Liam shuts off the television and stands. “Do you want me to drive you over to prove that everyone is fine?”
“Would you?” My eyes light up, and I’m already at the door grabbing my coat and slipping on my shoes.
He grumbles under his breath. “You owe me gas money.”
We take his rust bucket of a car up to my parents’ house. It’s any wonder that the vehicle makes it all the way and doesn’t bomb out on us. The car runs loudly, like everyone can hear us coming for miles.
The minute we pull up at the front gate, I give Liam the code and the wrought-iron gate opens. He drives us up to the front entrance, and I high-tail it out of the car, unlocking the door with my key, storming inside.
I slip out of my shoes, leaving my coat on the floor. “Just wait here.” I glance at Liam over my shoulder and hurry up to Ashton’s bedroom.
“Yeah, I’ll just hang out here and look at the paintings on the wall,” Liam says as he takes off his shoes.
There’s no sense in announcing myself if Ashton is in his room and everything is fine.
But I’m worried that it’s not.
Liam hangs back at my request, and I hurry to Ashton’s room. I don’t even bother knocking. I yank open the door, but the light is off, the bed is made, his bag on his bed.
I check Luca’s bedroom next. Maybe they’re hanging out, trying to sort through things after Luca found out Ashton and I were dating in secret.
I open Luca’s door, no sign of him either. Light off. Bed made, and his bag is on his bed too.
I curse and hurry down the stairwell. “Dad! Ashton! Luca!” I’m hoping that one of them can answer what the hell is going on.
Dante steps out of his office. His eyes harden, and he flinches upon seeing me. “Nova, what are you doing here?” He looks from me to Liam, perplexed.
“Where’s Ashton? I need to speak with him.”
“He’s not available at the moment. I’m sure you can understand,” Dante says, forcing a smile.
“And my father?”
“Again, not available,” Dante says.
I step toward Dante. He may be a mafia boss, but he doesn’t scare me. “Listen, is Ashton in trouble? I have this horrible feeling that something bad is happening, and I just … I need to talk to him.”
Dante’s gaze flickers. “Why would you think that?”
I just told him it’s a feeling. Dante probably doesn’t get those. I don’t want to tell him about Ashton and me, because he might tell my father. But he’s staring at me like I’ve gone mad.
“I called him to ask him something about our assignment for Monday that’s due, and the conversation was broken apart. I could only hear a few words, but it just, it sounded really bad.”
Dante glances Liam over and then gestures for Halsey, who is coming down the stairs, to approach. “Take Liam to the study. Get him whatever he needs while I have a word with Nova, alone.”
Dante’s jaw tightens, and he ushers me into his office, closing the door abruptly behind me. “I need to know exactly what was said on that phone call.”
“Not much. I told you the call was messed up. Like the signal was bad and everything was broken apart when he was talking to me.”
Dante sighs and leans against his desk, folding his arms across his chest. “What words did you hear?”
“I don’t know.”
“You have to remember something, or you wouldn’t be here, concerned.” Dante stares at me, and I shiver.
“I heard two words clearly. Luca and trouble.”
Dante nods and steps away from me.