I was attached to Gio, not Vitale, so the faster I got him back to Rome, the faster I could try to maneuver. The goal was to be installed in Renzo’s place, because chatter indicated the Serbians were planning something. The clock was ticking on getting useable intel, but Gio wouldn’t leave Munich until he had his answers.
It put me in one fucking awkward position.
But if I could take the Abramo danger away from the Dunns, I’d take it off Olivia, too.
“What about the Hayward woman?” I asked. “Is she going to be there?”
“If she isn’t, we’ll persuade him to call his American whore and have her join us.”
The SIG Sauer burned against my ribs, whispering to me, but I ignored the impulse. At least I could avoid the ruse of having to intimidate Shawn into summoning Kara. While Gio checked his phone, I texted Shawn. I explained what was scheduled to go down, and that it would be better if both Jason and his fiancée were there. Jason was the head of Osterhägen security, after all.
And he would be good backup if I lost control of Gio, or lost control of myself.
It was a private, intimate room at the restaurant. The focal point was a stained-glass window that threw different colors of daylight across the white linens on the table. Gio had ordered wine for himself while he waited alone, seated at a large round table across from the door where he’d stationed me.
Kara and Shawn came in first, followed by Jason, and they froze when they saw the unexpected Italian waiting for them. Shit, I needed this to be a smooth, quick meet. I was depending on my friends, as was the Agency, to pull this off.
I shut the door, closing us in as Gio stood. His lips drew back into a cold smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Have a seat,HerrDunn,” I said in English, and turned to Jason. “Give me your gun. This won’t take long unless you want it to.”
Jason’s attempt to draw on me had been telegraphed, and I appreciated the performance. I yanked the Glock from the marshal’s holster and jammed it in the back of my pants.
“Who is this?” Shawn asked. “I have a meeting with Michele?—”
I held open my suitcoat to give him a view of my SIG, then gestured to Gio. “No. Today you have a meeting with this man. I’m going to search you, and then you’ll sit and answer his questions.”
“If we don’t?” Jason’s voice was dark.
Don’t oversell this, cowboy.The faster we got through this, the less time anyone had to screw up. “Then I put a bullet in each of you.” When no one moved, I took that as their agreement. “Get out your phones, put them on the table, and slide them over to him.”
No one wanted to, but they reluctantly did as instructed. Their mobiles thumped onto the table one at a time and were pushed over to Gio.
I began searching Jason first, and was roughest with him, knowing he would understand. Shawn was done next, and he gritted his teeth but said nothing as I patted him down.
Kara’s gaze was locked on Gio as I searched her. I moved fast and efficiently. Shit, I’d done worse to her, hadn’t I? Even though she’d begged me to do it, needed it to spare her the pain, it’d been impossibly difficult to wrap my arm around her neck and squeeze until she’d lost consciousness the day I’d rescued her.
When I finished my search, I nodded to Gio, and he motioned to the empty chairs across from him.Have a seat.
She lowered into one, her posture stiff and alert. “What do you want?”
As Gio spoke, I moved to stand behind him, taking in the scene before me. Jason had his arms crossed over his chest and a displeased look smeared on his face as he towered over his seated family. Shawn sat beside his fiancée, his hand clasped on her knee. It wasn’t to claim ownership, it was to offer support. He leaned forward, as if trying to stay between her and the men who were a threat.
“He’s asked if any of you know who he is,” I said.
They shook their heads.
“Ask the woman,” Gio demanded, “if she saw this man when she was being held by Juric.”
He tossed his phone down with a thud, pointing it toward her. Her pale blue eyes flicked down to the screen as I repeated his question in English.
Her gaze went to me and her lips parted, but nothing came out. She recognized Constantine and wasn’t sure how to answer.
“Don’t look at me,” I spat out. “Surely you can answer this simple question.”
She was tough and smart. She’d understand I was giving her permission.
“Yes,” she breathed.
