I hadn’t expected him to be this strong. Then again, I was at a clear disadvantage, not knowing what drug they’d fed me. Flicking my wrist, my elbow connected with his mouth, busting his lip. He groaned. Pussy. Another knock of my elbow and he lost his grip on the gun, blood spurting from his mouth. I grabbed the weapon and pointed it at him. Screaming like a fucking banshee bitch on steroids, Lucia smashed something on my back. I stumbled against the wall, the gun falling to the floor.
Leo scrambled for the weapon. My recovery was faster. I dropped to the floor, picked up the gun, and fired, catching him right between the eyes. The roar fused with Lucia’s scream as Leo stared at me through blood-drenched eyes before they rolled to the back of his head, his body staggering backward. The momentum took him through the open balcony doors and over the rail.
Screeching, Lucia charged at me. I didn’t hesitate. The gun went off, the force of the bullet slamming into her chest sent her crashing back against the dresser. Blood poured from her wound, her face a confused mixture of fear and surprise before her eyes rolled shut.
I sat up and leaned against the wall. A second later the door burst open. Four of my men and Julian rushed inside, weapons raised. They surveyed the scene then holstered their weapons. Two of them followed Leo’s blood trail to the balcony rail while the other two began cleanup with Lucia’s body.
Julian crouched beside me. “You okay, sir?” He checked my shoulder.
“Twice in one fucking day, what do you think?” I grunted.
He smirked. “It’s a flesh wound but you’re going to need stitches.”
I shook my head to focus, white spots making vision hazy. “Tony, tell Rosana to get the doctor here. That bitch fed me some shit and I need to know what it is. He’ll need that glass.” I tipped my chin at the brandy glass Lucia had left on the bed.
“I’m guessing Leo went over the balcony,” Julian asked as Tony left the room.
“The good news is the fucker is dead. The bad news.” I looked at Julian and his expression turned wary. He was preparing himself for whatever I was about to say. “Gianna’s in Korea. And if I’m correct about her location. Getting her out of there is going to take something close to a miracle.”
“Where is she, sir?”
“It’s a women’s prison at an undisclosed location even to the most feared of criminal heads. When I was in Japan a couple of years ago, I had a run-in with some people. Women are sent there for crimes against their husbands including adultery.” I shoved both hands into my hair. What the fuck had I done?
Julian’s ass dropped to the floor, his face a hard mask of anger. “Surely if men have sent women to this place, someone must know the location, sir?”
“It’s not a slam dunk as it sounds. Once a woman is sent there, getting her out isn’t that easy. They make a shit load of money from selling the women both on a temporary or permanent basis. Or worse, they...” I trailed off, not liking that option.
“Sir?” I could hear the impatience in his tone even though he was trying to be respectful.
“They use them as baby-makers.” I don’t think I’d ever seen the man so flabbergasted that he couldn’t control his jaw dropping. “They get the women pregnant and sell their babies at a fortune.”
“And you’re telling me we can’t get into that place?”
“Unless you’re a woman, with deep connections, no.” I banged the back of my head against the wall. Even the pounding headache couldn’t add to my misery. “We’ve got a shit load of travel ahead of us,” I said as the doctor walked.
“I’m ready when you are, sir.”
I nodded and stood.
