“Me, too, baby,” Kace murmurs. “Me, too.”
He’s barely issued that agreement when we enter a dimly lit lounge with blue and pink neon lights on the walls and ceiling, the long bar glowing blue. Cushioned booth-style seating lines those neon glowing walls but only a few people mingle here and there. The crowd, which is clearly concentrated just beyond an arch where bodies are bouncing around on a dance floor, appears to be massive. Folding my hand firmly in his, Kace leads me forward, under the arch, and into the blast of music, the song “People I Don’t Like” by UPSAHL driving the crowd wild. And me too, a little, as the words vibrate through me:
Hello, it's so good to see you
We met before, but nice to meet you
Yeah, I don't really wanna be here like, ah-ah-ah-ah
It feels like how Gio is treating Kace. Actually, it feels like how he’s treating me and suddenly I’m angry with my brother all over again, which isn’t a positive emotion. Kace motions to the stairs that lead to what looks like another bar area, with people leaning on the railing to watch the dancers. It’s a perfect spot to scan for Gio. I nod my approval and Kace maneuvers me in front of him, his hands possessively wrapping my waist as we weave through the crush of bodies and then start up the metal winding stairs. The higher we climb, the softer the music becomes, and when I finish the climb and step onto the elevated level just ahead of Kace, to my shock Gio steps in front of me.
Dressed in all black, with a beer in his hand, he looks handsome, cocky, and bigger than life. He’s always been bigger than life to me, my brother, the head of the family, after my father vanished. My heart squeezes with my love for this man, my blood, the only family I have left. When he looks at me, I see that in his eyes, too. We are family. We can’t fail each other.
Instantly, my anger fades, and I throw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. His hand comes down on my back and he pulls me close, and whispers, “Let’s talk. Alone.”
I can feel Kace’s jagged energy at my back and I understand why. Gio, thus far, has been a blade trying to cut the bond between us. I glance up at my brother, eyes meeting his. “I need you to talk to Kace. I need you to give him a chance.”
He fixes me in a heavy-lidded stare, his jaw set stubbornly. “After we talk.”
I’m not going to change his mind and with a frustrated sigh, I turn to Kace, closing the small space between us, my hands curling on his chest. “I need to talk to him alone.”
He stares down at me, his expression unreadable, but the edginess of his mood is back and all too real. It pulses like the music, a living breathing force, almost destructive in its power. He doesn’t want to say yes, but he lifts his chin toward the bar. “I’ll be right there.”
“Thank you,” I say, pushing to my toes to kiss him and when I would simply brush my lips to his, he cups my head and claims my mouth in a bruising, possessive kiss meant to make a statement: I’m his. Gio can’t take me away. I’m almost angry at him for antagonizing Gio, almost. Another part of me is aware of how alone we both were before we found each other, how certain I am in this moment that he needs me the way I need him. This part of me welcomes his response, revels in being needed and loved by this beautiful, talented man who has become my best friend and partner. I sink into the kiss, reveling in his claim on me. And in his silent promise that he will not back down, he will not walk away from me or us, not even for my brother.
When his lips part from mine, I have no chance to speak. He sets me just to his left and steps toe to toe with Gio. My heart leaps and I force myself to stand my ground, to give them a moment, because this is what I want: for them to talk. I turn my head, my ear reaching for their voices, but the music muffles the words. My gaze jerks to Gio’s face, his expression hard, unreadable, his body stone, unmoving, but he does reply to whatever Kace has said to him. Whatever it is, it’s enough for Kace. He backs out of the stance with Gio, rotating to face me again. “I’ll be close,” he promises and that’s it. He steps away from me, and I watch as he saunters toward the bar, all kinds of cool masculine swagger and power. I watch as if this is the last time I will admire him, which is crazy.
“Aria.”
At Gio’s prod, I snap my head back to him. He inclines his chin toward the tables on the opposite side of the bar. We head that way, and it’s only now that I take in the upper level, a dimly lit room with more neon blue and pink glowing from the ceiling and walls. Gio guides me deeper into the room, away from the commotion at the railing. So much so that the cluster of small round tables are completely unoccupied. Gio claims a table behind a giant shiny pillar, out of Kace’s line of sight, which I am certain is no accident. Unease pinches wickedly in my chest and I almost want to resist his choice of location, but this is Gio, I remind myself. He’s my brother and it’s clear that he’s resisting Kace’s involvement in our lives, and therefore demanding privacy. And I need to give him what he needs to have a real talk once and for all.
A quick scan tells me there is a bar in the corner, a sign pointing down a hallway for a bathroom, and no other stairwell, no exit. With that knowledge, I feel safe enough and I claim my seat.
The table is small and Gio and I are close, side by side, able to talk without shouting. A pretty, skimpily-clad blonde bombshell of a waitress shows up with a tray of shots. “We’ll take two each,” Gio says.
“Not for me,” I say.
Gio hands the woman cash. “Two each.”
I watch the woman finger the cash and I have a moment where I wonder where he’s even getting money since I spent it all on bills. It’s not like I’ve been paid by Riptide. And I certainly don’t intend to share a bank account for our business dealings right now either. Not when he’s been doing dirty side jobs for a long time, it appears, which of course, must be where he’s getting his money. He may have a huge bank account while I suffered from worry. He sets two shots in front of me. I hold up my hands. “No. I don’t drink well. You know that.”
He leans in closer, and murmurs softly, for my ears only, “I hate your boyfriend. You love him. We both need a drink. Drink.”
Right, I think. We need a drink. Still, I point at the shots, and say, “Not that.”
The waitress holds up a pink shot. “It tastes like candy, I promise.”
Gio eyes me. “Come on, little sis. You love candy. You want to live life, live it. You’ve got your famous boyfriend and a pack of security to get you home safely.”
I grimace and wave on the pink drink. The waitress sets it in front of me and Gio pays her by shoving money down her excessive and impressive cleavage. When she leaves, he casts a grin in my direction, wiggling an eyebrow.
I glower. “Really, Gio?”
“Living life, Aria. Living life.” He lifts a shot and motions to mine. “Drink up.”
I pick up the shot and down it, coughing with the sweet sugary concoction that still manages to burn. Gio is on shot number two by the time I recover. “That sucked,” I say. “It tasted like stale bubble gum.”
“The second one always tastes better than the first, but we both know you won’t test that theory.” He rests his arms on the table. “Where do we start?”
There’s a bitter taste in my mouth that isn’t all about the bubble gum shot. It’s about the burn of distrust between me, Gio, and Kace. “I trust Kace. I want you to give him a chance.”
“You better be right about this, little sis, because we now know the word is out. You and Kace together equal the formula. You aren’t even making it hard on the bad guys. And that means I need to find Sofia and convince her I’m still in love with her.”
I blanch. “What? Why? And you still don’t know where she is?”
“No, I don’t know where she is, aside from obviously watching you. As to why? Because I don’t want her people to use me to get to you.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, but I know the minute I ask. “You mean to threaten you to get me to give up what I don’t have.”
<
br /> “Exactly. I need to be an insider asset.” He downs another shot, his teeth pulling back tight across his teeth. I swear my stomach churns just thinking about that shock. Clearly I’ve had too much alcohol today. He gives a low groan. “That burns.” He sets the glass down and returns to the topic. “I have to find her first.”
“How do you even know she’s still here in the city?”
“Aside from her leaving the note, right before I walked in on her fucking that little bitch Lorenzo and tried to kill them both—”
“Stop saying that. I don’t want to hear about you killing anyone.”
“Irrelevant right now,” he says dismissively. “And I’ve already told you this anyway. Back to how I know she’s here. Sofia had decided that you and Kace were the key to the formula.”
“You told me a much-abbreviated version of that story, Gio.”
“You kept hitting me, I tried to give you details. As I was saying, we—me and Sofia—were headed back here. Seemed irrational to me that she thought you and Kace had pieces of the formula, but I didn’t know about the journal. Obviously, the bitch did and didn’t tell me about it.””
“Makes you wonder what else is in that journal, doesn’t it?”
“Maybe something about Sofia and her family?” he asks but it’s not really a question. “Been thinking that ever since you told me about the journal. She’s here. And you’re right. She left that note for you to find. She wanted you and Kace together. I’m sure it’s her wet dream that you’re actually fucking him.”
I scowl. “I’m not just fucking him.”
“Bottom line, Aria. You gave her what she wants. If we don’t get to her and her people first, they will get to you and Kace. They’re not low on skills or resources.”
“Neither are we,” I say, feeling lightheaded now and really regretting that shot. “Talk to Kace,” I press. “Talk to Walker. Help us end this. They’re good people, Gio. They can help us.”
“And if they turn on us?”
“We have to trust someone.”
He twists more my direction. “I know you trust him, Aria, but—”
“Gio—”
He pokes the table, his voice rough with demand. “Listen to me. I believe he’s in just as much danger as you, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want what they want.”
“He signed papers that legally relinquish any right or profit from our name or the Stradivarius brand.”
He jerks back slightly. “No fucking shit. What’s the catch?”
“There is no catch. I’m even seeing an attorney tomorrow to review the documents. Kace suggested it. And he thinks there might be an inheritance we can claim. Gio, he didn’t make Dad—”
“I know Kace isn’t to blame for Dad’s decisions.” His expression tightens. “Dad thought I’d sell him out.”
“Was he right?”
His lips thin. “Back then he was. Now, no. I’m not a kid anymore. I want what was ours. I want to do right by him and protect our legacy.”
“Then talk to Kace, really talk to him Gio. And not here. We need a quiet, private place to talk.”
“I’ll go talk to him. Alone. Here. If that goes well, we’ll move to a quieter spot.”
“I don’t know if I like that idea. You did tell him I’m a money-grubbing wench.”
“Sorry about that, but he’s still around I see.”
“Not for the formula. I told you—”
“I’ll talk to him,” he says. “Give us ten minutes. Okay?”
“Fine. You have ten minutes and then I’m coming to check on you.” He starts to get up and I catch his arm. “Gio, I love Kace. I really love him.”
“I know,” he says. “I see it your eyes when you look at him.”
“And when he looks at me?”
“I think the fucker might actually love you, too. If I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t be doing this. Plus, I was a bastard to you. I owe you.”
“You really do, Gio.”
“I know. I won’t let you down again. I promise. Now—stay and let me do this.” He eyes his arm that I’m still holding.
I release it and he stands up. I follow and a sharp bite attacks my stomach. “Is it safe to go to the bathroom here?”
“Yeah. There’s no exit that doesn’t require getting past me and Kace at the bar. Go. I know you have the bladder of a two-year-old.” He laughs and walks away.
I scoot out from behind the table and hurry toward the bathroom, that pinch in my belly turning into nausea, while my head is spinning. The hallway is a blessed release, a promise of escape. I follow an L-shape and the bathroom door appears. There’s also a stairwell. Gio was wrong. There’s an exit and my gut tells me to turn and run. I do just that. I turn and try to run, but I’m sick and I can’t catch my breath. I make it two steps and I have to stop, but I feel someone at my back. I turn and a pretty brunette is standing in front of me while the ground is sinking beneath my feet. I barely know where I’m at now but I know that I’ve been drugged. And I know who she is. “Sofia,” I say, but it comes out a whisper, air lodged in my lungs. I can’t seem to catch my breath.
A tall dark-haired man steps behind her and Sofia says, “Grab her now.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“What the fuck, Sofia?”
Gio’s voice bellows at my back and then he’s shoving me behind him, “Run,” he orders, but I can’t run. The world is spinning, the walls closing in. I flatten my hands on the wall, just trying to stay on my feet, but my eyes can’t focus on the ground, blackness blinking in and out of my vision. Oh God, what is happening to me?
“Damn it, Gio,” Sofia hisses. “Grab her. This is what we wanted. He loves her. He’ll give us what we need to get her back.”
Grab her? She wants Gio to grab me? I tell myself to run, I do, but I can’t seem to move.
“I’ll fucking kill you and Lorenzo,” Gio growls and a thundering sound behind me has just enough adrenaline rushing through me for me to roll my body and flatten my back on the wall. Gio has shoved the other man, Lorenzo, I think, against the opposite wall which must have been what I heard, and he’s now punching him. Sofia pulls a gun and I try to scream, but nothing comes out. Out of nowhere it seems, Adrian is behind her, taking it from her.
That’s when Lorenzo and Gio plummet into Adrian and they tumble down the stairs. And I’m still frozen, my body refusing to cooperate.
“Aria!”
At Kace’s shout, I find it in me to push off the wall and turn toward him. The minute I see him rushing toward me, the man I love, the man I can’t lose, I’m desperate to reach him but when I try to walk, my body just gives up the fight. My head spins, my knees wobble, and my legs give out. I go down hard, slamming my knees to the wood floor, my bones rattling with the impact. Kace is instantly there, on his knees, his arms sliding around me before I do a face plant. “Aria, baby. Talk to me.” His hand is on my face, tilting my gaze to his. “What happened? Where are you hurt?”
Suddenly my throat closes. I suck in air and wheeze. My hand goes to my throat. Kace curses and scoops me up, standing with me in his arms, Panic overcomes me. I grab Kace’s shirt. “I can’t,” I wheeze. “I can’t—breathe. I can’t—”
“I got you, baby. I got you.” He starts shouting, “Call an ambulance! We need an ambulance! Now! Now! Now!”
“Put her down,” a voice says, and I blink up at Savage. “Down,” he says. “I’m a licensed surgeon. Don’t ask questions. I’m a book you can read later. Just put her down. Now.”
My lashes lower, darkness consuming me, but when I finally find the strength to open my eyes again, I’m on the ground and Kace is leaning over me. “Hang on, baby. Hang on.” My lashes shut again—they’re just so heavy—and I hear him say, “What the hell is happening to her?”
“They drugged her, most likely diazepam, which is a sedative. That’s what these assholes use. An overdose can shut down your lungs.”
; My lungs are shutting down.
I repeat the words in my mind and try to draw in air, but I can’t. I think I’m dying. I want to reach for Kace, but I can’t.
“Holy hell,” Kace murmurs. “What are you giving her?”
My eyes open to find Savage tapping a syringe over the top of me. “Naloxone,” he says. “It’s technically for an opioid overdose, which diazepam is not, but it’ll help jumpstart her lungs until I can get her on IV medication.”
I stare at the syringe and my eyes shut of their own accord. The needle comes next, a pinch, and then almost instantly, I gasp and sit up. Kace is squatting next to me, holding me, and Savage is immediately on his phone barking orders about an IV and a van. And all I know right now is that despite feeling pretty crappy, I can breathe again. Kace turns me into him, his hands on my face. “You scared the shit out of me, baby. You don’t get to leave me, you hear me? You don’t get to leave me.”
Dampness clings to my cheeks, tears, I think. I’m crying. I don’t know why I’m crying, but then Sofia holding the gun flashes in my mind and I grab his arm. “Sofia had a gun. Gio. Kace where is Gio?”
“I don’t know. Walker has eyes on him.”
Adrian kneels in front of us. “He’s chasing Sofia. I let him go. We have men following him and right now, we need you two out of here.”
“Aria!”
At Gio’s voice, my heart thunders in my chest and my mind replays Sofia’s words. Grab her. This is what we wanted. He loves her. He’ll give us what we need to get her back.
“Is she all right?” Gio demands and Adrian is on his feet pointing at him.
“Stay back, compadre,” Adrian warns, “or you will not like the results.”
“What the fuck,” Gio growls. “She’s my sister.”
“Where’s Sofia?” Adrian demands.
“She got away.”
She got away. Those words play in my head and not in a good way. Gio kneels in front of me. “Aria—”
“You told me there were no stairs by the bathroom, Gio. You convinced me to drink that drink.”
“I didn’t know there were stairs.”
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