Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Not a social call.
“Luca.”
He nodded and stepped inside. “I have news,” he said and started toward the living room where Ren sat on the edge of the sofa, palms holding her knees as if she thought they might fly away.
She stared at Luca and jumped to her feet. “I’ll leave you guys to it,” she whispered, already moving around the sofa.
“Stay,” Luca demanded harshly.
Ren froze, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. She nodded slowly and then retraced her steps back to the sofa, sinking onto the edge once more.
“Sorry,” Luca added, his tone softer before he turned to me. “You both should probably hear this.”
Ice slid down to my gut, and I nodded once. “What’s going on?”
Luca stepped around the sofa and dropped onto the plush chair that faced the fireplace, and his eyes flicked briefly to Ren before locking back on me. “I hunted down the footage from around the fish plant like you said. It was the Russians.”
My jaw clenched even though I knew that would be the case. “We expected that.”
“But,” he continued, “we picked one up.” He paused again and flicked another glance in Ren’s direction. “We questioned him, and he said they had no idea what that facility actually did until someone tipped them off. Told them it’d put a kink in DeRossi plans if they took it out.”
“Fuck,” I muttered. The Russians were just the fucking bullet, but someone else was acting as the gun.
Luca nodded. “The cameras showed the Russians parked the bomb in front of the plant and walked off.”
Someone had drawn a fucking map. “Do we know who?” I asked, finishing my wine and setting the glass down harder than necessary.
“Not yet.” He exhaled. “But the info from the nanny agency helped more than we expected.”
Ren straightened. “How?”
Luca turned to Ren. “The dead guy,” he said bluntly. “He used his real social security number. He was special forces, as Damien suspected, and he became a freelance hired gun.”
The weight of Ren’s gaze on me was sharp and steady, but she said nothing. Gave away nothing.
Luca went on. “He worked through his brother, a PI out of West Hollywood who specializes in fraud, embezzlement, and corporate espionage.” He turned to me. “His biggest clientele is husbands and wives who suspect their soon-to-be-exes are hiding cash.”
Ren tilted her head as she refilled her glass and slid it to Luca. “Why do you look like the cat who got the canary?”
He nodded. “Because I am.”
That piqued my interest. “Explain.”
“That PI?” Luca said, shaking his head. “He was hired during a messy divorce about six years ago.”
My stomach dropped before he even finished.
“Lena,” I growled.
“Lena,” Luca confirmed. “She hired that PI when she divorced David.”
The room went still.
“Holy shit,” Ren whispered. “David is your cousin, right?”
I nodded, surprised she remembered. “Any link to the Russians?” There had to be a fucking link.
Luca shook his head. “None that we’ve found. Yet.”
Which meant this wasn’t a clean alliance born of loyalty or even a shared outcome. It was opportunistic.
“Who benefits if you fall apart?” Ren asked suddenly.
Both Luca’s gaze and mine swung to her.
She didn’t even flinch. “If your businesses take hits, the Russians benefit financially, yes? But if you look reckless or if your control slips, who comes out on top?”
Luca let out a low whistle and shook his head before finishing the glass of wine. “She’s sharp.”
“She always has been,” I said, looking at her like I was still the lovesick twenty-something she knew way back when.
“We’re not done digging,” Luca added, his tone sober once again. “But this feels more personal than it seemed at first.”
I had to agree, and as much as I hated it, this wasn’t about territory or money, at least not just about money. Someone wanted leverage—over me. The question was why. What did they want?
Ren looked up and met my gaze. “You think the kidnapping and the Russians are all coming from someone within your organization.”
I gave one sharp nod. “Seems likely.”
Luca sucked in a deep breath. “Thorn is already digging into our top suspects to see who’s had any kind of digital or in-person connection to the Russians.”
“Good,” I nodded. “Let’s see what shakes out.” Whatever happened, I wouldn’t like it, but I would have to act on it. No matter how close the threat was.
Luca stood and smacked his hands together, sighing heavily before he turned to look at me. It was a long moment of silent communication that I understood all too well.
Shit’s about to get real, his gaze said.
I know, and I’m ready, I silently assured him.
“It’s just a matter of time,” he said out loud. “If they don’t find you, they will manufacture a reason to get you to come out of hiding.”
“I’m aware.”
Luca nodded. “I’m going to check in with the guys, and then I’m off.”