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“Shit.” I only had time for one phone call, so I skipped calling the cops.
The phone rang twice.
“Griffin, pick up!” The doors to the second car opened, and another series of scary-looking men appeared. If they were there just to take me, it seemed unnecessary. They must be prepared for Bones to show up.
He finally answered. “Hey, baby. I’m in the middle—”
“Shut up and listen. Eight men are about to walk into the gallery and take me.” I blurted out everything as fast as I could. “They’re all armed and all dressed in black. They’re headed right this way. I have less than thirty seconds.”
Instead of panicking like anyone else would, Bones spoke with a calm voice. He didn’t pause longer than a second before he spoke. “Don’t fight them, Vanessa. Be quiet and cooperative. Don’t be scared because I promise I will get you.”
“I know you will, Griffin.” They were almost to the door. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Tell me everything you can about these guys before they get to you.”
“Two black Mercedes. Blacked-out with tinted windows. Eight men altogether. The man in front has a scar underneath his left eye. They look foreign, maybe Middle Eastern.” I watched the first man open the door of the gallery and point a gun right at my face. “I have to go.”
“Baby, I love you—”
I could have left the phone on, but I didn’t want Griffin to hear what would happen next. I hung up and set the phone on the desk. The gun was pointed at my face, but I refused to show fear. Bones told me not to fight them, and I would listen, knowing I was outnumbered and these men were seriously evil.
The guy walked right up to me, snarling like I’d done something to wrong him. He kept the barrel trained right on me, his finger on the trigger. “Get up.”
I looked straight down the barrel, just the way my father did when he was on the ground and outnumbered. Just because I couldn’t fight with my fists didn’t mean I couldn’t have dignity. “He’s going to kill all of you.” I slowly rose to my feet, meeting his gaze with defiance. “If I were you, I would take this opportunity to walk out with your lives.”
The corner of his mouth rose in a malicious sneer. “If he wanted peace, he shouldn’t have killed my father.”
Fourteen
Bones
The second I hung up the phone, I walked back into the conference room where Crow was meeting with one of the biggest wine distributors in Europe. It was a big contract, something that would increase the reach of the wine by ten times. It was a huge client to land, and it seemed like Crow had it in the bag.
But I was about to ruin it. “Crow, I need to talk to you. Now.”
Crow flashed me an annoyed expression, but once he saw how deadly serious I was, he dropped his attitude. “Please excuse me for one moment.” He left the folder behind and followed me into the hallway.
I didn’t let the door shut before I started talking. “Vanessa has been taken. It just happened. I was going to drive back to Florence to retrieve my gear, but there isn’t time for that. I need everything you have, guns, ammunition, vests, everything.”
All the hostility and anger left his face immediately, replaced by such sorrow it seemed like he’d just lost his world. He couldn’t even speak because the air had been ripped out of his lungs. Agony like no other entered his features, turned him from a man to a corpse.
I couldn’t give him the time he needed to process this. “I know who took her. I promise you, I will get her back.” I wouldn’t stop until she was in my arms and all those men were dead. On top of that, I would kill their families too. They crossed a line coming after Vanessa. It was my turn to cross the same line. “Crow, where are your weapons?”
He snapped out of it, finally. “At the house. Let’s go.” He walked with me down the hallway and pulled out his phone. He called Cane. “Meet at the house. We have an emergency. Don’t ask any questions, and just do what I say.”
We left the building and ran to the truck. “What about Mrs. Barsetti?”
“We don’t have time for that. Drive.”
We pulled up to the house and darted inside. On the third floor next to his office was where he stashed all his weaponry. He handed over everything, his pistols, shotguns, and rifles. I took everything I could carry and secured a vest around my chest.
I couldn’t afford to get shot this time.
“Who are these men?” Crow had changed into jeans and a t-shirt, and he secured a vest over his chest.
