They must have known my door was reinforced...why else use the battering ram?
I'm somewhat disturbed about the door because they must have known enough about what I do to figure I would have something like that.
Then again, perhaps whoever is behind it figured I'm a Marino, so I would go the extra mile. Or, at least, my dad would.
But I bought this place fair and square with inheritance and the money I earn from the Syndicate.
Usually, I put out that I run an IT company, a small bespoke thing where we fix the computers of the important, famous, and rich. And we put in tailored security systems. Keep your guards and everything but add that extra layer.
We do do it. Me and Cade.
Everyone in the Syndicate has either cover jobs or they are so clean digitally you can't find them. So, maybe it is not a stretch to think I would have something like the door.
It was locked, not locked down.
But if I'd had that other door down...
Time to go check on the girls.
With a sigh, I cross the expanse of my modern great room and pass the staircase, and I slide back the panel. I have a print and special code if I have to override whoever is on the other side.
Apparently, I don't have to bother.
The door opens, and my sister storms out, all arms and tears and dramatics. I catch her and hold her close.
She is a kid, that is what she is—a kid.
This is probably the first time she has seen me do something like that. I say seen because I'm betting Lola ignored me and left the camera feeds on. That or Lyndall insisted.
As it is, my gaze connects with Lola's, and she wrings her hands, guilt everywhere. But she doesn't say a thing.
I ease Lyndall back. "It's okay."
"You could have been killed, you idiot," she says. "Who did that? Who were they?"
"I don't know." I think hard.
We can't stay here, but I'm going to need computer power and somewhere to lay low.
I have places. Silas does, too. And I can call the top of the chain at the Syndicate and use something else.
But I know a place. Just upstate. It used to be my grandmother's. And I have kept it in her maiden name. We can go there.
I ease my sister back and take her face in my hands. "I don't know, but I will."
"Dad."
"Not him. You're here, and he wants me as his second, so he's not going to do anything. Besides, he's our father." I push the words out. "Why don't you try and rest? The safe room is the best place, and?—"
Lyndall pulls free, even as Lola steps forward and puts her hand on my sister's back. "No. He sent those men for me."
"Lyndall," Lola says, "listen to Enzo. I don't believe your father would do that. He's your dad, and he loves you, even if he has a hard time showing it."
"Lola's right. He wouldn't. And Dad would be here himself if he knew this had happened. He wanted you homebut agreed to let you stay for a couple of nights, so...not Dad."
Lyndall frowns. "So, who were the men, then? What did they want?"
"No idea," I say, which isn't exactly a lie. I don't know. Yet. But I'm ninety-nine percent sure they were after Lola.
