Page 63 of Bound in Vengeance
Before the agents can start hauling me away down the lawn, I dig my heels into the grass. I look the lead agent dead in the eye, myvoice an icy, unyielding command. "I’ll cooperate. But I want to talk to my wife first. Two minutes. Right here."
The agent hesitates, looking around at the sea of furious, armed mobsters watching his every move, before he gives me a stiff nod.
They wheel me around, and I find myself facing Sienna. Her face has gone completely pale, her dark eyes wide open as she stares at the cuffs on my wrists. A strange, twisted satisfaction hits my chest. Is my wife actually worried about me? Look at that. This is highly interesting. We’ll definitely have to explore this little development later.
But right now, I don't have time.
I step close, invading her space, and lift my cuffed hands together to grab her face firmly between my palms. I lean down, my breath brushing her ear so only she can hear me over the lingering panic of the crowd.
"Listen to me very carefully," I whisper urgently. "Do you remember the blue laptop I retrieved from my office the other day?"
Sienna swallows hard, her eyes locking onto mine, and she gives me a quick nod.
"It’s at my house," I tell her, my grip tightening on her jaw to ensure she understands the gravity of the situation. "You need tofind it and hide it immediately. If the feds get their hands on that drive, I am completely incriminated. Everything goes down."
A flicker of panic crosses her features. "Where exactly is it? Alessandro, I’ve never even been to your house."
"It’s in my bedroom. Go up the main stairs, first door on the left at the end of the hall. The blue laptop is currently in my desk drawer, but you need to move it. There is a secret compartment built into the back of my mini bookshelf. The electronic keypad code is 1425. Hide it in there. No one will ever find it."
Just as she nods, showing me she memorized the numbers, a heavy hand clamps down on my shoulder.
"Time's up, Gallo. Let's go."
The agents ruthlessly yank me away from her, pulling me down the beach pathway toward the waiting SUVs. I keep my head turned, my eyes locked onto Sienna’s trembling figure in that provocative white dress, leaving my entire empire in her hands in front of all our guests.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
SIENNA
The ride to Alessandro’s estate is a blur of flashing red and blue lights, the siren wails echoing loudly against the glass windows. Federal agents escort me, Valerio, and a few other key members of Alessandro's security detail straight to the massive iron gates of the Gallo mansion.
At first, I didn’t think the police would actually follow us all the way here, but the moment the convoy of black SUVs pulls up the driveway, reality hits me like a bucket of ice water. They aren't just dropping me off; they have a search warrant, and they are preparing to toss this entire house upside down.
I have to think fast. If they find that blue laptop, Alessandro is done, and my future is destroyed before it even begins.
As we step out onto the gravel driveway, the agents begin setting up a perimeter around the entrance. I catch Valerio's eyethrough the crowd. He is standing by the fountain, his posture rigid. I give him a sharp, deliberate nod, flicking my gaze toward the side entrance of the house.
Valerio doesn't miss a beat. He immediately steps into the path of the lead agent, deliberately raising his voice and demanding to see the hard copy of the search warrant, creating a loud, bureaucratic scene that draws the attention of the surrounding officers.
With the spotlight on Valerio, I break away from the group and head toward the heavy front doors.
"Step back, ma'am," a burly officer commands, moving quickly to block the doorway with his arm. "The property is being secured. No one goes inside until we've cleared the premises."
My heart hammers violently against my ribs, but I force my face into a mask of pure, fragile distress. I press a hand against my stomach, letting out a soft, pathetic gasp as I stagger back a step, making sure my pale face and trembling lips look completely convincing.
"Please," I choke out, my voice cracking perfectly. "I... I need to go inside. I'm pregnant, and all of this stress... I'm incredibly nauseous. I'm going to throw up right here on your boots if you don't let me use the bathroom."
The officer blinks, his tough demeanor instantly cracking into sheer panic at the prospect of a pregnant bride vomiting all overhim. He looks over his shoulder, then back at my white dress, completely out of his depth.
"Alright," he mutters, opening the door just enough for me to slip through. "Just the downstairs powder room. One minute. I'll be right outside the door."
"Thank you," I whisper meekly.
The moment the heavy oak door shuts behind me, the fragile act vanishes. I don't look back. I slip away carefully, taking off my heels as I sprint past the downstairs bathroom and head straight for the grand staircase, praying Valerio can buy me the sixty seconds I need.
Barefoot, I fly up the carpeted stairs, my breath catching in my throat as the sheer lace of my wedding dress billows around me. I reach the top landing and scan the corridor.
Go up the main stairs, first door on the left at the end of the hall.
