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“Our first order of business is to get the girl out of the US safely. I promised Daniela, and I intend on keeping that promise. She’s eager to go to the US and get Valentina herself, but I’d like to avoid that. This could be a trap. No one knows that I made the arrangement with her father. And even if they did, that arrangement is gospel in our world, but I’d rather not take my chances before some judge in Lisbon—or worse, in the US—who we can’t control. If Daniela dies, a court could decide Valentina is the rightful heir to the vineyards.”
“And her father would get custody of her and take control.”
Over my dead body.That willneverhappen, but it’s a fight I’d prefer to avoid.
“Anyone who’s willing to murder is willing to kidnap.” To a casual observer, it would seem that Lucas is just stating the obvious, but I know better. He’s laying out the consequences so that they’re fresh on my mind as I make decisions. “They’re going to try to grab that kid.”
“We should expect it.”
“Getting an uncooperative kid out of the US on such short notice is going to be a challenge,” Lucas mutters. “I assume we’re not going to drug her to smuggle her out without a scene.”
“Don’t assume anything. But before we go down that road, let me make a call. In the meantime, contact Luis to get the plane ready—tell him to file a flight plan to London. We’ll change it at the last minute so we don’t tip off anyone. And book a charter flight under a dummy corporation to carry an advance team. I’m going to reach out to a contact in the US, and I’ll get back to you within fifteen minutes with more particulars.”
I disconnect the call and place another.
6
ANTONIO
“What the hell do you want at this hour?” Gray Wilder deadpans from across the Atlantic. “You’re lucky I run a club and I’m still awake.”
I swallow my pride and do something I hate. “I need your help.”
He’s quiet for a moment. “Must be a big problem for you to be asking for help. I know how much it pains you to admit you’re human.”
He’s not wrong. “Can you put me in touch with your brother’s buddy, Smith Sinclair?”
It’s not that I don’t know how to reach Sinclair, but he doesn’t really know me, and I’m going to ask him to move a kid across international borders. He’s more likely to be amenable if Gray makes the initial call.
“That depends,” Gray drawls. “What do you need?”
The silence looms between us. It doesn’t feel suspicious, but he wants me to come clean. Bare my soul. Something else he knows I hate.
“It’s probably better if you don’t get involved in the particulars.”
“Already involved. If you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m not lifting a finger to connect you to Smith.”
“It’s a long story.”
“We just closed up shop and I’m pretty wired. Got some time on my hands.”
Fucker.“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“I’m all ears.”
It takes me a minute to pull together a few sentences that don’t divulge too much of Daniela’s story but are enough to satisfy Gray.
“My wife left a twelve-year-old daughter in the US when she returned to Porto. The child’s guardian died a few hours ago, and we need to get the girl out of the US quickly. We’re concerned about her being abducted.”
“I still can’t believe you’re fucking married,” Gray mutters. “By ‘her guardian died’—you mean she was murdered.”
“That’s what I mean.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
There’s a long list.While I don’t want Gray in the middle of this, even more, I don’t want to expose Daniela. She kept this secret for more than twelve years, and it seemswrong—just plain wrong—for me to share it unless there’s no choice.I’m not at that point yet.“There are complicated custody issues.”
“Complicated custody issues. I don’t like where this is going.”
