Chapter Sixteen
“Thanks for taking care of her for me,” Satyanna whispered to Addie. Satyanna clamped her lips together. Her throat burned with apprehension and fear.
Addie held the baby in her arms. The little girl cooed and shook her arms and legs, excited, announcing she was happy with the exchange. Good. At least someone was happy. “Where are you going? Does Leonardo know?”
“Yes, he’s coming with me. We may have a lead as to where Harry has been hiding, and we want to check it out,” she said, trying to sound as calm as possible.
Addie frowned. “Why are you going? This doesn’t sound safe.”
“Addie…”
“There’s something you aren’t telling me.”
That if we don’t nail things today, you may die. Satyanna bit her inner cheek. Crap. If she leaked any piece of information now, Addie would either try to convince her not to go, or tell Bruno, or worse, probably want to come with her. The three possibilities were equally counterproductive.
She glanced at the round clock hanging in the kitchen. In five minutes, Harry would be calling her. She’d need to be next to Leonardo, who waited in the office. Since last night they hadn’t exchanged but a handful of words.
“I’m telling you everything I can. You’re going to have to trust me.” Tears burned her lids, but she blinked them back. Now was not the time to think about herself. She’d cried for hours the night before, sad about the reality that dawned on her—trying to be the woman Leonardo idealized was useless. She’d never be it, and it was best to stop lying to herself now rather than later. Besides, didn’t she deserve better? Someone who loved her despite her flaws instead of not loving her because of them?
“I trust you.”
“Good. At least someone in this family does,” she said, and tried hard to inject some energy into her voice to keep it from breaking.
Planting a kiss on the top of her daughter’s head, she inhaled to push in the comforting baby scent. “I’ll see you soon, baby girl,” she whispered. “I love you.”
Addie nodded, and Satyanna’s heart shrank to the size of an olive. Don’t overthink it now. Go forward. She walked in the direction of the home office; with each step, one more current stirred inside her, charging her with trepidation. Was her own body convincing her not to do this? No. She leaned down and smacked her kneecaps, as if they were two entities pulling her back.
If she wanted to have some peace of mind and protect her daughter forever, she needed to do this. After all, Leonardo she had already lost. Who cared what he thought?
She opened the door and found him waiting for her. Dressed smart with dark jeans, a crisp, white shirt, and a charcoal jacket, he looked as devilish as ever. Her sex clenched, signaling that no matter how painful and clever her decision to end any silly hopes about him, the desire lurked. Alive and vibrant.
“We’ll take you to wherever he suggests, and keep within a safe distance,” Leonardo said, then pointed at the two security guards next to the wall, who nodded at her in acknowledgment. Unlike the other days, the two strong men gave the all-black uniform a break and donned cargo shorts and white shirts to blend in. “Nothing will happen to you,” he said, then produced a small, polished handgun that looked like the slickest of its kind.
She blinked. “You’re armed?”
He slid it inside his pocket. “I’m not taking any chances.”
The air was suddenly in short supply. Leonardo glared at her, and she wondered if he was challenging her to change her mind. She stared back, ignoring the other guys in the room.
The Beethoven ringtone made her follow its sound and look at the cell phone sitting in the middle of the desk. Sucking in a breath, she didn’t wait for anybody’s command. She grabbed it and accepted the call. “Hello.”
“The Fashion Mall, in thirty minutes,” Harry said, his voice clipped.
She recognized the name of the upscale mall. Why did he want such a public place? Was he scared that they’d ambush him? “I’ll be there.”
“Alone,” he demanded, his tone cold.
“Count on it,” she said without hesitation.
“Good. I requested a taxi driver to pick you up. Go to the front of the house in five minutes.”
She clenched the phone and avoided looking at Leonardo. She could feel his gaze on her, but if she strayed him a glance, she’d falter. And that she couldn’t afford. “And be at your mercy? No.”
“You’re not going with Leonardo, if you want Addie to live. And what’s the difference between using a taxi service I called versus doing the same? You certainly don’t want to drive in Rio.”
“Okay. I’ll take the cab.”
She hung up, and noticed the tips of her fingers trembling. She had to count on some detouring, hadn’t she? “I need to go in the car he’s sending. He said Fashion Mall, but knowing Harry…” She sighed.
“He’ll probably take you somewhere else,” Leonardo said, and to her surprise, didn’t criticize her agreeing with Harry sending out a taxi. He was in full operational mode, eyes focused and shoulders squared. “Okay. You two go on a different car. I’ll take another. We can’t lose sight of that taxi, do you understand?” he said, throwing one set of keys to one of the bodyguards.
He caught it and palmed it. “Yes, sir.”
“We’d better get going, senhor, to leave as quickly as possible,” the taller one agreed.
Leonardo lifted his brow, and peered at her. Her throat contracted for a second, then pulsed wildly. The hustle and bustle around them came to a temporary halt, and as he gave her a slow nod, a fire brewed in her belly. Her pulse fluttered. Would everything be okay? She wasn’t sure, but she hoped so—the flicker in his eyes helped her realize it.
“Let’s do it, Satyanna,” he said.
Within less than a few minutes, she was sliding inside a seemingly ordinary taxi. The windows were lowered, even though the heat slicked her skin with sweat. She’d notice many drivers only turned on the AC by customer’s request.
Clenching the cell phone in her hands, she looked ahead.
“Fashion Mall,” she ordered, and the man nodded, adjusting his glasses. Was he Harry’s goon? She looked at the console and found his driver’s license with his registration to drive a cab. Seemed legit.
The voice of the dispatcher sounded, and she tried to understand what the lady was saying, her voice muffled by ecstatic.
“Change in plans?” she asked the driver.
“The dispatcher just informed me. She gave me the address,” the man said.
“What is it?”
“I’m not allowed to say,” the man said, and tossed her a glance over his shoulder. He flaunted a golden tooth, and had more hair squeezing between the buttons of his colorful shirt than on his head. Legit, my ass. He was working for Harry.
For the next forty minutes, she exercised her self-control not to glance over her shoulder. Her gaze strayed a couple times to make sure the cars were still within a safe distance. But she knew if she attempted to call Leonardo or signal they had changed their route, all would be lost. The taxi driver would know for sure they were being followed, and he’d tell Harry, who could call the whole thing off.
As the traffic worsened and the cars funneled into the main streets in Ipanema Beach, her forehead slicked with sweat—both from the outside temperature and her trying nerves.
When the taxi turned into narrow streets away from the beach, and tall buildings reached for the sky, she chewed on her lower lip. Where were they going? If Harry wanted to try and whisk her away, why did it seem like the farther they drove, the more people they saw? Pedestrians crossing the streets, vendors on the corners, and ladies walking their dogs on the sidewalks.
She palmed the cell phone like it was a weapon. When the vehicle idled on the corner of a busy street, she stuck her head out of the car and recognized the famous Feira Hippie, a popular flea market on a spacious plaza.
The phone vibrated in her hand, and she lifted it to her ear. “Get out of the car,” Harry said. In tandem with his phone call, the cab driver parked the car and opened the door for her to come out.
“What now?”
“Keep walking. Go inside. Look for a tent with red parrots on the far left,” he said before disconnecting.
Insecure, she glanced around her. Tourists and locals swarmed into the maze of tents, booths with vendors offering all kinds of crafty souvenirs and handmade gifts. The scents of leather, burning incense, and sweat blended in the air.
She scanned the crowd, searching for Harry. If she weren’t so freaking nervous, and with a pressing task, she would have appreciated the unique collection of jewelry, artifacts, and even paintings. Sweat slid from the back of her neck down her spine. She rubbed her forehead.
She walked ahead, looking for the damn red parrots. Until someone called her from behind.
“Well, well…” said the British voice behind her, and she didn’t have to turn around to recognize it. The cat-and-mouse game had finally come to an end. And another one was about to begin.
…
“Pulseira de couro?” A woman with dreadlocks offered him, waving a brown leather bracelet in his face. “It’s good stuff.”
“No,” he said, squinting against the sun shining down at him. He’d lost the car with security guards on the way; the sedan had been squeezed between two trucks then lost sight of them. He had continued on in his car, keeping an eye on the taxi like his life depended on it. Because it did.
Ever since the previous night after he’d talked to his brother, words had rung in his ears. Sleeping became an impossible task, and he’d used every ounce of self-control not to storm into her room and kiss her. Talk to her. Pour out the emotions forming a hot knot in his throat. He loved her.
He couldn’t have picked a worse time to realize it, but if he had told her this morning before she took off in the cab, they would both be riled up. He knew he would. To show her he respected her and trusted the way she wanted to handle it, he’d chosen not to talk about love. When this mess was over, he’d snatch her into his arms and they would start a life together, continue the bond pulling them toward each other, and not waste time musing over the past.
He rushed through the market, bumping into people. Even though he was taller than most of the crowd, with objects dangling from makeshift booths and several different stations offering fabrics and dresses, it was hard to focus on one thing. All he wanted was to find her, and a woman with her remarkably red hair should stand out.
His heart beat faster. Not choosing her wasn’t an option. He had lost her before after a wild weekend of sex. If he lost her now, after having spent time with her, enjoying her company, and really getting to know the fantastic, generous, beautiful soul she was…that would be his undoing.
He caught a glimpse of red and quickened his pace. He could call the police, but by the time they arrived it would be too late. No. This was his fight. His family to protect.
With every step he took toward Satyanna, a different part of him adjusted to the building tension and stiffened. His pulse hammered. His gaze darted to the area around her, and he found him. A man almost as tall as he, wearing a white wide-brimmed hat and matching linen shirt and pants. If one didn’t know how evil he could be, they would have deemed him a typical tourist visiting Rio for a week of fun.
Leonardo wasn’t open for negotiation. He slid his hand into his pocket and clutched the semi-automatic pistol. The black gun felt cold against his palm. Hard, merciless even, but not heavy.
“Harry Clemonte, don’t move,” he said out loud, pointing the gun at his head.
Satyanna gasped, and when her eyes found his, they widened. “Leonardo,” she said, and he wasn’t sure it was good or bad. Did he interrupt something? They should have had enough time to talk. Besides, wasn’t that the idea? To capture Harry?
Harry lifted both hands in the air in surrender and turned around to see him. Leonardo didn’t lower his gun, and the people around them swooshed, moving away while whispering, “Armed man. Get out of the way.” A few objects fell to the floor, and the sales people hurried to grab knickknacks and jewelry from their booths.
Leonardo had instructed his security to call the sheriff; if all went as planned, within a few minutes Harry Clemonte would be arrested and go behind bars. At last.
“It’s over, Clemonte,” Leonardo said, his voice firm.
A lazy smile spread across Clemonte’s oval face. “Hardly. What do you intend on doing now?”
“I should kill you, but you’re not worth it. Stay put until the police arrive and don’t test me.”
Clemonte pursed his lips. “Charming.”
Suddenly, someone launched on to him and brought him to the cement ground. His body slammed against the hard surface, and with the impact, the gun slipped from his hand. His attacker threw it away, and he motioned to hit the guy, but before he moved, Leonardo felt a punch to his stomach, his insides tightening with pain. All before he could even raise his gaze and face the prick who had been coward enough to hit him. Stupid enough. The man was almost his size, burly, with greasy brown hair slicked back.
“You didn’t think I’d come alone, did you?” Harry chuckled. “I hate fighting. Not good for my nails.”
Seeing red at the corners of his eyes, Leonardo growled. The guy was lifting his fist midair, when Leonardo outsmarted him and kneed him in the gut. Hard.
The man screamed, his head bending down.
His hand was cramping from all the action, but he didn’t waver. No. If he stopped, he knew within a couple seconds that son of a bitch would try to clock him. Leonardo flipped him on his back. Under his breath, he heard some noise, people whispering, even though they were a few feet away. No one wanted to get accidentally hurt. And Satyanna…he couldn’t tune out her voice, “Don’t kill him.”
The man’s blood soaked his hand, and Leonardo struck his face again. Once, twice, until he fell on the floor in the fetal position.
“Step back,” Harry shouted. Unlike before, there was no amusement in his drawl.
Leonardo stood to his full height, his eyes automatically looking for Satyanna. She was walking in his direction, saying things he couldn’t quite hear.
“You’ve been an inconvenience for too long.” Harry said, and pointed a handgun at him, the metal shining against the sun.
“Are you crazy, Harry?” Satyanna asked. “Lower that gun. Now.”
Leonardo instinctively touched his pocket, looking for the gun, and remembered it had fallen when the goon caught him unprepared.
“I’m done,” he said, and Leonardo could almost smell the sleek bullet smoking out of the muzzle. He swallowed, hard, getting ready to try and dodge it. Although, what was the point? There’d be others.
The gunshot reverberated in his body, and a fraction of a second later, Satyanna flung into him, her weight crashing against his own. He touched her, and when his eyes drifted to her shoulder, any pain he had experienced until then subsided. A wave of horror washed over him. The blood on his shoulder was Satyanna’s. His heart froze. She’s been shot.