“Jamie!” Kathleen said, hugging her brother once again. They were standing outside the villa on the driveway, surrounded by Logan and Griffin.
“I have never been so glad to see you. Well,” she smiled ruefully, “except for that one other time.”
Jamie grinned at her, but then the smile slid off his face. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Are you?”
He gave her a quick nod. Then turned to Logan. “Is everyone okay?”
Logan touched his earbud and gave a quick nod. “Yeah, but Gage and Mitch are saying they weren’t much help. It was too much of a scrum. They didn’t have clear shots. Enzo just took off running across the terrace. They think he’s following Vitale and the Rinaldis.
“Oh my God,” Kathleen said. “We have to help him. Where did they go? Is there another exit from the villa?”
Logan seemed to be listening some more. Then shook his head. “Gage and Mitch aren’t seeing anything.
Griffin and Callum walked up with Mackie and Alex in tow. Both were holding guns and looking like they wanted to be anywhere but there. “There’s a delivery entrance around by the kitchen, but they didn’t go that way. We just came from there.”
“Who are these men?” Jamie asked. “I don’t recognize them. Wait, they look like…” His gaze flicked to Gage, then his eyes flared. “Are they…?”
“We’re not quite sure,” was Logan’s response. “This is Griffin, Callum, and MacKenzie…”
“Bishop,” Mackie supplied. “Our last name is Bishop.”
Jamie cocked an eyebrow at Logan, but the other man just shook his head.
Kathleen touched Jamie’s arm. “We have to find Enzo. We have to help him.”
Logan turned to look over his shoulder as Mitch crested the top of the driveway. He was wearing full combat gear and carrying a huge rifle. “I’ll go inside and do a sweep for anyone left.”
“Be careful,” Alex called. “I want a second honeymoon after we finish our first, okay?”
“Done,” Mitch agreed with a grin.
He saluted Griffin and Callum as he went by. “Thanks for the help. It would’ve been a lot uglier if you two hadn’t locked down the rest of the security inside. Drake wouldn’t have gotten in unannounced, which was crucial.” He shot them a grin and then balanced the rifle by the door and pulled out a handgun. He sent them a grin and then went inside.
Kathleen’s hands were sweaty, and her mouth was dry. “Please be okay,” she murmured to herself.
Logan came over to the Bishop siblings. “You all should push out of here. The cops are on their way. I’m thinking it’s best if you go before they show up. No need to be involved if you don’t have to be.”
A loud noise thumped nearby, and the front door slammed open. Everyone jumped. Logan, Callum, and Griffin had guns pointed at the door when Dominic came stumbling through it with his hands zip-tied behind his back.
“Fucking asshole thought he could get the drop on me,” Mitch roared, coming through the door after him. “I found him hiding in a fucking closet.”
Rage hit Kathleen like a hammer, and she saw red. Mitch half-shoved, half-walked Dominic toward them. All the fear and anger and stress of the last week hardened into one raging female. Logan grabbed Dominic’s arm to move him over to the SUV when Kathleen twisted and let loose with a roar as she hit that son of a bitch with a righteous right hook, spreading his nose across his face.
“You fucker!” she yelled. “You’re lucky I don’t fucking kill you right here.”
Jamie stared at his sister for a moment, then burst into laughter. “She’s right. You are lucky. At this moment, I think she could tear you limb from limb. Logan, maybe move him out of her reach.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Enzo caught a glimpse of Bianca disappearing into a room at the end of the hallway. His pulse spiked. He hit the doorway at a run and skidded to a stop. Behind the open bookcase lay a hidden stone staircase that spiraled downward.
Enzo drew a slow breath, steadied his grip, and started down the stairs with his gun raised.
Voices echoed up the stone shaft.
“This is your fucking mess!” Rocco roared. “You were supposed to help me! You were supposed to take care of Valardi! Now it’s all fucking ruined!”
