Page 95 of Rami

“Yeah,” he said, with another shaky laugh. “We need to talk, honey. I’ve got an issue with one of my clients and unfortunately, we have to leave today. Now, actually,” he corrected, clearing his throat. “Why don’t you grab your suitcase?”

Gigi’s head jerked back. “You can’t be serious. Todd, I’m exhausted. I’m not going anywhere, and whoever this client is, they can just wait, okay? We’ve had a helluva night. Surely anyone would understand.”

Todd worked his mouth from side to side, and his attention flicked to Rami. Then his shoulders relaxed and he brushed Gigi’s hair away from her shoulder. “You’re right. Family’s most important.” He smiled and kissed Gigi’s cheek. “I’m gonna run out and get us some food. Put your feet up and rest.”

Rami’s senses whirred with warning.

What the hell was going on?

Gigi relaxed as well. “Get enough for everyone.”

“’Course.” He waved at Rami and left the room, veering down the hallway toward the den rather than the front door.

Rami’s blood pressure ticked up a notch. Something greater than fatigue or jet lag was up with Todd, but it wasn’t Rami’s place to ask questions or pry. It didn’t concern him.

Gigi’s phone rang, and she grunted with impatience as she glanced at the screen. “’Scuse me a sec.” She pressed the device to her ear and turned her back to him. “Hello?”

Movement at the corner of his eye brought Rami’s attention to the kitchen doorway. Ivy entered the room, her face pale and her eyes wide. She went right to him and, circling an arm around his waist, led him into the living room. “I need to talk to you.” Her eyes darted around the room as if she expected someone to jump out.

His hackles rose and his fingers itched to snag the gun from the small of his back. Instead, he gripped her elbow. “What’s wrong?”

She knotted her fingers together. “It’s Todd. I—I heard him talking on the phone upstairs. He—” She wet her lips and shook her head. “This sounds crazy.” Tears collected at the corners of her eyes, and it took all his resolve not to drag Todd in here by his throat and force him to confess to whatever had Ivy in such distress. “Tell me,” he commanded.

“He was speaking Spanish.”

Rami lifted his eyebrows. “And that’s unusual?”

“I’ve never heard him speak Spanish before. Gigi never told me he could. And—” She gulped. “He was speaking to someone named Fernando. Pleading with him.”

Hot, violent rage swept through Rami, making his vision waver. He reached for his Glock, its heavy metal giving him comfort. “Stay here.”

He stormed across the house. Gigi turned from the island, and her lips formed a giant O at the sight of Rami. She muttered something into the phone before disconnecting.

“What’s wrong?” Gigi cried.

“Wait with your sister,” he ground out.

Todd came down the hallway, a small duffel bag in hand. “Hey—”

Rami intercepted him, grabbing Todd by the scruff of his neck. He pinned him to the wall. “Start fucking talking, cabrón.”

CHAPTER 26

Ivy brought her trembling hand to her lips as she watched Rami charge out of the kitchen.

Gigi was on her in a hot second, her hazel eyes blazing with demand. “What the hell is going on?”

Slowly, Ivy shook her head. Oh, god. How on earth could she tell her sister that her fiancé could have played a part in the kidnapping?

Why? Why would Todd do such a thing?

Gigi’s hands gripped Ivy’s shoulders, forcing her sister to look at her. “Ivy. Please.”

Ivy sucked in a shuddering breath. “Does Todd speak Spanish?” She already knew the answer.

Gigi cocked her head and snorted. “Todd? God, no. I don’t even think he could say hola.” Her smile vanished as Ivy’s subtle accusation sank in. “Why do you ask?”

“What if I told you he speaks Spanish quite well?”

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