by Wendy Byrne
She plunked the computer and memory device on the table. "Crack the code. I need to find out where he sent these girls."
Antonio's eyes narrowed. "Who's he? And what girls?"
"A man they call Trinity is in charge. Have you heard anything about him?"
Maybe it was her imagination, or her current state of paranoia, but there seemed to be an almost imperceptible hesitation before he shook his head. "I don't think so. What is this man involved in?"
A second passed while she tried to decipher what that look in his eye was all about. She gulped back the wariness and spoke. "Human trafficking. I need some clues."
"Let's see what we can find. But before I do that, let me get you something to eat." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down. "You're looking a little scrawny."
She'd been to his home a couple of times in the past, but he'd made some amazing improvements in the intervening years. "I guess the wine-selling business is going well for you."
"I can't complain."
He placed his arm on her waist and led her to the kitchen, where a humongous La Cornue stove was the focal point of the farmhouse. She didn't know much about kitchens but knew the stove alone cost over thirty grand.
Even though it was late in the day, open French doors allowed in the breeze as the night began to fall. The grounds outside his home were beautiful, and she couldn't help but be lulled into a temporary sense of relief.
He pulled out a bottle of wine and poured her a glass, encouraging her to take a drink with a wave of his hand. "You drink. I make some pasta." He pulled out a chair at the massive island topped with marble.
She knew better than to resist an Italian plying her with food. Instead, she opened the laptop, bringing up the only file she'd been able to find. "This is all I've got."
He clucked as he turned on the stove and began to heat the water. "And here I thought you were the computer whiz."
"I bow to your superior skills."
"It's about time you admitted it." He chuckled and sat next to her as he began to tap on the keys. "Let me see what I can find."
She peered over his shoulder, anxious for any morsel of information. Thoughts of Kane plagued her even though she tried to put them aside. Still, she couldn't help but wonder about him and if he'd made any progress finding information about Trinity.
While she'd come here to escape the discomfort, Antonio wasn't bringing her the sense of relief she'd thought he would. Somehow they didn't feel like old friends anymore.
* * *
Kane had finally managed to doze off when his phone rang. "What do you have?"
"Antonio Bianchi."
His pulse pounded. "Are you sure? She's been gone for nearly twelve hours. I've been crawling out of my skin."
"Yep, positive. We were able to find a photo of them together from a while ago." Ron drew in a breath. "He's rumored to have gone rogue in the intervening years. While he has a legitimate wine business as a front, there's a lot of speculation about where he gets his money, and none of it good."
Kane's fingers started to tremble as his heart raced. "In other words, she walked right into a trap."
"We don't know that for sure, but Antonio has a reputation for being a mercenary of sorts. It doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility that he might be involved somehow in what's going on with Trinity's organization."
A litany of curses threatened to explode from his mouth before he settled on one. "Shit."
"Your truck should be arriving any minute. It might be old, but it will blend in better for where you're headed. Are you going to need any backup?"
"No." Kane spat the word out as he paced the room. "Besides, Nellis would never approve that expense, especially since she's not our target."
"True, but by the time he figured it all out, it will be a done deal."
"I'm good." For that instant Kane couldn't help but think about the fact that he and Sabrina were so much alike. The difference being he knew when to ask for help.
"And the other news is we have a potential break in the information you sent us. We found a couple of hidden files with photos of the girls who've been taken. As soon as it's all compiled, I'll email it to you."
* * *
Sabrina wasn't sure if it was lethargy from the wine or the past several days had finally caught up her with her, but when Antonio walked her up the steps to the second level, she felt as if she could slide to the floor and sleep for a hundred years. He held tight to her waist as they slipped down the hall. She concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, and he stopped beside a door and opened it.
"I have some business to take care of in the morning, but maybe after that I can get back to the computer and see if I find anything."
"If you can't find anything, then…" She shrugged. She couldn't think about another failure. "Thanks for all your help, Antonio."
He pulled her in close and nuzzled her neck. A twinge of discomfort tunneled inside her.
"Maybe we could spend the night together. Just like old times. We could make love till morning."
"I…I don't think so. What we had together was kids' stuff, over a long time ago."
He withdrew and touched his fingertips to her chin while he examined her face. "What's happened to you? Is there someone in your life?"
What?
"No, no, it's not like that." She blew out a breath as she worked through their conversations, trying to ferret out how he'd come to that conclusion. She'd never mentioned Kane or anything about his involvement. "It's complicated, Antonio." She put a chaste kiss on his cheek. How could she make him understand this thing with Kane when she didn't really understand it herself?
"Ah, my dear Sabrina, love is always complicated, n'est pas?"
Without another word, he left. Not giving her a second to protest, even if she could formulate the words inside her head.
* * *
Sabrina's head pounded as she lay in bed, unable to fall back asleep. A dull ache kept her from going from awake to alert.
Depression felt like a veil covering her as she fought through where or what to do next. Footsteps sounded in the hall, but she closed her eyes and feigned sleep when the door slowly opened. She couldn't be sure how long Antonio stood examining her slumber, but it had to be a good twenty seconds. Any moment she expected him to call her ruse and insist she join him for breakfast, but he didn't. Instead, he quietly closed the door. She listened as his soft steps retreated down the stairs.
Seconds later, she heard him talking. "No, I told you before I wouldn't." His voice was quieter than usual as he spoke. Since she only heard one voice, she assumed he was on the phone. "Yes, I have her but she doesn't know anything."
He was quiet for so long, Sabrina thought he might have finished. "I get it. Okay." She heard a long exhale before he continued. "I'll leave in a little while and then you're free… The payment… She won't stay out of it…"
She shook her head as the words fused together in her head. Had he put something in her wine last night? She threw her legs over the side of the bed, but instead of charging down the stairs to confront him with the possibility, she slid back against the mattress.
Maybe it was all one big screwed-up dream.
* * *
Given the remote location, pulling into the dirt driveway would give advance notice of his arrival. Instead, Kane hid the old truck about a half-mile away and ran through the field toward the house in the early morning hours. With the back portion of the land covered in trees, he had a fighting chance of not being seen. Despite concentrated effort on his part, he couldn't keep fear from creeping up his back.
The dossier sent to him on Antonio couldn't have been clearer. The guy would sell out his own flesh and blood for financial gain. With Sabrina, the writing was on the wall. He could only hope he wasn't too late.
He crept along the side of the building, his breath faltering with each step. Knowing what Antonio was capable of didn't make him feel good about the situation. Sabrina coul
d be dead by now.
Damn. Why didn't he see that coming?
Nerves unlike anything he'd felt in a long time rode up his back as he skulked along the side of the old stone farmhouse. A weathered patio covered the back part of the house, with a cobblestone pathway leading into the trees behind it.
As Kane was trying to figure out the best way to approach, a car engine rumbled to life around the front. He ran along the side, peered around the corner, and spotted one person inside the car. The motorcycle Sabrina rode sat in the drive, confirming what he already knew.
Considering the early hour, if Antonio was still playing the part of good guy, that could mean Sabrina was still sleeping. He didn't want to think about the possibility that he'd shown his hand and the fact she might very well be dead, either inside the house or within the confines of the car.
He tamped down the ominous thoughts. From everything he'd read about Antonio, he didn't like to get his hands dirty. He also knew her well enough to realize she wouldn't go down easily. Betting on the chance she was still inside the house, he opted for Plan B.
Getting inside was easier than he might have imagined; he slipped in an open window. He slid along the wall and felt his heart rate stumble and restart in his chest, all while hoping he'd made the right choice in betting on the fact she was still sleeping.
He crept along the perimeter close to the wall, allowing his eyes to adjust to the lack of light. The house was eerily quiet and he couldn't help but worry.
The knife came out of nowhere, nicking his bicep before he stopped its progress by grabbing the offending arm with a twist. When he turned and spotted a shaken-looking Sabrina in the dim light, the adrenaline subsided, relief in its wake.
Kane couldn't help but smile. "You're seriously starting to tick me off."
"How did you find…" She stopped and felt along the seams of her pants then shirt.
"No tracker this time." He put his arm around her shoulder because she looked as if she might drop to the floor any second. "I looked up your friend Antonio."
"How?" Her eyes went wide as she stared.
"It wasn't difficult, knowing the Petrovich connection." He gave her a hard look. "You do know that the guy is bad news."
She shrugged and avoided looking at him. "So am I. I don't see the problem."
"Antonio sells his services to the highest bidder. Rumor has it there's a reward out on both of us for Marco's murder. It's within the realm of possibility that he would sell you out for a couple hundred thousand euros."
"Maybe he and I are lovers." She steeled her gaze at him.
He worked his jaw for a few seconds before he spoke. "Naw, I don't see that either." Even though he dismissed her claim, the male part of him had a niggling doubt.
She huffed. "You're awfully cocky."
"I know guys like him. It's my job to bust guys like him."
"And me as well?"
"Geez, will you knock it off with the pity party." He shook his head. "Where did he go?"
She chewed her lip. "I'm not sure. He was going to meet with somebody this morning but thought it would be best if I stuck around here."
"How convenient."
She straightened her shoulders. "Antonio and I go way back with Petrovich."
"The same man who taught you and your brothers to be ruthless, except, despite what you think, you're not wired that way. Now there's a price on your head that would make Antonio not think twice about turning you in." Kane let loose a string of expletives. "And you didn't think it was suspicious that he conveniently had a meeting this morning. He's setting you up. We need to get the hell out of here."
"He said the guy—''
He could almost see as the truth tunneled deep into her brain.
"I thought it was a dream—" She stopped mid-thought as she turned and headed for the stairs.
He followed. She charged into a bedroom, gathered her things, and stuffed them into her backpack. Seconds later, they bounded down the stairs together.
"I'm right, aren't I? What happened?" Something in what he'd said scared her. It would be nice to know what.
"I'll tell you when we get to the car."
"This way. Through the back field. It's only about a quarter-mile."
When they got to the truck, she threw her bag in the back and jumped into the passenger seat. "Do you think he's on his way?"
"I know he is, and he brought some friends." He pointed to the trail of cars coming down the rural road in their direction.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
"Those aren't police cars. Which scares me even more." He glanced at Sabrina, his jaw set in a strong line. "Does Antonio know where you're going or who you're after?"
Mute, she shook her head. "No…I…" She couldn't seem to form the words, especially when her chest constricted. No more mistakes. You're better than that. Stay sharp, Saby.
The sting of Antonio's betrayal lay like a rock in her gut. She shouldn't be surprised, but she had been. Would she ever figure out that whole trust thing, or would it be only her brothers that offered her the security she needed?
Kane sucked in a breath and focused on the road. "Does he know about me?"
"I didn't get into specifics except to say I was hunting for a girl held captive by sex traffickers." She chewed her lip as she struggled to remember her exact words. "I mentioned Trinity but not you."
But he'd guessed about you. That made her wonder if he knew ahead of time she'd show up. She felt like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, without a bottom in sight.
He blew out a breath. "They'd have no reason to believe you have help with this, even though there's a reward out on both of us. They might assume we parted company, since you showed up alone. With a little luck, we still might be able to get out of this alive." He urged her to squish onto the floor of the truck. Then put on a hat with gray hair peeking out the back and plastered a phony beard and mustache on his face.
She had to admit, his cheesy disguise seemed to transform him enough to escape a superficial inspection. That, along with the old farm truck he drove, should get them past Antonio and whomever he'd contacted.
The idea of Antonio's disloyalty sank deep into her chest and squeezed. Confirmation of what she'd been feeling while she was at his home clanged around inside her gut. It was both unpleasant and unnerving.
Long ago she'd learned to trust no one but family, and now Kane wanted her to do the unthinkable. Trust him with her life.
She watched his fingers as he shifted the old truck into second, and hoped this worked, since this piece of crap couldn't outrun a donkey, let alone another car. Her own fingers held steady on the gun as determination steeled her spine. If it came down to it, she'd do what she had to do.
"Caio." Kane had managed to make his voice sound gruffer and older as he drove past what she could only assume was Antonio and his posse of bad guys.
Even though she wouldn't have suspected Kane had succumbed to nerves a few seconds ago, he blew out a breath once the car passed. "Four cars. Two guys in each car. I think I passed the smell test. They're still headed toward Antonio's house."
"Can I get up?" She was itching to see for herself. They needed cover, and this old pick-up wasn't going to do it indefinitely.
He glanced in the rearview mirror. "They pulled into Antonio's. We need to figure out a place to hide."
She eased up in the seat. "There's a small village about a mile down the road. Stash the truck there and we'll head off on foot. We probably can walk faster than this tank can move anyway."
He gave her a quick smile. "You're probably right. They might put two and two together and figure out that older farmer's truck doesn't belong around here."
"I want to be out of the line of fire when they do."
"Use the binoculars and try to see what's going on."
She stuck her head out the window and held them to her eyes. "They're still in the house as far, as I can tell."
"What exactly did you overhear this morning?"
<
br /> Admitting she'd once again screwed up was difficult. Especially when betrayal licked at a sensitive spot inside her she'd learned long ago not to ignore. "Bits and pieces of a conversation." She blew out a breath. "I think he might have put something in my wine last night. I felt so exhausted and out of it I wasn't sure what was going on, but he was talking on the phone—" Her breath stutter-stepped as the men poured out of the farmhouse. "Uh oh, we're in trouble. They came running out and got into their cars."
"We've got to hope they wouldn't have suspected this old truck to be your getaway car."
"You were right. Eight guys including Antonio." Saying his name out loud brought a grinding sensation to her chest.
"Any ideas?"
"Give me your phone and I'll find the closest train station." He handed her his phone. No doubt they'd be suspecting that would be her first choice, especially if they thought she was acting alone, but if they could somehow evade them until the train came…
"Got it. Ten miles north." Sabrina glanced behind them and spotted a black car roaring down the road, gaining on them. "Trouble." She shook her head. "And we're not going to make it to the train."
He glanced in the rearview mirror. "Only one. They must have split up."
"That's the good news." The teaspoonful of adrenaline left in her body sprang to life. "I'll go back onto the floor. We shouldn't assume they're after us, but still…I'll take my gun and be ready."
"They're coming alongside." Kane maneuvered the gun into his left hand against the door as he slowed and moved to the right side of the road.
"Maybe they're only going to pass." Sabrina kept her finger on the trigger and sank further onto the floor while the itch crawled up her back. She had no doubt this was going to go bad. She didn't know when or where, but it was inevitable.
"Code word for they're not buying my line of BS is Uncle Salvatore." His jaw was clenched as he threw an old flannel over her squished form. "If you hear that, be ready."
She nodded and made herself as small as she could. The sounds of the engine rattled the frame on the old truck as she held her breath and tried not to move a centimeter. She could visualize the car getting closer until it had come side by side with the truck. Kane spoke to them in Italian. They returned the conversation in German asking if he'd seen a woman. He kept reciting "Non capisco." But they kept hounding him with questions.
