"Disappeared into thin air," I kept repeating after the umpteenth report on the search for Mia and Chelsea, which had lasted eight days.
"Lorenzo, we've tried everything," Jacob tried to justify himself.
"The Los Angeles runway also turned out to be a hole in the water," Sebastian said in awe. "And Lucky Molan, the guy who was with them both times, only told me that he met Chelsea at a chat for private lessons and that it was the first time he saw her live, but he knew nothing about her . "
"How did you manage to miss two little girls?" I blurted out, losing my temper, and throwing my glass of whiskey against the wall.
"We followed them as you ordered us. We have been discreet, and I can assure you the taxi driver has not noticed anything, "Sebastian tried to calm me.
"Yesterday I tracked down the taxi driver and he said that one of the two was afraid of being followed and that she had chosen the taxi over the maid's car. From this I deduce that one of the two, perhaps Chelsea Faye, is rich, but we don't know anything else. Apparently, the two girls caught a ride to the east side of the river, sure to escape us since that area is off limits for us," added Jacob.
"But we followed them all the way to Pub Hero. We waited in the car for an hour before entering the club and discovering that they were gone, "said the other.
"It is obvious that someone inside that place helped them!" I blurted out again.
"Yes, but we couldn't pressure the bartenders or customers!"
"Why?" I snarled, unable to reason calmly.
"Because that is the Rinaldi area! It was imperative to keep a low profile if we wanted to get out of it alive and without triggering a diplomatic incident. The war between the Rinaldis and the Orlandos ended a few years after the ultimatum of the White House. We didn't want to destroy that truce deal for something so inconsequential," Jacob got angry at my recklessness. "Lorenzo, why are you so concerned about Mia Madison so much?"
"Something about you that ..." I tried to answer, but my brain went haywire. Whenever I thought of her, I felt totally lost, as in an open sea during a storm.
I knew Mia had done nothing to make me think badly of her, apart from her lies.
In those days I had double-checked the surveillance videos and thoroughly inspected the room where she had slept, but I had not found anything unusual. Yet I was sure there was more to Mia than what met the eye. Her posed, graceful, feminine, and mature ways that clashed with that sensitive, defenseless, insecure, frightened, and sad aura that she gave forth when I stared at her or approached her, made me feel unstable.
I felt I had power over her. With every step I took towards her, I saw that mask of composure fall and reveal what was behind it.
Several times I had had the feeling that Mia wanted to tell me the truth. I had almost thought she wanted my help but didn't know how to ask me.
I was sure she was in trouble.
I didn't understand why, but that belief made me lose sleep and pushed me to look for her at all costs.
For days I had done nothing but think of those blue eyes tinged with purple that looked at me with curiosity and fear, just like the first time I had caught her staring at me.
Feeling her gaze on me was like a timid slow and persistent fire deceiving you with its weak flames but burning you to the core when it is already too late.
She was a woman you didn't even realize being close to, until you understood she had overpowered you.
I understood it after our first conversation. I had definitely underestimated her when I had no problem insulting her by mistaking her for an escort.
I never expected her reaction nor feeling I had to get back at her in some way.
Even when I had threatened if she didn't tell me her real name, I was shocked by her firm and calm demeanor, despite her eyes wide with fear at the sight of the gun.
Not for a moment had she considered the idea of taking the weapon and pointing it at me.
If she had been another person, I would have thought she had done it because I was an Orlando, but Mia had always shown that she didn't feel any kind of compliance to me for that very reason.
She knew that I was an Orlando and that it was dangerous to make enemies among my family, but she had never expressed a special respect towards me for that reason.
And that freaked me out. In all senses.
"Lorenzo, forget about that and move on, okay?" Jacob interrupted my thoughts.
I avoided replying to him that I would have already done so if it had been easy.
The problem was that I couldn't and the previous evening, when I had waited for her all night and had not seen her enter the room, although I had given orders to let her in even without a pass, I almost went crazy.
I was sure she would come back to me.
I hadn't slept and I kept wondering where she might be and if her ankle had healed completely.
Mia, where are you? Whom are you running from?