Free Relentless: A Bad Boy Romance (Bertoli Crime Family #1) by Lauren Landish Page B

recovering from my scare.
    “Daniel,” Uncle Carlo said. “He needs to know. And I’m going to make sure he doesn’t leave your side.”

Chapter 8
Daniel
    I found Carlo , Margaret, and Adriana in the main living room. I was still in my exercise gear, coming straight from the dojo where I'd been trying to relieve my stress and tension via sparring. I think a few of the guys were glad that I'd gotten the phone call. I'd already put two guys down in the time we'd been at it, one with a leg that was already turning purple from my kicks, and another with a concussion.
    “What happened?” I asked, seeing Adriana's still frightened face. I realized how I'd spoken, and I quickly took a deep breath, reasserting control of myself. “Apologies. How can I help?”
    “Adriana was in her room, trying to do some homework or something, when she got an email from that piece of shit, Drake,” Don Bertoli said, seething. I'd seen him pissed off before, but never to this degree. He almost never cursed in front of Adriana or Margaret that I'd seen. “I need your services, of course.”
    I nodded, looking straight at Adriana, who still was huddled on the couch, her arms wrapped around her knees and her eyes haunted. “Whatever you need, sir.”
    He took a deep breath, regaining some of his famous self-control. “First, go by her apartment and sweep it. I want to know if that asshole has found her new place. Second, clear out Adriana's things. She's moving back here until he’s caught and dealt with.”
    I licked my lips, working up the courage to do something I'd never done before as an idea rushed through my mind. “No offense, sir, but I think my skills could be used better in another pursuit.”
    “Explain yourself,” Margaret said, her voice calm and perceptive. “It’s not often that people contradict Carlo.”
    “Apologies, Mrs. Bertoli, but I only speak because I want to ensure your daughter's safety,” I said, intentionally keeping any comments I made directed not at Adriana. With the way that the Don was about Adriana, I had to show that I was emotionally detached, professional. “It is just that while I can do the things that Don Bertoli asks, I think I’d be much more useful in trying to find this Drake.”
    Carlo relaxed, and I was glad he wasn’t offended. “What do you have in mind?” he asked.
    “I can possibly track back how Drake was able to send his message,” I said, wanting to sit down and show how on a piece of paper, but staying on my feet. I hadn't been invited to sit, after all. Actually, at the moment, the one thing I wanted to do most was hold Adriana and run my fingers through her beautiful flame-red hair, reassuring her that it was okay and that she'd be safe. But I couldn't, that was for sure. “If so, I can start to hunt this man down.”
    “He’s more dangerous than we first believed, Daniel,” Don Bertoli said, gesturing to the chair on his left. I took a seat, making sure to not let my sweat-soaked shirt touch the leather. “He has military training. Special Operations training. He might be more than you can handle.”
    “With all due respect, even a psychopath with military training is within my capabilities,” I said. “Especially if he doesn’t know that I am hunting him. He probably expects a bodyguard, if he's seen Adriana since the murder, not a man of my talents. It is more difficult to defend against an enemy that you don’t know is coming.”
    “You want the stalker to become the stalked,” Margaret said, her voice bloodthirsty. “And if you find him?”
    “I have some things I’d like to do, but that would be at your discretion. First, though, I have to find him.”
    Carlo considered the idea, then nodded. “Agreed. First, I’ll let you look at Adriana's computer. It’s in my study. Second, tomorrow morning, you will go to the school and start your hunt. Adriana's security here isn’t a problem.”
    “Actually, first, I think Daniel needs to take a shower