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“Are you ready?” he asked as she walked quickly toward him.
“Yes, and I grabbed my bag as well. It was in the bathroom. I almost forgot about it.”
As she slipped it over her shoulder, he took her hand and led her down a maze of hallways.
“I can’t believe you have a private elevator from the garage,” she said as they stepped into the cab.
“I own the building. A few of us have the key that unlocks the elevator to the second floor parking, but the rest of the staff park in the basement and can take it to the ground floor. It’s safer for them, especially the waitresses.”
The elevator dinged its arrival, and as the doors opened, he gestured for her to walk out ahead of him.
“That’s weird,” he remarked as they headed for the Range Rover.
“What?”
“My manager arrived, and that’s his Jaguar, but I don’t recognize that Mercedes.”
“There’s a bullet pointed at the back of your head.” The thick, harsh voice came from behind them. “Don’t turn around! Raise your hands in the air. Both of you, and Moretti, don’t do anything stupid or she’s dead.”
Chapter 16
An icy hand clutched Steph’s heart.
She couldn’t breathe.
“Easy, Steph,” Marco murmured. “Don’t panic. Just do as he says.”
“That’s right, you just do as we say,” the voice barked.
“B-but I c-can’t m-move,” she stammered, tears springing from her eyes.
Suddenly a man stepped in front of them. Wearing a balaclava, and holding a revolver in both hands with his arms stretched out in front of him, he was a terrifying figure.
“Pull out your gun, Moretti, nice and slow,” he ordered in an accent she didn’t recognize. “You know how it’s done.”
“It’s in my shoulder holster,” Marco replied, his voice steady. “I have to reach in to get it.”
“Go ahead, but remember, my partner is behind you with a gun aimed at your girlfriend here.”
Reaching into his jacket, Marco slowly withdrew the small handgun, placed it on the concrete floor, and kicked it toward the gunman.
“Call the brothers,” Marco said gruffly. “Tell them I don’t do business this way. If they have a problem with me, all they have to do is pick up the fucking phone. They know that.”
“How the fuck did you know—”
“You’ve been sent by the Zeppelins?” Marco snapped, cutting him off. “They haven’t been in this town long enough to understand it’s not smart to pull shit like this on me. If this gets out, or if anything happens to me, all kinds of crap will land on their heads.”
In spite of her terror, Steph noticed Marco’s words seemed to rattle the thug.
“Hey, this isn’t about you, it’s about her,” the man barked. “They have no gripe with you. You probably have the same questions they do, except we’re gonna get some answers… unless you already got them out of her.”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Marco declared. “Be specific.”
“She’s been snooping around, and you know it,” the man barked, “and she’s got a friend who’s been sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. Maybe I don’t know how you do things here, but I don’t give a shit. She gets one chance,” he continued, turning his head toward her as he pointed his gun at her legs. “Girlie, if you don’t answer me right now I’m gonna shoot out one of your knees. Then I’ll keep filling you with bullets until I think you’ve told me everything you know about our shit. Got it?”
“But I haven’t d-done anything,” Steph managed, her voice quivering.
“Hey,” Marco exclaimed. “I’ve already had this conversation with her. She doesn’t know crap.”
