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But she remembered him now.
Gia’s apartment. He’d come from Gia’s apartment. Steven Richards had been there. She’d seen him only a few times, though, perhaps twice the whole summer. She’d never seen him while Shane and Sebastian had been at the apartment, though.
Gia would have known he was at the estate. She would have known he was there because he was her brother.
“Brothers.” Gia grimaced as she and Alyssa walked from the beach toward the brooding young man standing next to Gia’s scooter, his back to them. “They’re a curse.”
Alyssa had laughed and turned for the beachside apartment building while Gia had strode across the sand to her brother.
Her eyes jerked open as she flinched at the realization and the memories as they slowly emerged. She had to find Shane.
“Going somewhere?” Gia asked as Alyssa moved to rise from the bench and rush back to the waiting room.
Alyssa jerked around instead, staring into Gia’s somber face and glimpsing the handgun she held, pointing at Alyssa.
“Gia…”
“I knew you’d remember who Kevin was eventually,” she sighed, her smile a little shaky. “He was my older brother, ya know? Illegitimate little bastard, my father used to call him. But I loved him.” Her voice trembled as she spoke quietly. “And Sebastian killed him.”
“He intended to kill me, Gia. He wouldn’t have stopped. You know that.” Alyssa glanced to the weapon before looking up at Gia then, her gaze holding the other woman’s. “He wouldn’t have stopped.”
“But he would have.” Certainty marked Gia’s expression. “I would have gotten him to listen to reason, Alyssa. He loved me. He would have listened if I’d had just a little more time.”
“You know better than that, Gia.” Alyssa could feel her nerves stretching to the limit as she watched Gia’s gaze begin to glitter with anger.
“If they hadn’t killed Gregory. Or if they had just let the money go,” Gia ground out furiously. “He would have let it go, Alyssa. It was Harvey’s idea, but Kevin did all the work. The cameras, the overseas accounts, everything. Harvey just married you and lived off his daddy’s money. Kevin didn’t have that option.”
“He would have killed me, Gia. That was what he intended to do tonight.” Alyssa had a feeling there was very little that would sway Gia Bennett from whatever course she’d set for herself. Alyssa just had a very bad feeling that course was not in her own best interests.
“I would have made him listen.” Sorrow filled Gia’s voice, her gaze. “He used to be so kind and caring.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Until he met Harvey. That was why our father sent him to Spain that summer. To separate them. Harvey made him…” Gia frowned. “He made him mean, Alyssa.”
“Gia, he tried to kill me. Not just once, but twice.” If the other girl couldn’t see him for what he was, then there was little hope for her. “Sebastian is now fighting for his life, because of your brother. Do you expect me to feel sorry for him?”
Gia simply stared at her with tear-filled eyes and a miserable expression.
Unfortunately, Alyssa didn’t know her nearly as well as she knew Summer. She had no idea how to handle Gia while she had a weapon trained on her. Hell, she wouldn’t have any idea how to handle Summer if she had a weapon trained on her, either.
“Gia, you need to talk to Falcone,” she finally told the other woman softly. “He’ll tell you what needs to be done.”
A short, bitter laugh left Gia’s lips. “You think Falcone is such a nice guy, do you, Alyssa?”
“I think he cares for you and Summer,” she answered quietly, trying to remain calm. “And I don’t think he’d turn his back on you.”
Gia turned her gaze just enough that she wasn’t staring into Alyssa’s eyes but kept her in her periphery. The thoughtful expression on her face would have given Alyssa hope if it weren’t for the anger that flashed in the other woman’s gaze.
“He would easily walk away from me because of this,” Gia murmured, still looking away from her.
“What do you intend to do, Gia, that would cause Falcone to turn away from you?” Alyssa asked her carefully.
Gia’s gaze moved back to hers, her eyes flat and hard.
“We need to leave here.” Gia wasn’t even breathing hard. She was calm, cool. “I don’t want to spill blood in God’s house, Alyssa. That would only compound my sin.”
Alyssa was anything but cool and she knew it. She wa
sn’t scared; she was pissed.
“Do you think I’m just going to walk out of here with you and let you kill me for your brother, Gia?” Incredulity raced through her. “Do I actually give the impression of stupidity?”
