Page 104 of Hearts Of Darkness

31

DANTE

“Dante, come take a look at this.”

Joseph’s words drag me away from my Eve-related thoughts. I’m back in my shitty monochrome kitchen again, lounging against the island, and idling away the minutes until Tomas does whatever the hell he needs to do so we can get the fuck out of here. He insisted on swinging by to collect some personal items on our way to Miami-Opa Locka. He’s taking his sweet time about it, though. We should be halfway to Colombia by now.

“What it is?” I say, glancing over.

Joseph’s mouth is stretched into a grim line. Instantly, I’m on high alert. I take the laptop and scan the email.

“What the hell is this?” I demand, an icy breeze washing over me. “Tomas contacted them, right? He’s been across this from the very start, as soon as we learned Emilio was back in South America.”

“The latest coordinates didn’t add up. We were chasing our tails, so I asked the guys looking into your daughter’s disappearance to do some investigation. That email confirms my suspicions. Tomas never instructed a team in Cartagena after we terminated Nicolas. Whatever status reports he’s been showing us detailing Emilio’s whereabouts have been fabricated.”

I spring away from the island like it’s burning. “Are you saying my brother isn’t in Colombia?”

“I’m saying no one knows where the hell he is because Tomas never looked into it.”

“But why the fuck would he…” I tail off and stare at Joseph. Seconds later, I’m tossing the laptop away and retrieving my gun. Joseph does the same.

“He’s still in the house,” he hisses.

I motion him back from the open doorway. “If Tomas is working with Emilio, he knows everything. The location of the island, the deal with Sanders, Eve’s whereabouts.” I can’t even comprehend that, right now. “Go bring the car around. We need to get the fuck out of here. We need to warn Manuel—”

“I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”

We turn together, guns raised, poised for action… Tomas is standing behind us, swinging a cell phone between his forefinger and his thumb, cool as fuck. Like he doesn’t have the two newest, deadliest mercenaries on the block pointing their trigger fingers in his direction.

“You double-crossing asshole,” I say calmly. “You orchestrated the ambush in Colombia as well, didn’t you?”

Tomas’ smug expression makes me want to smash the butt of my gun into his face repeatedly. Bullets are too good towaste on this son of a bitch.

“They were good men, men you helped train yourself,” I hear Joseph say, and I know this just turned personal for him. He vetted Tomas before he joined our organization. He came to us highly recommended.At what point did my brother turn him?

“All expendable.” Tomas is unmoved by his words. “Lower your weapons please, gentlemen.”

No one makes a move.

Stalemate.

I’m filled with rage—for Tomas, my brother, myself. I’ve been too fucking distracted lately.

“I said lower them, Dante, or you don’t get to see that pretty girl alive again.”

Tomas isn’t messing around, and the beast inside me roars into life. “What have you done with her? If that sick bastard has touched a single hair on her head…”

“Dante.” I feel Joseph’s hand on my shoulder. He knows I’m a bomb mere seconds from detonating. If I kill Tomas, I may never see Eve again.

There are noises in the hallway. Men’s voices. Accented. Unfamiliar. I don’t need to ask whose command they’re following. Tomas used one of his South African contacts as security for this house. All of my new US recruits are out tracking Eve. My guess is they’re already dead.

“How long have you been playing us?” I hear Joseph say.

“Long enough.”

“Take me to her.” I slam my weapon down on the table and slide it in his direction. Hesitating, Joseph follows my lead. Tomas catches them easily and has the nerve to smile at us.

My anger is a veil of red. I find myself halfway across the kitchen before Joseph manages to pull me back.

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