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The deflated look on her face told Playboy that she had a possible conflict.
She looked back at Playboy. “David has a follow-up appointment from his surgery that same day. That means we’ll have to leave on Monday and then travel back here Wednesdaymorning.” She put her hand to her head. “With everything happening here with Gabby, I completely forgot about it.”
Playboy leaned back in the chair and thought about it. He definitely wanted someone there with Gabby. Then it hit him. He knew exactly who to call and knew they wouldn’t say no.
He turned back to Wendy. “Don’t worry, I have an idea,” he told her.
As he explained his plan to Wendy, he knew for a fact that Gabby would be in good company and have all the support she needed for that day.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ramon stood in his study, the soft glow of a single lamp casting long shadows against the walls. The air was thick with the scent of whiskey, cigar smoke, and sex. Dark velvet curtains framed the floor-to-ceiling windows, revealing nothing but blackness beyond. A smooth, sultry melody played in the background, mixing with the breathy moans of the naked woman bent over the arm of his leather couch.
He gripped her hips firmly, his mind far from the present moment, lost in a whirlpool of rage and grief. Since losing his brother, Lorenzo, Ramon had been drowning in women, liquor, and anything to numb the pain. He hadn’t even asked this woman’s name, and he didn’t care to. She was just another distraction, another way to silence the storm growing inside him.
His movements grew more urgent, desperate even, the need for release building within him, when suddenly his phone rang, cutting through the music and the woman’s soft cries. A growl of frustration escaped his lips, and he glanced at the screen. Tyson. The name alone brought a halt to everything. His contact at the DEA would only be calling if there was something new, something about Lorenzo.
With a cold, detached motion, he pulled away from the woman, her disappointed pout barely registering in his mind. He gestured sharply toward the door, dismissing her without a word. She hesitated for a second, her lips forming a sulk, but when she saw the hard set of his jaw, she gathered her clothes and left without a sound.
Ramon swiped the phone off the desk and answered, pacing as his pulse quickened. “What have you got?” His voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy air.
Tyson wasted no time. “I’ve been digging through the Coast Guard's report on the incident involving Lorenzo,” he began. “Turns out, Lorenzo tried to take over the sub while the authorities were offloading the cocaine. He almost got away with it, too, but another Coast Guard boat intercepted him. They crashed right into him, purposely.”
Ramon’s heart pounded in his chest. “So they murdered him,” he said flatly, the words thick with venom.
Tyson hesitated for just a moment. “Looks like it. But here’s the kicker—the driver of that boat survived. Barely. She’s been in the hospital ever since, in bad shape.”
Ramon’s grip tightened on his phone, his knuckles white. “A woman?” The revelation hit him like a punch to the gut.
“Yeah. Her name’s Gabriella Allen from Virginia Beach.”
Ramon was silent for a moment, letting the name sink in, the pieces clicking together in his mind. He stared out into the blackness beyond the windows, his thoughts a twisted blend of fury and cold calculation.
“Virginia Beach,” Ramon muttered under his breath
“Yeah. I’ve got her details. You want me to keep digging?”
Ramon's voice was like ice. “Find out everything. Her routine, her family, her friends. I want to know every move she makes.”
After he hung up, Ramon stood there for a long moment, his mind swirling with dark thoughts. He crossed the room, grabbed the bottle of whiskey from his desk, and poured himself a drink, sinking down onto the couch where the woman had been moments before. The music still played, the smooth rhythm doing little to ease the fury tightening in his chest.
Gabriella Allen.The name echoed in his mind, igniting a dark desire for revenge. With a grim, determined smile, Ramon took a long, slow sip of his drink. He was coming for her.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Gabby sat on her bed, picking through the basket of chocolate that Clover had brought the other day. She was trying to kill time before her appointment. She was scheduled to be fitted with her prosthetic today, which she was both nervous about and excited about. It felt like the first big step toward getting her life back, a chance to prove to herself and everyone else that she was still capable of everything she was before.
She was in a good mood despite the fact that her parents and Playboy couldn’t be there due to schedule conflicts. Gabby understood, and it wasn’t like she expected everyone to drop everything for her, but she still felt a small pang of disappointment. Regardless, today was about her, and no one was going to take that away.
She did finally get a call from her brother, Will. They talked for close to an hour. He was so upset that he couldn’t be there for her because his ship had been deployed. But she, of all people, completely understood. He promised that he and his wife would try to make it up for a visit around the holidays.
Suddenly, a sharp knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. She frowned, puzzled. There were still two hours before her appointment. “Come in,” she called, unsure of who it could be.
As soon as the door swung open, and her stomach dropped. Vice Admiral Alley. His presence immediately filled the room with a tension she could almost feel on her skin. His look of arrogance was unmistakable. The smug smile that always grated on her nerves was firmly in place.
Of all people, he was the last person she wanted to see.
“Vice Admiral,” Gabby greeted tersely, sitting up straighter. She knew he wasn’t there for a friendly visit. He never was. Unease slithered up her spine, her instincts screaming that something was off.
