minute details about the women (and child) in London. Nico was growing in frustration.

  * * *

  He was pleased to hear that Martina and Eve had been allowed into the apartment and he was pleased to hear that their space in London would be impossible to find unless someone knew exactly where to look. But each moment they spent not doing something about Luca gave him time to strategize and seek his next attack.

  * * *

  Nico caught himself eyeing the wedding band on his finger many times throughout the day. Despite his exhaustion, the thought of protecting Eve kept him awake. He couldn’t let Luca take his family away from him again. He couldn’t allow Luca to destroy his life. This time, he’d ensure that Luca had committed his final crime.

  * * *

  The day wandered along and around after lunch time, Nico couldn’t hold back from discussing the matter at hand any longer.

  * * *

  “We need to talk about this Edoardo,” He blurted out, interrupting Edoardo’s furious typing at his computer.

  * * *

  Nico’s half-black half-brother tilted his head upwards and removed his headphones. A few curls from the top of his head fell over the front of his forehead and he pushed the hair out of his face before responding to Nico.

  * * *

  “Eh?”

  * * *

  “We need to figure out what to do about Luca.”

  * * *

  “Right.”

  * * *

  “How did he find out where we were? Who the hell could he have working for him?” Nico huffed.

  * * *

  He sat down on the bed and pushed his hair out of his face in frustration.

  * * *

  “I have something to tell you Nico. But you aren’t going to like it.”

  * * *

  Nico raised his eyebrows.

  * * *

  “What is it?”

  * * *

  “I’ve been avoiding this subject all day,” Edoardo added.

  * * *

  “I can tell. But why? We need to kill that bastard. If you think he won’t come after you next…”

  * * *

  “Listen, I know okay?” Edoardo replied.

  * * *

  “Then spill.”

  * * *

  “I knew that Luca was alive.”

  * * *

  “What the bloody hell?!” Nico roared.

  * * *

  He stood up and starting walking to the safe where he kept his gun.

  * * *

  “Nico!” Edoardo yelled sharply, “Don’t draw your weapon. Calm down and I’ll explain everything.”

  * * *

  “Why shouldn’t I get my gun and put a bullet through your brain?”

  * * *

  “Because I’m your brother. And the only brother you have that you can actually trust. If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead. No betrayal happened here.”

  * * *

  “You didn’t bother to tell me Luca was alive. How can that be anything but a betrayal. You already know what he’s done to me. I know that you know…”

  * * *

  “Yes, I’m aware. Please Nico, sit down.”

  * * *

  Nico sat down but continued to eye his half-brother with contempt. What Edoardo had kept from him had already cost five people their lives and if Luca got his way, he’d kill every remaining person that Nico was attached to — including his son.

  * * *

  Nico was still wary of Edoardo’s decision not to tell him about Luca. He sat down, but he remained ready to pounce if things went bad. He’d trusted Edoardo with everything from the minute he’d met him. Now, Nico was wondering if he’d extended his trust too soon.

  * * *

  In trying to shed the legacy of his father, had he walked into a trap?

  * * *

  “Luca came to me when I was researching the Savellis. Well really, I found him and planned to meet with him. He was astounded that I’d discovered the fact that he was alive when he’d gone to such great lengths to fake his death and change his identity.”