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“They won’t,” he says absent-mindedly as he goes on checking the small room. When he’s satisfied it’s safe, he beckons Mia inside. “I’ll be right outside the door.”
She looks up at him, so trusting of him. I wonder if she knows what kind of business her husband and his minions are involved in. Regardless of their business, I would bet my entire life’s savings that Ace would give his life to save Mia’s. The Morettis seem to foster that kind of loyalty. Sickening really, given who they are and what they do. But I wonder at that kind of selflessness—of giving your life for someone else. I’ve never experienced that kind of devotion. Well, apart from… Choking back a sob, I turn away so they don’t see me. Only when I’ve regained my usual calm composure do I turn back to Ace and give him a sweet smile.
“Take care of her, Trouble,” he says, flashing me a wink.
I nod and ignore the guilt gnawing at my gut. So what if he seems like a nice guy. And who gives a fuck if Mia isn’t the Moretti I wanted. She may have been nice to me after I spilled wine on her dress even though she had every right to be a bitch about it, but that doesn’t change the plan. Nothing can change my end game.
Ace closes the door, and Mia locks it behind him, I guess out of habit more than anything else. Not like the guys would allow anyone to come in here. She looks down at the wine stain and then at me. “Work your magic, Keres.”
I cross my fingers and hold up the cloth. “Can you run the cold tap?” I nod toward the sink.
“Sure.” She does as I ask, her back to me as I take the bottle of chloroform from my bra and soak the rag, careful not to breathe in any of the fumes. She feels me come up behind her. “Lorenzo will—”
I seal the cloth over her mouth and nose and wrap my other arm around her neck. She scrabbles to get away, but I hold tight. The toxins kick in within seconds, and she slumps silently in my arms. I lower her to the floor and work quietly and quickly, taking the key I had cut and unlocking the janitor’s closet. Then I hoist Mia over my shoulder fireman-style and carry her out of the bathroom, locking the closet door behind us. People rush around the kitchen, too busy preparing dinner for the pampered rich folks in the next room to notice us.
I kick open the exit and stride outside, inhaling a lungful of fresh air as my shoulder starts to ache from the weight of my hostage. The same guy in the suit is still there, only now he’s smoking a cigarette. Is he going to be a problem? My senses on high alert, I scan the area quickly but there’s nobody else around.
He frowns at me. “Everything okay?”
I roll my eyes. “My boss had way too much to drink.”
He eyes me suspiciously as I open the side of the van and place Mia inside, rubbing my shoulder when I’m free of her weight. But he’s not bothered enough to stop me. Or so I thought. But thankfully I’m already climbing into the van when I hear him shout after me.
I reverse down the side street and onto the main road and let out a relieved sigh. Light traffic slows me down, but not enough. Phoenix will be waiting for me at the meeting point, and then I will have the Morettis in the palm of my hand.
Chapter
Twelve
ACE
Icheck my watch. It’s been three minutes, and I don’t expect them to be done, but I bang on the door and call Mia’s name, asking if they’re okay.
No answer.
Romeo shoots me a worried glance.
Pressing my ear against the door, I knock again. “Mia?”
She doesn’t respond.
Romeo slams his fist against the solid wood. “Mia. Keres. Is everything okay?”
Nothing.
“Shit.” I draw my gun and shoot through the lock, not caring about the mayhem it will cause. Screams fill the area around us, but I ignore them all as I wrench the door open. My heart almost hammers through my ribcage when I see the small room is empty. That fucking bitch. I run for the janitor’s closet, cursing when I find it locked. Of course it’s fucking locked.
“Sir, can I help you?” I spin to see a man in a suit, probably the hotel manager, staring at the gun in my hand with wide eyes, his mouth hanging open. Romeo stands behind him, his own gun drawn and pointed at the guy’s head.
“Where does this door lead?”
“To the janitor’s closet and then into the back of the kitchen.”
I aim my gun at the lock on the closet door and tighten my finger on the trigger.
“Sir, there are hazardous chemicals in there,” he warns. “You’ll be just as quick going through the kitchens.”
Romeo and I rush out of the bathroom and barge through the gathering crowd, guns aloft and ready to shoot anyone who gets in our way. We run through the kitchens, knocking over three waiters with trays full of food, both of us on a single-minded mission to find Mia and the bitch who took her out from under our noses. Whoever the fuck she is.
