“Audi coming up behind us,” she reported as she accelerated onto the highway, somehow finding a small space to squeeze through to the middle lane, and then they were in the fast lane threading through traffic.
She slowed once to a sedate speed and sent a smirk to the mirror as a cop slid silently up behind the Audi, trying to catch them.
Mitya caught a glimpse of the SUV making its way through traffic. There wasn’t as much traffic heading in this direction, away from the city toward the hills and wine country. The SUV spotted the cop and was forced to slow as well. Ania’s speed was just above the limit, and she added one and then two more miles per hour. They crept away from the two cars chasing them.
“Is everyone in place?” Mitya asked Sevastyan. He couldn’t help the clipped voice.
“Yes.”
“Just our people?”
“The ones we trust,” Sevastyan said. “Fyodor and Timur brought the crew they trust as well. We didn’t alert Bannaconni or Perez this time. We’ll handle it. Fyodor has a place we can take any prisoners to.”
Ania’s gaze slid to his in the mirror and then her eyes were back on the road. Mitya ignored the uneasiness creeping into her gaze.
“How the fuck did the glass break on Miron’s window? It’s supposed to be bulletproof and new. That looks as if the sun degraded it.”
“Had it outfitted a couple of weeks ago,” Sevastyan said. “Replaced everything just to be safe. Jeremiah took the car in because Miron was busy.” He didn’t point out that they’d been trying to keep Mitya safe while his leopard went crazy over Ania’s, but he did glance her way.
“Jeremiah? The kid? No way is that boy a traitor.”
“You have to worry about him, Mitya,” Sevastyan said. “He came from Borneo, same as Amory. Drake recommended him, same as Amory. They both worked for Jake Bannaconni at Drake’s suggestion. He could be a plant.”
“He’s not a plant,” Mitya said. “You know damn well he’s not a plant. He’s got ADHD or something, Sevastyan. No way would anyone recruit him for a long-term undercover operation. It isn’t him. Where’d you take the car?”
There was a small silence. Ania glanced at Sevastyan. Mitya saw her hand tremble for the first time. Her unease had nothing to do with the fact that their exit was coming up fast. She began to make her way over to the slow lane.
“Took the car to Houston. The Anwar family outfits cars like ours,” Sevastyan said.
Ania had known that. Of course, she knew. She grew up around all the families in San Antonio, Houston, probably other places as well. She knew the shops, anything at all that had to do with cars or a crime family. Her grandfather and father had groomed her to take over the business. They’d been friends with Bartolo Anwar, his two sons, Enrico and Samuele, and she’d probably met Bartolo’s daughter, Giacinta, as well.
“They’re following,” Ania announced. “No cops following, they’ll be coming at us aggressively.”
Mitya glanced back. “Move it, Ania, keep us out in front of them.”
She accelerated immediately, and used a road he’d never been on, a shortcut he presumed. The surface wasn’t asphalt, but more gravel, stone and rock set with oil. She didn’t slow down, even when she made the sharp turn onto the road. It was narrow with a deep drainage ditch on either side. Mitya and Sevastyan exchanged a long look, and Mitya shook his head. His woman was a little terrifying, and sexy as hell with her confidence and driving skills.
“Miron?”
“Hanging in there. I got the bleeding under control, but he needs a medic. They’ll have one waiting,” Sevastyan reiterated.
“They’re on us,” Mitya told Ania.
She didn’t so much as glance at him but kept driving down the narrow road. There was water in the ditches and occasionally a very large culvert. She looked relaxed, as if she were driving leisurely on a country road, not hurtling along at a high rate of speed over what amounted to gravel.
He saw the passenger in the lead car stick his head out the window, gun in hand. Mitya threw himself to the passenger side and immediately had his window down. The driver accelerated. Ania suddenly hit the brakes. The Audi tried to do the same when it realized they were going to hit. The shooter caught at the door frame and Mitya shot him in the head. Ania hit the gas just as the