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“One of the men…his picture was in the file you gave us.”
“What happened to the other men on your team?”
“Dead.” He gasps in pain. “I’m the only one left, but I’m not going to make it. I tried to pursue, but…”
“Tell me where you are and I’ll send help.”
“It’s too late for me but…Boss, I think they’re coming for you next.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Valentino
The past two nights have been nerve-racking for the DeLuca household. I’ve barely kept Tácito and Sloane together. I thought we prepared for all contingencies…I thought I prepared for a Ghost Six counter attack, but they’ve proven me wrong. Our idea to strike first is laughable given our current circumstances.
With everyone on high alert, I move the entire team into the mansion. When we need to mobilize, we’ll move quickly. As a precaution, I also relocate Giulio’s gift to the attic. I don’t believe he has anything to do with our current problems, but I follow my gut whenever it speaks. And the little man is barking orders left and right.
Meanwhile, we worry in silence, wondering what tortures Ghost Six is visiting upon my in-laws. The call we’ve anticipated and dreaded in equal measure comes at midnight, three days after my family’s abduction.
“What did they say?” Sloane tugs on my arm, beseeching me for more answers than the simple question she poses.
We’ve resorted to sleeping in our combat gear, something Sloane and Ethan’s team are more accustomed to than Tácito or I.
“They’ve set the time and place. Their hub, forty-five minutes.” I retrieve my gear which prompts everyone to do the same.
Sloane moves slower than the rest.
“Hey,” I grab her neck until she focuses her gaze on me. “I need you alert, or your ass stays home.”
She shakes her head, closes her eyes, and breathes deeply for a count of ten. When she opens her eyes again, her gaze is clear and fierce determination shines through more brightly than a homing beacon. “Thanks. I needed the reminder. I won’t jeopardize this plan.”
“I know you won’t, principessa.” I kiss her, quick and without the finesse I’m used to. “We’re going to save your parents and destroy Ghost Six while we’re at it.”
“Damn right we are.” She fills her voice with confidence, assuring me her mind and attitude are on the same page.
I leave her to gather her stuff. Amid the activity, Tácito grabs for his bag, but I seize his wrist before his fingers close over the handles.
“I’m sorry but you aren’t coming with us.”
Unlike with Sloane, I’m not looking to flip a switch in Tácito. We have no time to plan the safest strategy for him, even if the meet is at the same location we originally planned to infiltrate. With the original plan, I could never guarantee his safety, now with more radical elements involved, I won’t risk his life. With Ghost Six’s move, everything we do from here is all instinctive and Tácito’s never trained his instincts.
“The hell I’m not.” He tugs his hand, but my grip is firm.
“Tácito, we don’t have time to argue about this.”
“Exactly, so let go of my hand and let’s go.”
“This isn’t the safe plan we agreed on. I can’t safeguard you.”
“And I don’t expect you to. Look, as you said, we don’t have time for this and you can’t stop me.”
“Want to bet?”
“1.” He raises a finger. “If you are willing to do what needs to be done to stop me, you’ll have to tie me up and lock me somewhere that won’t make the staff curious to investigate. 2.” Another finger goes up as he continues his list. “If you decide to go that route, you’ll have to figure out the worst-case scenario that none of us want to contemplate, but you will because you don’t want to lock me up without food and water for days. 3. Even if you succeed in locking me up, I’ll find a way to escape. I’ll hurt myself if I have to, and we both know you don’t want me doing that. 4. I know where you’re going. If you disable all the cars on the premises, I’ll still be able to get a car. It’s called rentals. 5—”
“Enough, I get it,” I say, bothered by how long his list is and the fingers he keeps putting up to enumerate his points. “I swear if you hold us back I’ll knock you the fuck out and handcuff you inside the car.”
“But then you’ll leave me vulnerable to a Ghost Six attack. Do I have to list all the ways that can go badly?”
