Sitting up straighter, Mitch frowned, attention zeroing in on Jayson. “Rest assured, whatever we need to do to get Emma back, we will.”
Hope bloomed inside Jayson. Mitch had a way of inspiring faith. He also got shit done.
Focusing back on the group, Mitch asked, “What’s this FBI agent’s name?”
“Sabrina Ross,” Jayson answered. “She moved in next door to me a couple weeks ago. I caught her snooping around in my office. We need to verify her identity.”
“Ross?” Mitch echoed, then pinched the bridge of his nose. He heaved out a sigh.
“Do you know her?” Jayson asked.
“If we’re talking about Special Agent in Charge Daniel Ross’s daughter, then yes, I’m familiar.”
“Is that a problem?” Brand asked carefully.
“Probably,” Mitch responded. “Daniel and I have some history.”
“Great,” Chaz said dryly.
“Anything we should be aware of?” Brand pressed.
“No, it was personal.”
Other than being Julia’s dad and a badass who now worked shadow missions jointly with the CIA and the military, Jayson didn’t know a lot about Mitch’s personal life. Julia had told them her mother died when she was a little girl, and Mitch became her world. And although she wanted him to retire, it was obvious the man didn’t have any intention of slowing down any time soon.
Mitch waved a hand through the air. “Anyway, I’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. In the meantime, if Rocco Ferrante has Emma, we need to move fast. And fuck the FBI—if we need to step on toes, so be it.”
That hope blooming in Jayson’s chest became a full-on fire. Because that was exactly what he needed to hear.
Sabrina sat down on the edge of a chair and looked around Julia and Brandon’s apartment above the bar. Small and cozy, it had a homey, well lived-in vibe. Normally, it probably felt pretty welcoming. But with the wary looks Julia and Lottie directed her way, she felt anything but welcomed.
“You’re FBI?” Julia asked.
“I am.” Sabrina clasped her hands in her lap.
“Why do you think we had anything to do with Donato Ferrante’s death?” Lottie asked.
Sabrina’s gaze lowered to the small woman’s very large stomach. “I don’t thinkyoudid. But I was sent to investigate the men downstairs and determine if they had any involvement.”
No point in sugarcoating the situation. Sabrina wanted to be as transparent as possible because it might help her ferret out the truth. If the women believed she was being honest, then maybe they’d do the same. She might not always have faith in her abilities as an agent, but she knew without a doubt it would be far easier to get Julia and Lottie on her side than the men downstairs.
“But now, the more important issue is finding Emma,” Sabrina continued. “If Jayson and his friends were involved with Donato’s death, there’s no doubt in my mind Rocco is behind Emma’s abduction. He’s a vindictive asshole who lords over the Vegas gambling scene with an iron fist. And he was extremely close to his brother.”
“You think he would hurt Emma?” Lottie asked, her bright blue eyes filling with tears.
Sabrina swallowed hard. “Yes, I do. That’s why, if Rocco took her, we need to move fast.”
“This is all my fault,” Lottie sniffled.
“Lottie,” Julia warned. “Don’t.”
Sabrina looked between the two women who clearly knew something. “If you tell me, I can help you. And I will. I swear it.”
The petite pregnant blonde broke down into tears. “My ex, Andy, won a bag of gems from Donato at a high stakes poker game. Andy sent me a map showing where he’d buried the gems. We have a daughter together, but he was a deadbeat dad and never knew Reya. He wanted her to have the jewels, maybe to make amends. Anyway, Donato killed him and then kidnapped me. When he tried to push me off the roof, I stabbed him.”
“So, it was self-defense,” Sabrina stated, and Lottie nodded.
“I have Reya, and I did what I had to do.” She swiped away the tears on her cheeks. “I still have nightmares about it, but it was him or me. The guys came to my rescue. Chaz showed up right before—” Her voice caught, the memory still obviously very raw and recent.
