Protettore.

Chapter 13.

Enzo's POV

"We have ten different security cameras in that lobby and not a single one of them caught this guy's face? Are you fucking kidding me?" I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and middle finger.

We only saw a guy walk up to the lobby's security guards, hand them the package and walk out. From there the security guards gave the package to that stupid bimbo of a receptionist. We'd have to fire that security guard. He didn't follow any of the protocol we have in place regarding deliveries.

"Boss, CCTV cameras saw the guy getting into a car when he left the building. We're running the plates now." Raffaelo said. I only nodded in response.

My eyes found my girl sitting on one of the chairs in the security room. She was wringing her hands in her lap like she usually did when she was scared or nervous. Her bottom lip was stuck firmly between her teeth and her eyes were round and unfocused.

"Hey man, why don't you take the kid home? There's nothing you can do here. She looks scared and tired and I'm sure going home and getting some food in her would help." Fiero suggested quietly. His love for her as a sister had grown over the few weeks she'd been in our lives. He worried about her almost as much as I did.

I didn't like not being in control of the situation, but I knew he was right. I wasn't doing any good here and my girl needed to get away from the situation.

"I'll just wait a few more minutes for Raffaelo to come back with the results on those plates before we head out-" As if right on cue, Raff came through the door.

"We ran the plates." By the tone he was using, I could tell I wouldn't like what was going to come out of his mouth next. He even drew Nora's attention. I could see a small amount of hope in her eyes.

"And?" I prompted, impatiently.

"The plates were stolen off of a vehicle registered to a little old woman who lives two towns over." It was obvious he didn't want to give me this piece of news.

Any hope that had temporarily taken residence in her eyes had vanished.

"Of-fucking-course they were stolen. Keep working on this. I'm taking Nora home. Call me if you find anything that's actually helpful." I snarled.

A look of annoyance flashed across Raffaelo's face but was gone a second later. I didn't have time to take his feelings into consideration. I had more important things to worry about, like the fact that a Russian mobster wanted to get his hands on my girl. When I looked over at Nora, she had her brows furrowed as she looked over at Raff and me. She must have been so disappointed that we were no nearer to the truth than we were three hours ago when we got the box delivered.

"Come on baby girl. Let's go." she took the hand I offered her and followed me out the door.

The drive home was quiet. For once, I welcomed the silence between Nora and me. It gave me time to think about what I was going to do about everything. We caught the rat who was posing as a valet at my restaurant, but how would the Russians know that both Nora and I had gone into the office? We had nearly everyone in our group at the meeting today. I didn't notice any new faces. This likely meant, the spy was in that meeting and he had been hiding among us for some time. Whoever this low life was, they didn't deserve to sit beside their brothers, to breathe the air we breathed. They deserved death for the trouble they had caused the family. We needed to start combing through our ranks, and I was going to start with that bastard Michael.

We pulled up to the house and Tank was at the door to meet us as usual. "Hey Tank." Nora lent down and hugged the dog tight around the neck. "It's been a long day buddy. I missed you." Tank nudged her with his nose, and she smiled softly at him. Tank has been such a source of comfort for her, and for that I was thankful.

"Let's get some food into you sweetheart." She nodded and followed me into the kitchen.

As we made our salads, I took time to really see her. She looked emotionally drained and completely defeated. It was such a contrast to how alert she had been when we opened the box in my office.

"Baby," I called over to her tentatively. "How did you know what was in the box before we had even opened it?"

I avoided asking her questions about her past, but this was important. I wouldn't push if she didn't want to talk about it, but I had to try.

Nora's POV

My gripped my fork tightly with my trembling hand. I knew he would ask as soon as I outed myself in his office. As much as I didn't want to talk about it, he had to know. He had to know how damaged I really was. He had to know why I never believed him when he told me I deserved the world. He needed to know why I never felt worthy of anything good.

"I just want to understand." His voice was pleading, and it made my heart ache. He cared for me much more than I deserved.

I stood from the barstool and began lifting my shirt and lowering my skirt slightly.

"Baby, what are you-"

He stopped talking when he saw the angry red scar on my hip. I couldn't read his face, but I knew what the scar looked like. I knew how awful it was to look at. I knew it made me ugly.

"Varlam liked to bring me gifts, but this one was the worst of all." I tipped my head back in a pathetic attempt to keep the tears in my eyes from falling. "I had heard that sound before, and it's not something I would forget any time soon. It haunts me in my nightmares. There's nothing I can do to get rid of this mark. I'm hideous." I choked on a sob.

He made a move towards me, but I took a step back, letting my clothes fall back into place. I readjusted my shirt and brought my hands up to cover my face. I was so ashamed. I felt like I'd been lying to him like a sleezy car salesman who was trying to pass a junker as a sportscar.

"If anyone could hear me screaming, no one cared enough to come and help me. No one came to save me." I don't know when I started screaming but I had broken the seal and every bit of hurt that had been inflicted upon me was pouring out of my body. "My uncle just let him do this to me! I just wanted to die! I would be better off dead!" My shouts echoed around the kitchen, causing Tank to retreat upstairs.

Enzo had me in his arms so fast, I didn't have time to avoid the embrace. I struggled to free myself from his hold.

He knows what you are now. You're nothing. You have no place with him.

I continued to fight against him, but he had no intentions of letting me go.

"You are so strong Nora."

I stilled.

"You are beautiful and strong. You fought so hard baby." His low tenor was so sincere, I stopped fighting.

I pressed my face into his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I don't want to fight anymore Enzo. I'm tired. I'm so tired." My chest ached and my head pounded from all the crying.

"I know you are sweetheart. You've done so well. Even the strongest people need help. Let me fight for you now. Don't give in to the dark. Just let me hold the torch for a while."

My tears were incessant but pulled myself closer to him, hoping he would understand.

"I've got you. You can rest now."