As Dwayne sped towards Matteo's office, he glanced at the gun he had kept in his glove compartment now lying in the passenger seat, its cold metal glinting ominously. He looked back in the rearview mirror, catching sight of Yellows' car, tailing him closely, its headlights flashing like urgent warnings. Yellows had tried to overtake him several times, but Dwayne stayed ahead, his foot heavy on the gas pedal.
Just then, Dwayne felt a vibration in his pocket. Keeping one hand firmly on the steering wheel, he fished out his phone, its screen now cracked from the fight with Enzo. He squinted at the fractured display, managing to answer the call.
"Dwayne, it's me," Yellows' voice crackled through the tiny speaker. "You need to pull over. You can't storm Matteo's office without a plan. You'll get yourself killed!"
Dwayne tightened his grip on the phone, his knuckles paled. "I don't have time for a plan, Yellows. Matteo has Olivia and Kiara, they're all I have in this world, since I have no idea where the fuck Zee and Jasmine are! At least I can save the ones I can! I'm not waiting another second."
"Damn it, Dwayne! You can't let your anger cloud your judgment. Matteo's men will end your life as soon as you try to barge into his office as a threat! And what will happen to Kiara and Olivia then?"
Dwayne glanced again at the gun beside him, its presence a grim reminder of what he was about to do. "I have to try, Yellows."
He cut the call and threw the phone on the seat next to the gun. The silence in the car only amplified the roar of the engine and the pounding of Dwayne's heart.
When the phone rang again moments later, he snatched it up, irritation flaring.
"Yellows, you're wasting your time. I'm heading to Matteo's, and there's nothing you can do about it," Dwayne barked into the phone.
"Dad?" a soft voice came over the other end, "It's Kiara."
Dwayne's heart skipped a beat, and he almost dropped the phone. His fingertips barely grasped it in time, his eyes momentarily diverted from the road.
When he looked up again, a truck was barreling straight at him. He swerved hard.
"Shit!" he cried out, as he fought to steady his truck that was veering dangerously into a tailspin. Luckily, he managed to regain control and pulled over to the side of the road, his hands trembling.
"Dad? Dad? Are you okay?" Kiara's frantic voice came over the other end of the phone, her concern slicing through Dwayne's racing thoughts.
"Kiara, I'm okay," he said, then rattled off a series of questions, "Where are you? How did you get my number? Are you okay?"
"I can't disclose my location, Dad. I got your number through a friend who's keeping me safe. It's someone connected to Mom," she added. "He has to keep a low profile to keep her safe. Matteo doesn't have me. I know all about the case you're working on and I also know Mom is on the run from her husband, Alejandro."
Could she be with Eddie? Was that the reason why Eddie hadn't contacted him over the past few days because he was busy ensuring McKenzie's other daughter was safe? It would make sense if he didn't want anyone to know that he was in town, especially since Eddie was working with him to retrieve information against Matteo. That would also explain how she knew about his case with Matteo as well as what's happening with McKenzie.
"Kiara, are you sure you're not in any danger?" Dwayne asked as he leaned his head back against his seat and closed his eyes.
"I'm positive."
Dwayne's mind raced with possibilities as he processed Kiara's words but a nagging sense of unease lingered. He needed to know exactly who she was associating with. He didn't have the mental capacity to worry about another person close to him.
Slowly, he opened his eyes. "Does this friend know where McKenzie and Jasmine are?"
"No, but he's determined to locate them soon so we can leave the country and escape the danger," she replied softly.
Dwayne's breath caught in his throat. He hadn't even met his daughter yet, and the thought of her slipping away filled him with anxiety. "Will you be coming back?"
"I'm not sure," she admitted, her tone uncertain. "But the person assured me that you'll be able to visit once everything settles down."
Dwayne sighed, relieved. At least whoever she was with had considered the complexities of their relationship. It was a small comfort in the midst of uncertainty.
Kiara continued, "When I went to Mr. Bertarelli's office he claimed that he called you and insisted I go with him to meet up with you, but I refused. Then when I tried to leave the office I was stopped. They told me that I had stolen Mr. Bertarelli's wallet and well things escalated from there. Did Mr. Bertarelli call you?"
That son of a bitch! No doubt he wanted to use Kiara as bait in hopes that Matteo would release his own daughter!
If he'd known this before meeting Bertarelli, the man would've gotten more than just a punch to the face.
"No, he didn't call me while you were there. He only called me after you were taken. You made the right call, Kiara. I'm proud of you."
And he was. He knew that Mr. Bertarelli could be relentless and for Kiara to hold her ground against him was admirable. He'd never be able to forgive Mr. Bertarelli for his betrayal nor work for him again.
"Dad, there's something else…"