“Isa was a diversion to enable Alvaro and another man to sneak into the building through the ventilation shaft. Alvaro went to get you while the other guy planned to hijack the system. They were going to use poison gas to knock everyone out so they could take you, but John Angelo foiled them. A group of men got the guy before he could inject that shit into the vents while a second team rescued you.” Holding her tighter, I press a lingering kiss to the top of her head. “If you hadn’t fought him, he might’ve gotten you into the vent before they arrived.”
“I will always fight back,” she says. “I swore to myself no one was ever taking me again, and I meant it, but they nearly had me.” Her fingers move to the tiny prick mark on the side of her neck.
“He didn’t get his hands on you, and there are no long-term side effects from the sedative. That’s all that matters.”
“So, Isa was working with the cartel all this time?” she asks, peering up at me.
“I believe her father is the mastermind.” Rage barrels through me. “En route to you, I got a call from Gia. The tech team got a hit on Alvaro from the facial recognition system. They caught footage of him meeting Rafaelo Da Rosa. I’ve since heard they have captured evidence of other meetings between the two.”
“Does she hate me so much her father would consort with the cartel to kidnap me?”
“Alvaro doesn’t work for the cartel any longer. Same with the other guy. Don Greco spoke to Rodrigo Fuentes. Alvaro went rogue when Rodrigo took control. They’re disgusted his actions have jeopardized the agreement in place between them and us. The cartel has washed its hands of them. Told us to handle it. Gia is working on the evidence now, but it looks like Isa’s father was bankrolling the two men. I think this is the piece of the puzzle we’ve been missing all along.”
Sloane sits up straighter, looking me straight in the eye. “I want in on the interrogation. Don’t even think of dissuading me. I deserve answers as much as you do.”
“I agree. If you want to be there, fine, but it’ll get bloody. Are you sure you want to witness that?”
“If they’re as involved as you think, then fuck yes.” Sloane flings the covers off and slides out of my arms. “Come on.” She glances over her shoulder. “There’s no time like the present, and while we’re on our way, you can tell me what the fuck that wedding invite was all about.”
* * *
I’m officially in the doghouse. Sloane is furious with me for even briefly considering marrying Isa. Surprisingly, her biggest issue is the fact I had given up on love. That seems to have angered her more than anything. I have some major groveling to do, which I’ll happily concede to. I’m just grateful she believed me, and she’s still planning to stay.
“Wait a sec,” I say when we’ve stepped inside the interrogation building, halting at the stairs before we go down. “Drink this.” I thrust the bottle of water infused with electrolytes into her hand. Natalia checked her over before we left. She’d have preferred Sloane to stay in bed and rest today, but there aren’t any major reasons to deny her this. She is owed answers more than anyone.
“Stop fussing, Cristian. I already drank a bottle in the car on the way here.”
“Natalia said you need lots of fluids and to eat well.” My men are packing up the rest of Sloane’s things and transporting them to Glencoe later. Even though it seems like the threat is over now we’ve captured Rafaelo, Isa, and the two ex-cartel men, I’d still rather get Sloane behind the secure compound until we’ve finalized the investigation and confirmed there are no other loose ends or threats.
“And I will. After we get answers.”
“I love you,” I remind her before kissing her, uncaring that thesoldation duty can see and hear everything.
“I love you too.” She bites my lower lip, and it stings a little. “I’m still mad though.”
“I deserve it.”
“You so do.” She presses her mouth against mine, and her tongue darts out, licking the little bead of blood her teeth drew. “But I forgive you only because you’d already decided not to go through with it. That was your saving grace, Don DiPietro.”
“I thought you’d make me grovel for ages,” I admit, hauling her against my body.
She barks out a laugh. “I said I forgave you, Cristian, because life is too short to hold stupid grudges, but I said nothing about you not groveling.” Her hands slide under my jacket and land on my ass. “You will grovel to the ends of time if I command it.”
“I will do anything you bid, my queen.”
She’s giggling as we descend the stairs, and I’ll take that as a win.
Neither of us is laughing when we enter the cell a few minutes later. The three men are stripped to their boxers and tied to chairs by their hands and feet. All of them have been worked over, but they’re still breathing.
“Cris!” Isa wails, fighting the restraints tying her to the end chair. “Tell them I had nothing to do with this!” She’s fully dressed—because none of us wants to see her in her underwear—and her face and body are free of marks, except for the busted nose Sloane gave her. I’m probably sick, but watching the footage of Sloane laying Isa out made my dick hard.
No honorable made man is comfortable hitting a woman, though I might change my mind after I discover the full extent of Isa’s manipulation.
“She’s protesting her innocence nonstop,” Caleb says, walking toward us shirtless. Blood splatters coat his bare chest in jagged streaks, and his knuckles are torn. “I’ve been tempted to kill her at least ten times already.”
Isa continues crying and calling out my name, but I ignore her while her father hisses at her to shut up. Dano arches a brow from his position by the wall. I asked my underboss to personally watch over them in my absence, not thinking Caleb would still be here.
Caleb’s brows climb to his hairline when he looks at Sloane. “I didn’t realize you’d be joining us.”
