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“And I guess you underestimate mine.” She turned her head and even through the blindfold, I could tell her eyes were pinned on me, venom crawling through her system. I did so love a fiery woman. Breaking someone weak had no appeal.
And she would break, bending to my every need.
As I pulled into the driveway, slowing down, she tensed. Her breathing was ragged, her fidgeting increasing. I opened the window only enough to allow the system to recognize my face. The gates swung open almost instantly, the two soldiers I’d dispatched to remain at the front of the house giving me respectful nods. Dillon had already arrived, the dogs brought to their new home.
I’d always wanted a dog, a pet that was all mine, a companion that didn’t judge me or need anything other than love and sustenance. My father had refused, reminding me that loving any creature was a weakness and that I had to choose carefully. I found it fascinating her dogs seemed to adore me, enjoying the treats I’d brought without hesitation. Perhaps the best way of breaking her defenses was attaching myself to her beloved animals.
“You promise you won’t hurt my babies?” she asked, her voice no longer holding the same edge as before. Perhaps she’d sensed I was thinking about them.
“It would serve no purpose but to further alienate you. That’s not my intention.”
“Then what is,Gabriel?” She used my name out of spite. Little did she know it only shoved another moment of full arousal into my body. “Using me to destroy my father? Is that what this is all about? I’ll give you a heads up. He doesn’t care for me very much. Whatever you think you have on him won’t be enough. He’ll never stop until he breaks your empire apart bit by bit.” She laughed, as if this was all a game.
At some point her defiance would become an irritant. For now, I’d use it to further my own ends. I parked, cutting the engine and climbing out. The afternoon was already waning, the January day turning frigid in a few hours. As I headed for the passenger side, Dillon walked out of the house, heading in my direction.
Sarah had saved his life, although likely only short term. I would make good on my promise to punish her for his misdeeds more than I already had. That would come later. I still had business to attend to before being able to relax for the evening.
“Again. I’m sorry, Mr. Giordano,” Dillon said.
The beating Theodora received continued to weigh heavily on my mind. Someone continued to talk, exposing my activities. I couldn’t rule out or trust anyone at this point. However, there were ways of finding the pigeon. It was entirely possible there was more than one. I didn’t hesitate, snapping my hand around his throat. Dillon was a large man, outweighing me by a solid thirty pounds, but I had the ability of snapping a man’s neck no matter how muscular he was.
His eyes opened wide but to his credit, he didn’t react. “You failed me. You were given a reprieve but not by my choice. If you do so again, no one will be able to save you.” I dug my fingers in, waiting as he coughed. Then he nodded. When I released his hold, his expression turned sheepish. The truth was he was the only one I could place any amount of trust in at this point. Until I found the leak, I wouldn’t rest easily.
He’d done what I’d asked before, Demarco learning to live without two of his fingers. However, if I needed to send another warning to the men employed under my stead, then I had no problem doing so. The last thing I needed was a weak link. “Make some calls. Find Nico Moretti. I don’t care what rock you need to turn over. Hunt him down. He and I need to have a discussion.”
“Yes, sir.” He threw a look toward the car. “Did something happen?”
“Yes, it did. Are the soldiers in place?”
“Yes, sir. All over the grounds. No one will get through the security system. I promise you.”
I stared into his eyes for a full ten seconds then looked away. “You have twenty minutes to find him. Have two soldiers meet me at that time. While I’m gone, you will protect Ms. Washington with your life. She has roam of the house, with the exception of my office. If a single thing happens to her, you won’t receive a quick death. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir. No one will touch her.” He managed to keep a steady gaze, his jaw clenching. I’d put the fear of God into him. “There’s something you should know, a witness.”
“What do you mean a witness?”
“A nurse. They were watching some news footage on the television. Your picture appeared and both Doctor Washington and the nurse were staring at it.”
Fucking fantastic. If Sarah had told the girl what had happened between us, it wouldn’t be long before the police made contact. “After I return, you’ll need to find her.”
“And do what?”
I rubbed my jaw. “Make certain she doesn’t talk, but I don’t want her killed. We may need to put her on ice until after I’ve had a discussion with the mayor.”
He exhaled then nodded. “I know a place I can take her.”
“Then make it happen. If the woman has already contacted the police, then they’ll arrive within the hour. You’ll need to lock the good doctor in her room if that happens.”
“I’ll take care of that as well. You can count on me, Mr. Giordano.”
“See that I can.” The shit was getting messy. “Anything on our illustrious mayor?”
“He has a hefty offshore bank account with several million dollars. It took me a while to find it.”
“Interesting.”
“I can’t access it yet, but I will.”
