“Meaning what?” I asked in a murderous tone.
“Put Gigi in protective custody.” He held his hands up when he noticed my expression hardened. “Just hear me out.”
“No.”
He sighed, frustration creeping into his voice. “She will be safer if she’s with agents. Then we can protect her.”
“Ican protect her.” I pounded my fist against my chest.
“Really?” Enzo challenged, his brow furrowing. “She was sexually assaulted in your club and then taken from under your watch. Can you honestly say that you can protect her?”
And that thread snapped.
“You motherfucker!” I lunged toward Enzo, but Alphonse stepped in between us.
The doctor gasped.
“Move,” I ordered him. “I don’t care if you’re her father. Move the fuck out of my way.”
“Nothere,” he said, his voice firm but calm, casting a glance toward Gigi’s still form on the bed. “Let’s take this outside.” He fixed me with a piercing stare.
I marched out of the room, everyone trailing behind me except Tabi and the doctor.
“Why the fuck would you say that?” Lo snapped at Enzo, incredulity blazing in his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Enzo said. “That was a shitty thing to say. But I’m thinking of her safety.”
Alphonse glared at Enzo. “My daughter is safe with all of us. We may have fucked up the first time, but danger won’t go near her a second time.”
“The answer is no,” I snarled at Enzo. “She stays withme.”
The fuck I was going to let her out of my sight. I’d handcuff her to my wrist if I had to. She was not fucking going anywhere.
Enzo nodded, his expression serious. “I don’t agree with this. But”—he raised a finger, emphasizing his point— “If we are doing this your way, I want full disclosure on everything if the bastard contacts you. I want to help, Nico. Solet me.”
The urge to swing at him was almost overwhelming, a primal instinct that clawed at my insides. Anger pooled in my chest, but I forced myself to swallow it.
The weight of my unspoken words hung between us like a loaded gun. Enzo’s gaze sharpened, and without another word,he turned to Lo and Alphonse. “I didn’t only come here for Gigi. I understand another woman was found where Gigi was held.”
“Yeah. What about her?” Alphonse asked.
“Nico, I saw the site where Gigi was being kept. My team was there, combing through evidence at the location and the burial site.” Enzo’s eyes locked onto mine, and in that moment, I could see the unspoken understanding reflected in his gaze.
He knew what it did to me to see where my angel was kept all this time, the horror etched into every corner of that place. He must have read the reports; he knows exactly what happened to her.
“I’m sorry, Nico.”
My jaw tightened involuntarily, and I averted my gaze, unwilling to let them see the agony etched across my face. The ache of failure gnawed at me, a relentless reminder that I couldn’t protect my girl when she needed me most.
“Look,” Enzo continued, a more authoritative edge to his tone, “I didn’t come here to stir up trouble or get in your way, but this is my investigation. I need to find the person responsible and anyone else tied to him. But first, I need to speak with Valarie. She’s our best shot at getting the answers we need.”
“I agree,” I stated. “Which is why I’m going with you.”
Enzo shook his head, the lines of his face hardening. “No, you’re not. You need to stay here with Gigi.”
Alphonse stood firm by my side, flanked by Lo.
“Nico, this is an FBI investigation. Let me do my job,” Enzo insisted.
