Chapter Twenty

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Charlotte

When Luca and I pulled up to the front of the Estate, two police cruisers were parked at the entrance and my heart dropped. Were they here for him? Was Luca about to get arrested right as he was getting Layla and I back?

"What's going on?" My eyes widened in panic. "Are they here to arrest you?"

"Relax, Char." Luca unclipped his seatbelt, calm as ever. "Just stay in the car, okay? I'll take care of this."

"But..." I started to protest, but Luca was hearing none of it. He got out of the car without a word and headed toward two officers who were standing by the front door.

At the sound of the car door slamming, they both turned to face him with unreadable expressions on their faces. Did he really expect me just to sit here quietly and watch this happen? 

I opened my door, climbing out hot on his heals.

"Luca Catalano?" One of the officers asked, his hand resting on the gun in his holster.

"Who's asking?" Luca clenched my jaw.

"What's going on?" I asked, coming up behind him.

"Get back in the car, Charlotte." Luca ordered, shooting me a harsh glare. 

A flash of curly blonde hair came flying out of the front door. At first, I didn't recognize her, but after a few seconds, I realized who it was. 

Jenni. Followed by Seth.

"Oh thank god! You're alive!" She threw her arms around me, hugging me so tightly I could hardly breath. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"Are you Charlotte Parker?" One of the officers asked, turning his attention to me.

"Yes..." I hesitated. "What is all this about?"

"Ma'am, we have reason to believe you and your daughter are being held here against your will. Is that true?"

"Yes, of course it's true. He's the man responsible." Jenni pointed at me frantically. "Arrest him already."

Two more officers emerged from the house, approaching Luca.

"This is ridiculous!" He bellowed, throwing his hands in the air.

It took me a minute to grasp what was going on. These officers were here because they thought Layla and I had been kidnapped and that Luca was responsible for it. And somehow Jenni was mixed up in it?

None of this made any sense.

My mom had told Jenni that Luca and I were working things out. I had made sure to ask her that the morning that Luca came for Layla and I. And although at the time it felt like kidnapping, it certainly wasn't real.

"Charlotte, tell them I didn't kidnap you." The officers came towards Luca, one of them reaching for handcuffs.

"No, stop!" I stepped in between them, suddenly finding my voice. "This is all just a really big misunderstanding. We are not being held captive here."

"Char, you don't have to lie for him anymore." Jenni protested, shooting a hideous glare at Luca.

"I'm not lying for him." I insisted, but Jenni didn't look convinced. 

"Ms. Randolph, why don't you come with me and let them answer some of our questions?" An officer took Jenni by the arm, leading her away. I nodded to Jenni, and she hesitantly walked with him, diffusing the situation a bit.

"Luca is my daughter's father. We're here so they can get to know each other." I turned back to the other officers, who were still holding the handcuffs out as if they might slap them on Luca's wrists at any second. I'd be seeing this in my nightmares for weeks.

"Seth, go find Layla and call Stone." Luca instructed. I could feel the anger radiating off of him, and it certainly wasn't the time for that. Hopefully, he could contain himself long enough for me to talk our way out of this.

"Ms. Parker, are you aware there is a missing persons report filed for you and your daughter?" The cop asked.

"No. I had no idea." I said, completely confused. A missing persons report? Was he serious? Who the hell would have filed that?

"Clearly she isn't fucking missing. She's standing right in front of you." Luca hissed.

I took his hand, giving it a tight squeeze and trying to calm him down. This was not helping the situation in the slightest. "Luca, It's fine. I'm sure these officers can see that this is all just a big misunderstand and Layla and I are just fine." 

"We're going to need to talk to the both of you separately." One of the officers insisted, with a smug smirk on his face. His attitude only seemed to egg Luca on.

"That's fine." I said at the same time Luca shouted, "Like hell you will."

"We can go down to the station if that's better for you, Mr. Catalano, but we're talking to Charlotte whether you like it or not." I could tell Luca was about to lose his mind with anger. This, coupled with our realization about Grant last night, was just too much for him right now. I needed to do something.

"Luca, we'll get this sorted out. I promise." I assured him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

He didn't look convinced, but my kiss caught him enough off guard that he agreed.

I followed one of the officers off to the side, a ways away from where Luca spoke with another.

"Ms. Parker, are you in some kind of trouble here?" He asked as soon as we were out of earshot.

"Absolutely not. Layla and I are here willingly. She's starting school on Monday. We're living here with Luca. He isn't holding us captive."

"You said Layla is his daughter?" He whipped out a small notebook and started writing things down.

"Yes."

"Why weren't you living together initially, then?" Really, it was none of his business, but I didn't want to cause even more issues.

"Luca and I are not together. We were living in Georgia, but I decided to move up here so Luca could be in Layla's life. We're staying with him until I can get a place of my own."

"Are you aware of his involvement with the Italian Mafia?" The man looked up at me, his intense stare locked on me.

I froze, not even trusting myself enough to speak. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I find that really hard to believe. Mr. Fallon's complaint said he has an extensive history with the mafia and has always posed a threat to you and your daughter, which is the reason you moved out of the country."


I didn't hear a single word he said other than Grant's name, and suddenly I felt sick."I'm sorry, who's complaint?" 

"Grant Fallon. He's the one who filed the original missing persons report."

I rolled my eyes. Jesus, would anything ever be enough for him? He'd already nearly destroyed us, but would he ever be satisfied? "Look, Officer, Grant Fallon is my ex boyfriend, and he's obviously very jealous of my relationship with Luca. I'm not here against my will, and he clearly just filed the report to spite us."

The officer eyed me carefully, absorbing what I'd said.

"You've done your job. You found us, and we're totally fine and safe. We're no longer missing, so your services aren't needed."

I stood up and crossed my arms over my chest, suddenly enraged. This intrusion was the last thing Luca, and I needed. We were finally making a little progress, and this conversation with a prodding police officer was the last thing I wanted to be dealing with.

"Here is my card. If you change your mind and you and your daughter need protection, please call me." He handed me his business card before walking away.

Grant was a selfish son of a bitch. Finding out that he lied and kept Luca out of our lives for the last three years was crushing. It was my own fault for letting him back in. I shouldn't have had anything to do with that bastard after everything that happened, but I truly thought he was trying to help me. I was nearly dying, and he lied straight to my face, telling me that Luca wanted nothing to do with me.

My heart ached just thinking about the pain I was in during those first few months. I could hardly even look at Layla because she reminded me so much of Luca and the hurt I felt.

And now this? When would it end?

A pit grew in my stomach as I realized that I knew the answer to that question. If Luca was getting the same information that I was, it would all be over soon. The second he found out that Grant was responsible for yet another issue between us, Grant was a deadman.

I sat on the front steps as Luca finished up with the officers, my mind swirling. Once he was done, he sat down next to me, gently resting his hand on my thigh.

"You okay?"

"I think okay is kind of relative right now."

He nodded. "Tell Layla I won't be home for bedtime and that I love her."

"Where are you going?" I stalled the lump growing in my throat.

"You know where I'm going, Charlotte." He clenched his jaw. "This has gone on long enough." 



You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net