But the thing about spending twenty-two years with a man who rarely does it, is you get to learn the sound of his smile.
“I want to speak tohim.”
Gerard’s command slices through my ear like a blade.
My breath catches. “Wha—who?”
“Augusto Zanotti. Put him on.”
My heart drops into my stomach and I stare back at Augusto. My face must have drained entirely of blood and Augusto reads it like a well-thumbed tome.
“Put Zanotti on the phone,” Gerard repeats smoothly. “Now.”
Something dangerous flickers across August’s expression, then he takes the phone from my hand.
“Gerard,” he says evenly. “You have my attention.”
I stand rigid, my heart pounding, and a sick realization settling deep in my gut.
Gerard knows where I am.
He knows who Augusto is.
That means there’s a high probability he knows about the deal. He could end my relationship with Paige right now, and from the way Augusto’s jaw just hardened like a rock, I’d say he already has.
Augusto
I hang up the phone and choose my words carefully.
“We need to go.” I reach for her hand. It’s clammy with sweat even though she just showered.
My chest is battling an unfamiliar twist. I would burn down this whole fucking lodge to keep Erin safe, but I need to work with this motherfucker to bring her daughter back. I do not like toneedto do anything, but I will, for her.
“What did he say?” she asks, watching me like a hawk.
When I don’t answer straight away, she tugs at my arm. “Augusto, please. What does he know? What does he want?”
“I don’t know,” I tell her, honestly. “All he said was to make our way to the office.”
“Office?”
“That room I was telling you about? The one where I think there might be proof of Morozov’s involvement?”
She nods.
“That one.”
Her expression blanks as I pull her down the corridor, impatient to know myself what the fucking fuck is going on.
“Why that room? How does he even know about that room? How does he knowyou?”
That’s exactly what I want to know, but I can’t tell her that. I need her to trust me to take care of her. She doesn’t need to know I’m as in the dark as she is.
“I have some suspicions, but we’re about to find out for sure.”
We cross the lobby and walk briskly toward the meeting suites. Wait staff are readying the dining room for breakfast. I feel each pair of eyes on me like laser dots.
Every single person on this retreat, from the unmemorable man to the table hosts to the concierge are in on this deal. It’s obvious now. It’s also highly concerning. It means this deal is even bigger than I thought. And somehow, in a sordid twist of fate, it appears Erin’s ex-fucking-husband is involved.
