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“All right. But we’re fine here. I promise.”
Rio grabs the phone from me. “Who’s with you from the team?” He listens then says, “Put him on. Now.”
Then he blinks and holds the phone away from his ear before letting out an expletive. “The call cut out.”
The goon in front of us listens to his earpiece, then says, “Your sister is with Nikolas, sir, at his apartment in Seaport.”
“That’s something. Tell them to stay there. And get their security on alert. Tell them to keep watch for anything untoward.”
“Will do, sir.”
Rio jumps up from the couch, his hands clenched at his sides. “Take my wife upstairs to my suite and guard her with your life. And call my driver. And Danelli. I know he’s coordinating the building search, but you’re in charge of that now. Danelli’s coming with me. We’re heading back to the estate.”
“Yes, sir.”
“No way.” I jump to my feet, too. “I am not going to be held upstairs while you… No. Nofuckingway, Rio.”
“Bianca, this is not the time to—”
“No, Rio. She’s my daughter. Yours, of course, butminetoo. I’m going with you. No argument.” I grin at him, aware there is no humor whatsoever in my expression. Rage is beginning to take over from my terror. How dare they threaten my daughter? “As you said, there’s notimeto argue.”
The fact that he hesitates at all, let alone finally nods and starts barking out more orders, is testament to the stress he must be under. Nausea rolls through me, but I manage to hold it back. If I show the faintest sign of weakness right now, he will likely change his mind about taking me with him.
I am not going to be left behind. Not when it comes to Emilia.
25
“Danger was the grindstone on which the swordsman whetted his spirit.”
Eiji Yoshikawa
Bianca
Rio must have hadan arsenal upstairs above the club because every man in our cavalcade on the return to the estate is armed to the hilt. More than they usually are. I’ve never seen so many weapons in one place, and my brain shies away from the fact that we may well be heading toward yet another violent bloodbath.
And this time, I volunteered to head right into the thick of it. But I don’t have any choice. I can’t leave my daughter’s safety to a bunch of strangers to deal with.
I need to get back to my daughter. I need to make sure she’s safe.
That’s all I can focus on, and it becomes a mantra I repeat to myself over and over in the limo.
When we’re almost home, Rio leans forward and presses a gun into my hands. I take it without protest, more because I’m too shocked at his expectation to even think of saying no.
I stare down at the black thing in my hand. The warmth of it sitting in my palms is unexpected. I always thought guns were made of metal, and holding one would feel cold in my grip. This isn’t metal. It seems to be a hard plastic.
Why am I focusing on such mundane details? The fact is, I’mholding a fucking gun! And I’m unlikely to ever be able to point it at another human being, let alone pull the trigger.
If it’s a matter of life and death for Emilia, a little voice whispers deep in my mind. Thenyou’d do it.
Then, and only then. Maybe.
“I don’t know how to use a gun, Rio.” I try to hand it back, but he waves his hands, forcing me to drop the thing back into my lap.
“I know you don’t, little bird. That’s something we may have to remedy in the future. But right now, I don’t know what we are heading into, and I don’t want you to be left helpless if there’s an attack and we happen to get separated.”
Hysteria threatens, and I’m proud of myself when I don’t give in to it.
He grunts when I don’t answer him, and then leans forward to point at different parts of the gun. “This is a Glock 19. The recoil if you need to fire it is not too bad, which is better for a beginner. The magazine has been loaded for you already. It has an inbuilt safety system, so you are less likely to blow off your foot.”
