I was desperate. I couldn’t take the pressure a minute more. That fear burning me inside was so intense that I wanted to tear my own heart out to keep it from aching. There had to be something I could do; we couldn’t just let that bastard take the money and maybe not even give us Noah back. Surely there was something I wasn’t thinking of, some detail, but I couldn’t imagine what. Dawn was an hour away, and I didn’t know if I could hold out without going to look for her in town myself. My house was full of people, and not one of them seemed to know what to do next. Some said my father should go hand over the money on his own with the police following close behind. But what if Noah’s bastard father caught on and decided to do something to her? He was sick in the head; he’d crossed a continent just to kidnap his daughter and ask for a ransom. There was probably nothing he wasn’t capable of.
I got up from the chair in my father’s office and went upstairs. I needed to be close to something Noah had touched, smell her clothes, be in her room. I was so scared, I would have given my own life to know she was all right.
When I opened the door, I saw her mother. Her eyes were swollen from so much crying, and she was hugging one of the sweatshirts Noah had put
on a million times. It had the Dodgers’ logo on it. I didn’t know why the hell she had it, she wasn’t even from here, but that was just Noah: strange, perfect. And dammit, I loved her. If anything happened to her, I wasn’t sure how I could go on living.
Raffaella looked over from the window where she was standing, and for a second, her eyes lit up.
“I know what you’ve been hiding from me,” she said without any feeling whatsoever. I stopped, unsure how to reply. “I don’t know what your feelings for her are, Nicholas, but Noah is my life. She’s suffered a lot. She doesn’t deserve what’s happening.” She brought a hand to her mouth to silence her sobs. “It’s been years since I’ve seen her as happy as she’s been these past few days. And now…all I know is you had something to do with that, and I want to thank you for it.”
I shook my head, sitting on the foot of the bed in despair. I couldn’t hear those words, I couldn’t, not knowing it had all been my fault… I had taken her to the races; it was my fault she’d met Ronnie, but what I couldn’t understand was how her father and that asshole had gotten together and plotted to kidnap the love of my life.
“Noah was always incredibly mature, even as a child. She witnessed things no one should ever have to see, but she never backed down from anyone. With you, though, she seemed like a different person.”
A wave of emotions surged over me—fear, sorrow, and a deep sense of desolation. I’d never felt so utterly miserable in my life. My eyes welled up, and I couldn’t hold back the tears that streamed down my face.
Raffaella helped me up and enveloped me in a strong, comforting hug—a mother’s embrace. Despite her past mistakes, her love for Noah was unwavering, and she would never abandon her. For the first time, I felt a glimmer of what it was like to have a family.
She released me, still holding Noah’s sweatshirt, and took a step back. I made a solemn promise.
“I swear, I won’t let anything happen to her. I’m going to find her,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
She nodded, and I turned to head toward my room.
Where are you, Noah?
I paced back and forth, my thoughts racing. It wasn’t until I saw the miniature car Noah had given me for my birthday that it struck me. I grabbed it and read the note.
“I’m sorry about your car. Someday, I’ll buy you a new one. Happy birthday. Noah.”
A new one… Technically, the car was still mine. It was registered in my name, and I still had the title.
The realization hit me like a jolt. I dashed down to my father’s office, where he was seated, talking with the police and his security chief, Steve.
I could hardly contain my excitement. If I was right, we might finally locate Noah.
“Dad,” I said as I entered. Both he and Steve looked exhausted from the sleepless night but were alert and tense.
“What is it?” my father asked.
“I think I know how we can find her,” I said, hoping I wasn’t mistaken. “About a month and a half ago, I lost my car in a bet. It’s a black Ferrari, bought two years ago.”
My father’s expression turned grim.
“Nicholas, I don’t have time for this right now,” he said, but I pressed on.
“Ronnie took the car,” I continued, now addressing Steve. “The car has a tracking chip installed by the insurance company. If we can locate the car…”
A moment of silence followed.
“Then we find Noah,” Steve finished, completing my thought.
