unning helter-skelter to make the estate secure and take stock of the damage. Giovanni Moretti stood in the grand foyer, his face a mask of fury

on, cutting down his guards and then bypassing all of the security systems. The biggest blow had come, however, in that I

want every man, every resource, focused on finding Isabella. And when we find A

cartel was one of the strongest in the world, and a man's wrath, like Giovanni's, was the

to his most trusted adviser, Marco. "I want a full-scale investigation into this attack. I want to

e need to be very cautious. The Vegas are strong, and Alejandro isn't exactly known

n. "This is already war," he replied. "Alejandro declared it when he took

und evidence at the scene-a car crash. It looks like Alejandro and Isabella were in

d. Alejandro is too intelligent to allow that. This is just a sham to divert us off their scen

. "I'll make sure the investigation keeps going,"

his voice sharp. "Isabella is al

dn't afford for his emotions to get in the way of clear judgment; he needed to think clearly, plan hi

wanted. Still, Giovanni was as dangerous or even more so because he had built his empire fr

Giovanni promised himself silently to find Isabella at whatever costs a

's

it: Alejandro taking her from her home, faking a car crash, and flying her to who-knew-where. Anger, fear, and bet

and wouldn't trust him. Yet again, he knew she would see through time that what he had done was fo

to her gaze. "What in hell is going through your mind?" she yelled as shaking sobs convulsed her voice. "You kidn

ilt, regret. "I did what I had to do," he said with a flat voice. "I co

deserve!" she shouted at him. "You don't get to kidnap me and then coerce me in

tand his reasons. Yet on the same count, he did know that he would not allow her to leave him. She

ly, but Alejandro had simply brought on another turn of events that would be the change in everything. Still, she couldn't continue

hardened like cement in her veins-she would get free somehow no matter the pr

edia

t really must have happened. Reporters were sent to probe the mysterious circumstances of the car accident

on growing. He knew it was a ruse, that Alejandro had staged the crash to throw them off his trail. But t

" he said. "If the media believe Isabella is dead, it will make our work

is story that this is a frame-up, that Alejando has survived, and runs off with the girl.

political, play the long game. But the idea of Isabella in Alejandr

ahead would be dangerous, that Alejandro Vega was a formidable opponent. But he also knew that

anni

d him, and they were following every lead around the clock to track Alejandro and Isabella d

esk. He had hardly slept a wink that night, going over each detail for something that mig

he said. "Every lead that we followed brought nothing

," he ordered in cold, determined tones. "They cannot have vanished

es spoke volumes. "Giovanni, should we n

arply. "She is alive. And I a

on it. He did not want his feelings to fog up his reasoning capability but wanted clear thoughts for what would come aft

iovanni was just as dangerous, if not more so. He had built his empire from nothing, and

a silent vow that he would find Isabella, no matter the cost.