I Thee Take (To Have And To Hold Duet #2) - Natasha Knight Page 0,70

what they’re bidding on?”

“A brochure would have circulated prior to the event.”

“A fucking brochure?”

“These are animals we’re dealing with, Cristiano.”

“Christ.”

“It’s a pretty sophisticated operation. These sort of auctions are extraordinary from what I’m learning. They’ll save the special girls. Your uncle kept pretty good records from what I’ve found, and I get the feeling this is scratching the surface.”

“Do you know what he did with the information?”

“Nothing yet. But you should see what he’s got. Who he’s got. It would surprise you. Although he wasn’t on the cartel’s payroll, he had plenty of ammunition to get what he wanted from a number of people in various countries at various levels of power.”

“Dirty bastard.”

“We walk in,” Dante says.

Charlie stops talking.

I turn to my brother.

He looks determined. “You and me. We walk in like we’re invited. Like we belong there. Once we have Scarlett, we’ll need a distraction so we can get out.”

I study him, head tilting as I think about this.

“They won’t be expecting someone to walk through the front door. You and me walk in, Brother. We get Scarlett. Someone pulls a fucking fire alarm. I don’t know. But we get out. We deal with the mess after. Once she’s out of harm’s way.”

“That’s risky,” Charlie says. “But Dante may be right. It may be your best bet to get on property and get to Scarlett in time. There’s a forest and a fucking stone wall once you cross the property. Getting in any other way will be difficult and we’d have to wait for soldiers to arrive on site.”

“What do you want me to do, bid on my own wife?”

“We do what we need to do to get her out,” Dante says. “Period.”

“If our men aren’t there by the time you get her, I’ll call in a disturbance. Get the local police out there. They won’t want the attention. The attendees will scatter like cockroaches,” Charlie says.

I consider this. It could work. And it may be our only option.

“She may not have much time, Cristiano,” Charlie adds as if he’s just read my mind.

The driver takes the exit off the highway and a few moments later we’re on a dark, single lane road, two cars close behind with soldiers. More coming from other directions but it’ll take time and we’re out of it.

“Pull over. We’ll switch cars. Antonio and I will go in. Dante, you ride in the next car.”

“No,” Dante says.

“What do you mean no?”

“I mean I go in with you. It’s my plan. I’m not sitting it out. And I want this.”

“You’re not trained well enough—”

“You really think I’m not trained? That for the last ten years since finding my family massacred, I haven’t been preparing for a moment like this one? Like the one we just had? What kind of fool do you think me, Brother?”

I study him, my younger brother, my, what I presumed carefree brother, living the life he should live with girls and liquor and fun. Not the half-life of a damaged boy turned damaged man.

“Pull over,” I tell the driver.

He does and we all step out. The rain’s picked up and I’m getting wet but I’m still considering my brother. He needs this. I know it.

I nod. “I’m driving,” I say. “Antonio, Charlie, I’ll give the signal. You two work out the distraction.”

41

Cristiano

Rain now drums against the roof of the car. The windshield wipers work frantically to clear the glass.

The street leading to the house is quiet. We’re late to the party.

Dante is sitting beside me loading extra rounds of ammunition into his pockets. I keep looking at him to see if I can read distress, any sign of upset after what just happened. He’s got the radio turned up to some heavy metal shit music and is focused on his Glock.

Narrow canals parallel the road on either side with trees lined up at the perfect distance from one another almost as if someone used a ruler when planting them.

As the road curves to the right, I see lampposts along the side of the road. In the distance, the tall gates of the estate, the gargoyles perched atop the pillars on either side lit up like two devils.

I turn to Dante who is looking ahead at the entrance, too.

“Whatever happens, none of this is your fault. You know that, don’t you?”

He turns to me. “You don’t need to baby me, Brother.”

“I’m not babying you. I know you’re not a fucking baby. But you’re still my kid brother. You’ll always be my kid