Chapter 23 #2
Gio’s shoulders sagged. “Fucking Juric. I told my brother not to help him.”
The Abramo brothers hadn’t been close. For as unintelligent as Gio was, he was the smarter of the pair, and Constantine had struggled in his older brother’s shadow. But they were still family. Gio still cared about his baby brother.
“Ask if she knows what happened.”
It was obvious she was considering her answer carefully. Even though Gio didn’t speak English, talking openly about it was a bad idea. It would be too easy for either one of us to forget our role and slip.
“I only saw him once, in the hallway where he was shot.”
He straightened when this information was relayed. “She saw that happen? Who did it?”
Her unflinching gaze remained on Gio as she answered his question. “One of the men who rescued me. He didn’t have a choice because the other man was armed.” She swallowed thickly. “I was told later that his name was Tony.”
I couldn’t breath the sigh of relief, but wanted to.
She’d done a decent job with the lie, and I would get her the rest of the way there.
Who even knew if that was his real name?
Tony had been a merc I’d crossed paths with during an op in Prague.
He’d taken Shawn’s money and the job of rescuing Kara without hesitation, and that job had taken his life.
Her voice fell an octave. “He died just outside the house.”
That was true, whether she knew it or not.
I translated, and Gio’s expression soured. “He’s dead? Isn’t that convenient? My father won’t like it.” He examined her with a hard look. “Do you believe her? It could have been one of the Dunns, and she’s protecting them.”
Neither of the Dunns were the man in the room she was protecting. “I’ll make it clear that lying to you is a bad idea.”
I turned off my emotions, retreating into the Nathan persona that was cold and uncaring. My shoulders lifted as I took in a breath, filling out my chest, and focused my ruthless glare on her.
“If you’re fucking lying,” the English poured from my mouth, dripping with malice, “I’ll cut up that pretty face you’ve got. I won’t kill you, but believe me—you’ll wish I had.”
When I’d used that threatening look on Olivia, she’d barely had a reaction, but now color drained away from Kara’s face.
At least that still works, I thought grimly.
It was the reaction I needed from her to prove to Gio I’d done what I said I was going to, plus Shawn leapt to his feet, looking ready to attack.
Anger burned in his eyes so hotly, it had to be real, at least partly.
He’d wanted to kill me that afternoon in the clearing after I’d knocked Kara out.
Perhaps the desire for retribution still lingered in him
But since I stood behind Gio, I put out a hand, gesturing for him to remain calm. I raised an eyebrow and tilted my head, silently conveying I had this under control. Gio didn’t notice. He probably thought I’d flashed my gun again in intimidation, and that was the reason Shawn had paused.
“I’m not lying.” Kara tugged him down into his seat, lifted her chin, and her expression was fierce as she stared at Gio.
“Do you want me to describe the way he died in detail? How he gasped when he was shot? How his blood looked splattered on the yellow wallpaper? The sound it made when he fell in a heap to the floor?”
Goddamn, she was believable. Gio had to see it.
I translated what she’d said and added, “Yes, it’s convenient, but that doesn’t automatically mean it’s untrue.”
The Italian set his hands on the table, pushed up to stand, and sipped the remainder of his wine. He took his time, drawing it out like an asshole. “I’d like to leave.”
I withdrew Jason’s Glock from where I’d tucked it, ejected the magazine, and removed the round from the chamber.
The gun thumped on the table beside their phones as I pocketed the ammo.
“No one leaves their seat for the next ten minutes. If you do this, you won’t see me or this man again, understood? ”
Gio strode from the room and disappeared into the kitchen. He’d cut through it to the back exit where a limo would be waiting for him. I stayed behind for five minutes, guarding the doors to the private room, making sure my friends did as I’d told them.
Then I went out the front of the restaurant. I ducked into the car that had been arranged to take me straight to the airport. Gio didn’t want to be in Munich any longer than necessary.
When we reunited, his disappointment was obvious; he’d wanted one of the Dunns to answer for his brother’s death.
“When we get back to Rome, my father’s going to have questions about the meeting. He’ll want details. He’s . . . a precise man.”
No shit. Then my brain quit working. “I need an hour.”
He stared at me like I’d just asked him to shoot me. He scowled. “An hour for what?”
Jesus, I needed to think of a believable explanation, one that he could relate to. “I met a woman.”
“Moving on so soon after Olivia?” He made a ‘tsk, tsk’ noise. “Of course, you did put a bullet in her stomach.” He waved a hand. “We have women back in Rome. Wouldn’t you rather have an Italian girl over a German one?”
“No.”
“Oh, I see.” The smile that grew on his face was annoying. “She must be American.”
I didn’t confirm or deny it. “I can take a commercial flight and be back in Rome this evening.”
“You must need it bad. Staying around isn’t the best idea.” He glanced at his phone as he considered the request. “Fine, go have your fun with the girl and get it out of your system. But don’t keep my father waiting.”