Loving the Enemy (Enemy Duet Book 2) Read online

  I go back inside and run into Dina carrying a tray. “Miss Zaira, I was just bringing you some breakfast.”

  “Oh, Dina, how thoughtful. But you don’t need to bring it to my room. I can eat in the dining room if that is okay.”

  “Of course it is. Michael thought you might be more comfortable in your room, but you are more than welcome to eat in the dining room.”

  “Thank you, Dina. That would be wonderful.” I’m still not hungry, but I don’t want to be rude after Dina has gone to some much effort to ensure I get breakfast. I follow her into the dining room.

  “Mrs. Vitali and Gina have gone to the hospital. I believe Alex is in a meeting with Michael. Would you like me to remain and keep you company?” she asks.

  “I’m sure you have better things to do than babysit me. Thanks anyway, Dina.”

  “Well, if that will be all then, ma’am.”

  “Yes, thank you.” After Dina leaves, I take a few bites of the omelet and toast and realize I can’t eat any more. I sit there for several minutes, taking in all that has happened in the last forty-eight hours. I can’t help but feel responsible for all this. If I just hadn’t trusted the wrong guy. Really, to my defense, he never gave me any reason not to trust him before all this. Hell, we all trusted him. I get up from the table and return to my room.

  By the time I’m back in my room, my thoughts have me deciding I really need to talk to Michael. I know he has a million things on his mind, and he’s dealing with some serious stuff, but our relationship has to be a priority too. I make a pact with myself that I will not go back home until we talk.

  Chapter 17

  Michael

  “So you are telling me Romeo is in jail?” I ask Ricco.

  “Yes. Apparently he entered the US without going through customs. He had one of his private jets fly into a municipal airport and came in under the radar, or so he thought. Immigration got him coming out of Tiffany’s downtown, of all places.”

  “And how did immigration know?” I ask skeptically.

  Ricco grins proudly. “Because I told them.”

  “You what?” I asked.

  “I told them. You’ve got connections, Mikey, so do I. When I was digging around Gallardi, I found out about their arrival and took it from there. I held onto the information in case it was needed. After Zaira disappeared, I figured it was needed, so I took it upon myself to call Elliott Rivers. You know, your man in immigration. He took it from there.”

  “Ricco, my man, you are one of a kind. Thank you,” I reply.

  “I expect a raise for this one.”

  “Done,” I say. “So what next?”

  “Well, from what Rivers tells me, they will detain him as long as they can and then ship him back to Mexico where he belongs. You’ve wiped out all the men—except his personal bodyguard—he brought with him, so he has nothing left here.”

  “You think it’s as simple as that?” I ask.

  “Look at it this way, Mikey. We beat him at his own game. He thought we’d crumble, especially when he took Zaira. But instead, we came in guns blazing. He will definitely have to return to Mexico to regroup. It will give us time. I doubt he will even call you to get an answer. He will go back to Mexico with his tail between his legs for now, but he will return. I’m sure of that.”

  “I don’t know, Ricco,” Alex says. “A cartel the size of Gallardi has a lot of muscle. You don’t think he’ll just call in reinforcements?”

  “Yeah, a lot of muscle in another country,” I reply. “I think Ricco is right. He has nothing to fight back with here, especially if immigration is on his ass. They won’t let him return nor will he be able to bring anyone in for a while.”

  “He’s done,” Ricco adds.

  “It’s too easy,” Alex adds.

  “Well, I agree. It is too easy. I’m definitely not gonna let my guard down, but I’m also gonna kiss Romeo’s ass good-bye because for now, he’s out of my hair.”

  “I hear ya,” Alex replies. “I’m just saying, don’t count him gone for good. Men like him don’t take no for an answer.”

  “I know, little brother. I know.”

  “So what about Darius?” Ricco asks.

  “I plan on dealing with him tonight. I want you boys to work him over. Get everything you can from him on Gallardi and Romeo. The more information we have, the more prepared we will be when he resurfaces. Also, find out if he was involved with the other matter we talked about. I’m sure we’ve found our mole.” I pause, then say, “Gio should be leaving for the airport. Get him on it. Tell him to take the ladies directly to the hospital. Ice, Rebel, and Spike are already headed over.”

  “Got it. You gonna let Zaira in on the Darius thing?” Ricco asks.

  “I am. It’s what she wants.”

  “Michael, are you insane! Torturing and murdering someone is not something Zaira should witness. She already thinks you are a ruthless killer!” Alex exclaims.

  “Alex, I think things are changing with Zaira. Just trust me on this. She wants payback, and I plan to prepare her for what she will witness. She will have the opportunity to back out, but I will bet money on it that she will want to stay and watch.” I chuckle. “Knowing Zaira, she will probably want to help.”

  “Fuck, Mikey, I sure as hell hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “Oh, little brother, for the first time where Zaira is concerned, I know exactly what I’m doing.” I remember the look on her face before I left her room last night, prompting me to conclude this meeting. “Speaking of Zaira, I need to talk to her. Are we done here?”

  “That’s all I got,” Ricco says.

  Alex raises his hands and says, “Hell, I’m just along for the ride. I got nothing.”

  “Good. I’m gonna go spend some time with Zaira and then I’m gonna go to the hospital. I’ll be back when visiting hours are over, and we can deal with Darius.”

  “Sounds good,” Ricco replies. “I’ll go get Gio.”

  I leave my office and search for Zaira. I go up to her room, but it’s empty. Where could she be? I figured she would want to stay in her room today, but I guess I was wrong. I run back down the stairs and turn the corner, heading toward the dining room. I don’t get very far when I run right into her, knocking her against the archway of the dining room.

  Grabbing hold of her arm to ensure she doesn’t fall over, I ask, “Are you okay? I didn’t see you.”

  Righting herself, she replies, “I’m fine. I was just coming to see if you were done with your meeting.”

  “I am, and I was just coming to find you. I went to your room, but obviously you weren’t there.”

  “I came down for breakfast. Dina fixed a wonderful omelet for me—I assume from your instructions.”

  I smile.

  “So are you ready to talk?”

  “I am. Where would you like to go? I know how you love the patio, but I’m sure you have already noticed it’s really not at its best.”

  “I did! What happened?”

  “The night you were kidnapped, Gallardi sent us a message. They flew in by helicopter and opened fire on the house. Luckily, I heard the chopper approaching, and we had enough time to get the guests inside. The only thing Darius did right was get you out before it all happened. He obviously knew it was coming.”

  “Oh, Michael, that’s horrible. The damage is awful. The men who took me said they attacked, but I didn’t know what they were talking about. So I assume nobody got hurt?” she asks.

  “No, not from the gunfire, but my father had an attack in the midst of it all. We thought it was his heart, but it ended up being pancreatitis. They are keeping him in the hospital for a few days, but he could be home as early as tomorrow.”

  “I was wondering why I didn’t see any of the family this morning. I’m glad he’s gonna be okay.”

  “Yeah, me too. One less thing to worry about.” I pause as an awkward silence settles between us. “So, you wanted to talk?”

  “Since we can’t go
out on the patio, can we go someplace more private?”

  “Of course. How about my office?” I suggest.

  “Perfect,” she replies. She turns and heads down the hallway toward my office, and I follow behind. I’m not really looking forward to this talk even though I know it has to be done. I get the feeling Zaira want to reconcile, which is what I want too, but dammit, I have to know she is all in this time. I can’t let her jump back in only to jump back out a couple months later because she’s changed her mind. My heart can’t take it. I brace myself for what’s to come and ensure my guard is up and ready.

  Chapter 18

  Zaira

  Michael is following me down the hall toward his office. I feel his eyes on me, and I know he’s looking at my ass. Surprisingly enough, I’m glad. We get to the office, and he steps in front of me to open the door. “Come in,” he says.

  I follow him in and am quickly reminded of the last few times I have been here. Most recently was the time that I argued with him about Laurel. The time before was when I left him. It’s only been a little over a month, but it feels like an eternity. I hope our discussion today will remedy that situation and I won’t have to leave here again.

  He motions for me to sit as he takes his seat behind his desk. “So you wanted to talk.” His words come across sharp, and suddenly I’m feeling less sure of the outcome of today’s conversation. But, I won’t let it deter me. I have things to say to him, and I’m gonna make damn sure they are said.

  I take a deep breath. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking the last couple of days, and, well, I realized something through all this.”

  “And that is?”

  “Hell, Michael, I’m just gonna say it. I love you. I’ve always loved you, and despite everything, I will continue to love you.” I stop talking and wait, but he doesn’t say a word.

  He just sits there and says nothing.

  Oh, fuck. Have I lost him? This is not how I was hoping this would go. Minutes go by, and I feel like I am in grade school sitting in the principal’s office waiting to be reprimanded. Damn, Michael, say something. Please. I squirm in my chair.

  He stands and walks to the window. “Zaira, how do you expect me to respond to that?” he asks, keeping his back to me.

  “Well, I kinda hoped you felt the same way.”

  Again silence. He turns to face me. “Okay, let’s just say I do feel the same way. What are you proposing?” He’s being very guarded, and frankly, I can’t say I blame him.

  “I’m still your wife,” I reply. “And, well, I’d like to stay your wife.”

  He walks back to his desk. After opening his humidor and grabbing a cigar, he cuts the end off and lights it. He takes several puffs and asks, “And the problems?”

  “Problems?”

  “Well, Zaira, forgive me if I am blunt, but you were quite adamant that you wanted nothing to do with me. You called me a liar and a killer.”

  “I did, and yes, you are right. At the time, I didn’t want anything to do with you. But Michael, you must understand, that after what I’ve been through the last couple of days, not knowing if I was ever gonna see you or my family again, well, it puts things into perspective. The lies and my father… well, they just don’t seem so important anymore. I realize everything you did was for me. I may not approve of your tactics, but it doesn’t change the fact that I love you.”

  “Speaking of the ordeal you have been through, let’s talk about that for a minute.” He’s changing the subject.

  Instead of arguing with him to continue our discussion, I decide to give him what he wants. “What do you want to know?”

  “I want to know what they did to you. And everything they said to you.”

  “My first night with them, they tied me up and took video and photos. I assume you saw them. Romeo said he was sending them to you.”

  “I did see them. So you met Romeo?”

  “I did.”

  “What all did he say to you?”

  “Well, he told me he was using me to get you to agree to a business proposition he gave you. He assured me that if you agreed, I would be set free. But he said that if you didn’t, he would kill me.”

  “Did he touch you?”

  “No. Darius and one of his men were the ones who tied me. Romeo just walked around me and took pictures. He left me there for several hours and then had me unbound. I was on constant watch with Darius and the other man. Then Darius had an emergency and had to leave. Another man came in, and they just watched me. They even watched me in the bathroom, which was totally uncomfortable, but I had no choice.”

  “Those fucking assholes. Did the other men touch you?”

  The last thing I want to tell him was how Darius jerked off on me, so I only tell him what he wants to hear. “No, Romeo gave them strict orders that for the time being I was to remain completely clothed and untouched, at least until he had the chance to talk to you.”

  “Anything else?”

  “I spoke to Darius briefly, asked him why he turned, but he never gave me a direct answer.” I pause, trying to remember if there was anything else I needed to tell him. “I found out Darius has a sister.”

  “Yeah, it’s how we caught him. We had his phone at his house bugged.” He looks down at his desk and, without looking up, says, “So that was all they said?”

  “Yes.”

  He looks back at me. “Did Romeo stay in the house with you?”

  “For a time, but then he did come into the room and said he needed to go into the city to pick up something for his wife. So he left.”

  “I see.” I can’t help but notice how worn Michael looks. He’s tired. I can see it in his eyes. I want to go to him to comfort him, but then he asks, “How are you?”

  “Thankful to be home. By the way, does Vince know everything?”

  “Yes, he knew you were kidnapped, and he also knows you are here. He’s coming by later today to pick you up and take you home.”

  “Oh.” His words cut like a knife. I know now that he no longer wants me and my attempt to win back his heart has failed. I have nothing else to say but “thank you, Michael, for saving me.”

  He puts his cigar in the ashtray and gets up from his chair again. He walks to in front of my chair and kneels before me. Taking my hand, he says, “Zaira, don’t you know by now that I would give my own life to save yours? I love you, sweetheart. I’ve always loved you, and I always will.” He looks down at our intertwined hands. “But you fucking ripped out my heart. You tore it to shreds, and I can’t go through that again. I’m a strong man, Zaira, except where you’re concerned. Nobody, man or woman, can bring me to my knees like you can. Right now, I need to keep my distance. I can’t think about you coming back. I’m not ready to take the risk.”

  I blink, trying to process his words.

  He kisses my hand. “I’m not saying no. I’m just saying not now.”

  Tears well in my eyes, and he reaches up to wipe them away. “Let’s just take it slow. I’d hate for us to rush back into things and then you change your mind again. If that happened, it would kill me.”

  “Okay,” I say. “Do I have to go home? I can move back here into my old room.”

  “Let’s get through the next couple of days. I need to deal with Darius and check on Hawk and my dad. When things settle, we’ll see about you moving back. How does that sound?”

  “You promised I could be there when you deal with Darius,” I remind him.

  “Yes I did, and we will be taking care of the situation with him tonight. So let me propose this: why don’t you stay tonight and then tomorrow you can go back home. I want you to seriously think this through and be absolutely sure that I’m who you want. Cause I’m telling you now, I won’t let you go a second time.”

  “Agreed,” I say, and the smile has returned to my face. He still loves me. He still wants me. I totally understand why he is being hesitant, and I won’t let him down this time. He’s my soul mate, and we’re meant to be together.
>
  He leans in and kisses me on the cheek. “I’m going to the hospital. Wanna come?”

  “Yes, I’d like that.”

  “I’ll have Ricco bring the car around.”

  Chapter 19

  Michael

  On the way to the hospital, I look over at Zaira. I can’t help but revel in the fact that she wants to come back, but at the same time, I’m so fucking scared. I’ve hoped for this, even prayed for it, but never did I believe it would really happen. If Gallardi hadn’t intervened, she’d be in Italy right now, isolating herself even more from me. In a way, I guess I should thank the son of a bitch.

  Fuck that shit. He’s turned my life upside down. His day will come. Fucking Romeo Gallardi will lose everything, including his life.

  We get to the hospital and Ricco drops us off at the front entrance. “I’ll go park. Wait for me in the lobby, please.” He literally begs me. I know I am a bodyguard’s nightmare. I’m not cautious and rarely do what I’m told, but for some reason, I follow Ricco’s instructions. He’s been under a lot of stress too, and the last thing he needs to worry about more than usual is my well-being.

  A few minutes later, Ricco comes in the front door with a look of surprise. I don’t think he expected me to wait for him as he asked. Good, at least I keep him on his toes. We proceed to the fourth floor and head to my father’s room first. He’s sitting up in bed, and Mom, Alex, and Gina are sitting in the guest chairs. They all turn as we enter, and I can tell by the looks on their faces they are surprised to see Zaira with me.

  “Mikey, Zaira,” my father says, and he’s got the biggest smile on his face. I can tell he’s feeling much better today. Or he’s just pleased to see Zaira and me together. Probably both.

  “Hey, Pop. How are ya feeling?”

  “Good. I think I might get to go home today,” he says and looks at Zaira. “Come over here, young lady.”