The world around me seems to tilt on its axis.

I would faint then and there if Liam didn't catch me in his arms.

How the hell did this happen?

Sofia. My daughter.

Our daughter.

Gone.

The blood drains from my face, replaced by this cold, horrifying emptiness I can't even begin to define.

My worst nightmare, the one I desperately tried to avoid, to have her somehow taken away from me, has come true.

But not by a man I thought would take her – her father.

By someone else entirely – Enzo Volpe.

"What?" Liam roars, reacting way before me. He grabs Rigena's shoulders, his grip tight enough to leave marks. "Explain. Now! What's wrong? I don't understand."

Rigena, her voice cracking with emotion, stammers out the story. "E... Enzo." She sobs.

"What about him, holy shite?"

"He... I have no idea why he did it, Alex. He must have been furious either because you broke up with him or... Because..."

I shake my head slightly.

If it's in any way possible, I won't have Liam knowing that Sofia is my daughter.

His child, as well.

We have to direct all of our focus on finding her and can't waste any time arguing.

And if Liam found out, he wouldn't let it fly just like that.

He'd argue the hell out of the situation. I know him.

Luckily, Ri is such an expert liar.

"It must have been because I helped you get the information on him from the private files on his laptop at Policlinico..."

Patrick nods solemnly, supporting her story. "And he must have wanted to get revenge on Ri. I tried to prevent it but we were overpowered during the struggle. Enzo sent a group of men, you should've seen it, it was like a legitimate raid in the middle of the night. I didn't even get to see the girl."

I sigh with relief. Patrick didn't see her up close.

Technically, he's her uncle but he would've recognized the similarity Sofia bears with Liam immediately.

But still, it's a fool's comfort.

With each word Patrick utters, the fire in my chest intensifies. My precious daughter, stolen away from me, is just another pawn in this deadly game.

A deadly game I tried so hard to keep her from.

Enzo Volpe is doing it all to get back to me. But I can't let him, dammit.

The air crackles with raw energy. The fight against Kieran, the fear of exposure – it all fades into insignificance compared to the primal motherly urge to protect my only child.

I look at Liam, his face a mask of cold fury mirroring my own. "I know Rigena is like a sister to ye, Alexandra." He nods at me, and in that nod, a silent exchange, a wordless vow is made. "We will find Sofia. We will bring her back, no matter the cost."

I throw myself into his arms, grateful for his unwavering support.

And when we find her... Then we can deal with everything else.

Her wellbeing comes first.

***

The tranquil ornate drawing room of Luciano's mansion, bathed in the soft glow of the chandelier, seems a world away from the chaos my head is swimming in. Yet, here we are, huddled around a large map spread out on the antique table.

Luciano and my mother graciously offered us all the help available. It's one of those rare times I'm actually glad I have family ties to the mafia: they have the means to find Sofia as fast as police would, or perhaps, even faster.

Going to the actual police is out of the question, of course. It would risk revealing all the illegal business Luciano does, and by extension, Liam and Patrick do.

Patrick, his face etched with absolute exhaustion, traces a blurry line across the old map. "I managed to plant a tracker on Enzo before he left," he explains, his voice barely audible. "We can follow him to wherever he's taken Sofia."

"That's some quick thinking, brother." Liam smiles at Matteo and pats his shoulder.

"Oh my god. Thank you, thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me. To us." I look at Rigena, who is still reminded she has to keep pulling this "aunt" charade.

I can't help but run into Patrick's arms, offering him a grateful hug.

A flicker of hope ignites within me.

A tracker.

A way to find my daughter. I reach out, my fingers brushing against the map, tracing the hopeful line Patrick drew earlier.

"Can you set it up on your phone?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Will do." Patrick nods, his movements quick and efficient. He pulls out his phone, taps a few buttons, and a small map appears on the screen.

A tiny red dot, representing Enzo's location, flickers on the screen.

"He's moving," Rigena exclaims.

And so he is.

The red dot on the map rushes forth, tracing a path through the city and away, away from Rome, towards the south of Italy.

Liam's jaw clenches as he watches the dot disappear. "He's bound to stop at some point," he mutters, his voice filled with a growing sense of self-assurance. "But we can anticipate his moves. Pat, take Ri and follow him. At the speed he's moving, he's taking Sofia somewhere by car. Have a handful of our men follow in a second vehicle as well, as your back up."

I am too exhausted to process the information. My mind is a blur, my body numb with fatigue.

"Can I come too?" I stumble towards the couch, almost collapsing onto the plush cushions.

Both Liam and Rigena approach me, their eyes filled with concern. "Alex, you need to sleep. Plus, you look like you haven't eaten anything all day."

I shake my head, my gaze fixed on the map. "I can't sleep. I can't rest until I am sure you will find her."

A sob escapes my lips, tears streaming down my face. Sofia, my precious daughter, is out there, in danger.

I can't let her down. Not me.

"I know how much you care about that little girl. We'll find her," Liam promises, his voice firm. "I won't rest until she's safe."

"But why can't we go as well?" I mewl, looking up at him with a hopeful gaze.

"We can follow them if you want us to." His fingers tangle into my hair, trying to calm me down with gentle, consistent caresses. "I just think it's for the best that we stay at this little makeshift headquarters of ours for the time being, sweetheart. We'll be in constant communication with them though. As soon as we see what's the final location... We can follow up."

"The final location?" I don't like the way that sounds. At all.

"It's bound to be a hidden place, not easily accessible." Liam frowns, his beautiful bushy eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "And if ye'll allow me an educated guess... It's where Kieran will be as well."

He's not wrong. My father knows Sofia is his granddaughter. Perhaps this is his way to lure me out to him? A move of a desperate man who has nothing else to lose?

But I can't say or admit this to Liam, of course.

"You must be right." I bite into my lower lip.

"I still don't get why they took the girl as a way to get back at Rigena." Liam chews on every word with slow, deliberate moves. "There has to be an end game to all of this. A plan. Kieran is cunning. He'll want to be one or two steps ahead. Always."

Rigena and I exchange a swift glance and she steps in, almost chirpily. "As much as I think you're right, that's not something we should focus on. Sofia's well being should be our priority right now. Finding her."

"Of course." Liam bows graciously to Ri, offering her the kind emerald-eyed stare. "We'll unravel the yarn of his machinations, step by step. So? Ready to take a ride, brother?"

Patrick nods solemnly, and walks towards the exit of the mansion, hand in hand with Ri.

Their efficacy is just so astounding, so comforting to me. I don't even care if they have to murder the whole lot of Kieran's cronies, including Kieran himself, and Enzo Volpe.

As long as my daughter is safe and sound.

The image of Sofia's tiny face haunts my dreams.

I want to be the one to find her.

To bring her back to me.

Liam seems to know exactly what I'm thinking, and he accommodates himself next to me.

"As soon as we know the final destination, we can leave as well, I promise ye that, sweetheart. I can see how much this means to you, Alexandra."

"It does. So fucking much." I blurt out, choking on my own tears.

The plush cushions beneath me offer a fleeting sense of comfort, but they can't quell the storm  raging within.

I feel so frigging impotent, unable to do anything but sit here and wait and it's such an agonizing sensation.

I hate it. God, I hate it so.

Droplets stream down my face, blurring my vision. My body trembles uncontrollably, and I know, I subconsciously know it's a physical manifestation of despair that consumes me.

No one should ever have to live through something like this – a loss of their own child.

Liam sits beside me, his strong arms enveloping me in a comforting embrace.

His touch is gentle, soothing, a balm against the painful chaos that rages within me.

Liam Cavanaugh is an expert lover, sensual, and hungry to bring both mine and his satisfaction, but he is also incredibly emotional and kind. It's a side he doesn't bring to the table often but he does it when it counts.

Somebody to lean on in this turbulent time.

He strokes my hair, his fingers tracing patterns through the soft strands. His lips brush against my earlobes, sending involuntary shivers down my spine.

But I revel in Liam. I revel in his sturdy presence, in his unconditional support.

He's here. He's here for me and I feel so guilty because I have no right to ask for this.

I have been lying to him for years.

I still am.

"It's going to be okay, Alex," he whispers, his voice a soft melody in the storm of my emotions. "We'll find her. I promise ye that. And ye know I'm good on my word."

"I know," I somehow manage to utter back at Liam, hiding my entire trembling frame in his arms.

Unlike me.

Liam's phone buzzes and I jump up. "Is it them?"

"No." He shakes his head. "Be sure I'll tell you as soon as Patrick sends word. It's almost dawn, Alexandra. Please get some sleep. I'll watch over you."

"I can't. I can't." I rock myself back and forth with a sigh. "I need..."

I'm not sure what I need.

"Would it help if ye talked about it?" His voice is calm, tender, and comprehensive.

"I... I could try."

"Tell me about Sofia. What is she like? What do ye remember about her? In this way it might feel like she's here with us, in this room. Might help ye feel better?"

"She..." I can't even recognize the way my voice sounds right now. "She is just amazing, Liam. I've known her since she was born and she is really quite something."

"I bet. There are loads of dem kids us adults could learn from." He chuckles.

"Sofia is one such kid. I love her to bits."

"What precious memory ye had with her ye like to relive?"

The answer comes easily to me.

"Her fourth birthday."

"Oh?" Liam leans back, content to listen to me.

It's almost as if he knows that words are the way I get the flood of emotions out of my heart.

I answer, a smile tugging at my lips. "The cake was shaped like a teddy bear, and her face lit up when she saw it."

Liam chuckles, a fond expression crossing his features.

"And the way she ate it, Liam, you should have seen it. She was so messy, covered in frosting from head to toe. The next day, not a crumb was left."

I laugh, the memory a warm balm against the despair. "And then Ri and I, we took her to the park to see the pony. She was so determined to ride it, even though she was barely tall enough to reach the saddle."

Liam shakes his head, a smile playing on his lips. "She's so stubborn, just like someone I know."

I playfully punch him on the arm. "Hey!"

"It's true," he insists, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "She's single-minded and determined. Just like you."

"And she almost never cries." The thought pops into my mind. "Maybe sometimes when she has nightmares but normally, never, truly."

"Strong lass." Liam nods.

Sofia never moped. Never whined. She'd just go off to play by herself in the streets sometimes.

I was determined not to cage my daughter but at times I wished she were less agile, less independent, less fearless.

Life can be cruel to those who jump into it headfirst.

"I hope I'll be there for Sofia's next birthday," I say the horrifying, plaguing thought out loud.

The thought of something happening to her...

Liam squeezes my hand reassuringly. "You will be. I promise."

A wave of relief washes over me, but the guilt intensifies.

How ironic. Liam Cavanaugh, Sofia's father, comforting me, of all people.

When it was because of me that Liam had missed Sofia's first birthday. Her second, her third, her fourth.

Because of his involvement in the mafia, my decision to protect her at all costs.

I robbed both of them of precious family memories.

I turn to Liam, my eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry, Liam. It's all my fault. If I hadn't gotten involved... Maybe Enzo and Kieran wouldn't want to punish Rigena."

Liam cuts me off, his expression filled with tenderness. "Don't blame yourself, Alex. This isn't your fault. It's Kieran's. And we'll make it up to Rigena, I promise."

As I look into his eyes, I see a reflection of the same determination that burns within me.

Together, we will find Sofia.

Our daughter. And I will make up for the precious lost time with her father, to her.

To them both.