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Jorge’s face is pinched tight with pain. “She does have a weakness.”
“Which is?”
“Rigo Martin.”
Rigo’s son is in the room, and the look on his face says it all. There’s hurt and betrayal, but more than that, I see hatred and a thirst for vengeance that rivals my own.
“I want every last detail of your mum’s plan, Jorge.” Flicking my wrist forward, I strike across his blistered chest twice and then watch the skin part where the blade sliced through. He screams, snot and tears mixing together at the bow of his upper lip before sliding lower. Disgusting. “I want her location, and that of your wife, because I know she’s involved, too.”
“Yes.” A whimper.
“You will also call your mum and tell her you’re taking a holiday somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit.”
“Yes.”
“And Jorge…” bloodshot pupils stare back at me, the pain on his features prominent “…I’m going to thank you ahead of time for your cooperation. Now, please try and relax. It’s going to be a long day.”
35
I’m outside the penthouse door, leaning against a wall, when Casper steps out. My eyes are on my cell, reading my last text exchange with Aliana three months ago. It was a silly argument over a TV show character’s death, and she’d been pissed by my nonchalance. But that’s one of the things I love about her; she’s passionate in every aspect of her life, even something as mundane as a television series. “Took you long enough, mate.”
“You consider this late?” At his reply, my eyes snap to his. His are on my mobile, trying to catch a glimpse of the photo of her flipping me off, but before he can make her out, I pocket the device. He’ll know soon enough. The world will.
I never wanted to hide us but did so because Aliana wasn’t ready.
And when she was taken, Casper was busy. Our conversations have been stilted at best, but I understand more than anyone what the safety of the woman you love means to you. He dismantled and rebuilt the Boston syndicate, eliminating every single threat to the Cancio name, and then handed their heads to Aurora and her father on a silver platter.
I can’t fault him for that.
“I can always head back inside and slip beneath the covers and violate—”
“Shut it,” I snap, a shudder of disgust running through me. Disgusting arse. “Aurora’s like a sister, you wanker. I don’t need to hear that shit.”
“Noted.” Casper’s chuckle grates on my nerves, but I’ve missed the condescending sound just as much. Aliana has made me soft. He checks his pocket, taking account of all placements, and then adjusts the custom gun holsters I got him last Christmas. “Lead the way.”
“You told her where to meet up with your dad in case of...?”
“Gem knows everything.” There are no secrets between them; she’s aware in the same capacity Aliana will be. A way of thinking we share.
Nodding, I turn toward the elevator and press the down button before pulling out a small remote. I toss it at him. “This is for the cameras on this floor. You have them blocked, no?”
He takes it, turning the fob in his hand. “The hotel’s security is circulating the feed from last night; I paid them handsomely for their discretion and compliance. Inside, though, my own devices are on. Everything is being recorded.”
A snort escapes me at that. “Did this compliance come with a threat attached?”
“Would I be me if it didn’t?”
“Touché.” Tilting my head at the device, I send him a meaningful look. This is part of the just in case precautions. “That will send you a direct feed of this door. Add it to the app dashboard that Ezra set up on your mobile... it’s my Valentine’s gift to you.”
“Very thoughtful, love.”
“Piss off.” The elevator signals its arrival, and I flip him off before stepping inside the now open doors. We’re heading toward the parking level where my men wait inside of a black Range Rover with dark windows.
Once inside the vehicles, no one talks. Casper’s attaching the new security system to his app while I go over every detail Jorge shared before taking his last painful breath. Because I beat him—brought him to the brink of death multiple times in the last seventy-two hours, only to start all over again.
He bled for his sins. He told me something very interesting about the item they want Aliana to steal.
Countries have secrets.
