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“Dad?” I gasp. “Dad, oh my God, tell me what the fuck is happening. Are you okay? Are you hurt? What the hell is Lucius talking about?”
“Rocky, sweetheart, we don’t have a lot of time. I need you to listen very carefully. The account passwords are encoded. In order to find them,the path forward lies over your heart.”
My brows knit together into a steep frown. “What? That makes no sense. Just tell me how to gain access to the accounts so I can trade them for you.”
“Don’t, Rocky. Forget about me. The money was always meant to be yours one day. Take it, start fresh, and leave me—”
The sharpcrackof something interrupts him. Dad grunts, likely on the receiving end of one of Lucius’ powerful blows.
“Dad!” I cry out. “Dad, just tell me where to—”
“You have until the end of the week,” Lucius snaps.
The line goes dead.
I stand in the middle of the room, seething.
A second later, the phone dings. Lucius sent a grainy image of Dad strapped to a chair, beaten and bloody with a gun pressed to his temple. The threat rings loud and clear.
That bastard!
I take a moment or two to catch my breath. What an absolute mess. I have so many unanswered questions, but I don’t have the luxury of time to mull them over. I’ve been a sitting duck for far too long. I need to find those encoded passwords by the end of the week, or that traitorous son of a bitch Lucius will put a bullet between my father’s eyes.
“Not good news, I take it?” Gabriel asks me.
I jolt. The Frenchman was so quiet and still that I honestly forgot he was in the room. “I’m assuming you heard all that.”
“You assume correctly. You Americans are very loud.”
“I’m heading out,” I tell him.
“What are you planning to do?”
I glance at him. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Gabriel sounds almost worried for me. Not that his lack of expression is anything to go by.
“I’ll figure it out as I go,” I mumble, quickly gathering what few things I have.
“I don’t think it’s wise. Failure to plan is planning to fail.”
I sigh, frustrated and stressed out of my mind. It’s a damn good thing I’m so used to working under pressure. Granted, I can normally rely on my crew mates to pick up where I lack but trusting those who I thought were the most loyal amongst us is what landed Dad and me in hot water in the first place.
I offer Gabriel a small smile. “Thank you for your hospitality. I should get out of your hair.”
“Wait.” He grasps my hand, preventing me from taking another step. His palm is rough but pleasantly warm against my slender fingers.
“Get out of my way. I won’t ask again.”
“You could be walking straight into a trap.”
“I don’t have any other choice. My father needs me.”
“You’re not going.”
“You can’t keep me here forever.”
“I owe your father a favor. I need to keep you safe.”
“Well, consider your favor to my father paid in full.”
