Page 64 of Home Again

How badly did I hurt my head?

“You didn’t seem that stupid in my office,” Fontenot muttered. “And it better be that you’re stupid and not that fucking Armand got something wrong again.”

Gianna cringed at the anger in Fontenot’s voice.

“Lazar’s grandson. Sebastian the tenth or whatever the fuck he is. The soldier. He’s got the hots for you, right?”

Gianna slowly nodded then whimpered as pain lanced through her head.

“Quit your bellyaching, do you understand me?”

She hoped she did. Maybe Sebastian liked her enough to come to her rescue. She swallowed back tears. Was it too much to hope for, that Sebastian might notice her gone and want to come for her?

“Well, okay, Armand got something right,” Fontenot laughed. “Armand showed me the real will, so at least I know that the kid has money coming to him from his great-grandfather. Lazar’s just worked a deal with the family lawyer to cheat him out of it. That’s why it’s going to take a few days for him to get his hands on the five million, but Armand has a way to help. If he doesn’t, I’ll kill him.”

Sebastian had five million dollars? Fontenot was going to kill me and Armand?

Gianna was so dizzy she thought she was going to throw up. She couldn’t make sense of anything.

“So you get ready to tell your boyfriend that he has to pony up the five million if he wants to see you alive. You tell him he has to work with Armand to get the money and that Armand will know how to get the money to me. Got it?”

Gianna didn’t nod this time, she whispered, “Yes.”

Fontenot held up his phone. “Smile and talk. If you mention my name I’ll let my cousin take a turn at you. Do you know what I’m saying?”

“Please say his name. Pretty please,” the man she remembered as Darnell said.

“Now, action.”

Gianna stared at the phone. “Sebastian, it’s me, Gianna. I did something stupid and now somebody has me. He wants a lot of money from you and he says he’ll let me go if you give it to him…I mean to your uncle.”

“Five million,” Fontenot whispered.

“He needs five million dollars,” she gulped. She started to cry. “He says your uncle will help you get the money, and then you have to give it to him.” She used her sleeve to wipe her nose.

“You’re done,” Fontenot said as he lowered the phone. “Not too bad.” He looked over his shoulder. “Tie her up. If one of you comes back here without me, I’ll kill you. You got me?”

Gianna looked at the skinny one and Darnell. She prayed that they were frightened. She prayed hard.

* * *

Sebastian’s heart leaped into his throat when he saw the text with the video attachment. Gideon looked over at him. He tilted his phone so his friend could see.

“Open it.”

They’d just dumped their shopping bags in the back of the truck.

“Once we’re inside the truck,” Sebastian muttered. He opened the door and got behind the wheel. He knew what this was. He knew down deep in his bones and only his training was allowing him to keep it together.

When both of their doors were closed, he pulled up the file. The video was shit. Gianna’s face was grainy, but there was no mistaking her fear. Her eyes were pleading.

“Sebastian, it’s me, Gianna.”

Jesus, he felt that those words down to the bottom of his heart.

“I did something stupid and now somebody has me. He wants a lot of money from you and he says he’ll let me go if you give it to him…I mean to your uncle.”

He heard somebody whisper something, but he couldn’t make it out.