Page 67 of The Art of You

“It could also explain why the ambassador is holed up at the embassy and not talking,” Bella said with a nod, her eyes lighting up at the possibility we were finally onto something.

And if that something meant Bella didn’t have a stalker, I was on-fucking-board.

“Maybe the ambo can’t tell us the real story about why Lola was taken,butshe might have told my father. A bedside chat. He could’ve even been there when the call came about Lola’s abduction,” I finally interjected my two cents.

“The better question is, why isn’t he telling us?” Bella looked at me, and I knew the answer to that.

My father was either trying to save his own ass, or someone else’s he cared about. In this case, that someone wasn’t me, it was the ambassador.

I turned toward where I set my phone on the counter and wasted no time, not caring I had an audience for the call. I had no secrets to hide, but it sure as hell seemed like my old man did.

He answered on the second ring and I placed him on speakerphone. “I’ve been trying to reach you,” he rushed out.

“The reporter, I know,” I gritted out.

“Not about that.” A low hiss fell over the line. “Well, not only about that. But we do need to talk.”

“Yeah, no shit.” I had no patience for whatever BS he was about to try and run me over with in his effort to turn the conversation the way he wanted it to go.

I faced everyone in the kitchen, finding them staring at my phone.

“We have to talk in person. Send me your address. I can’t meet tonight, but I’ll come to you first thing in the morning. Just sit tight. Don’t do anything stupid before then. Donotcontact that reporter, you hear me?”

Nothing like taking orders from him at forty-two.Jesus.

At the feel of Bella’s eyes on me, I glanced her way. She was worrying her lip between her teeth while studying me, probably curious if I’d blow up or keep a lid on my emotions. I was still on the fence.

Time was ticking, and my father’s patience would soon expire if I didn’t give him a “roger that.”

“I have something I need to talk to you about, too,” I finally managed out instead of offering my obedience like he wanted. “And it can’t wait.”

“It’s going to damn well have to. This discussion can’t happen over the phone. Things have changed. You’re going to have to trust me and wait until tomorrow for our talk.”

Of course he’d steamroll over me and ignore what I needed. Nothing would ever change when it came to him. “Just give me something. What’s changed?”

I overheard chatter in the background, then a door slam shut. “The FBI is no longer in charge of the investigation. That’s what’s changed. That’s all I can tell you. I’ll see you in the morning. Seven sharp.” He hung up before I could get another word out.

“What the hell does he mean the FBI aren’t in charge?They wouldn’t turn the case over to the local PD. Not when the bodies were diplomatic security,” Alessandro pointed out, and I released a deep breath that did nothing to help the pain settling in my chest.

“No, not them.” I met Constantine’s eyes, knowing his thoughts more than likely just landed on the same agency mine did. “And if it’s who I think it is, then we were right about the ambassador’s daughter. It was never about money.”

“The Company? You think they took control from the Feds on the FBI’s own stomping ground?” Enzo asked. But was he really surprised they wouldn’t play by the rules?

The CIA wasn’t supposed to operate on American soil. But Enzo and his brothers weren’t exactly supposed to run off-the-books ops for the government—mostly for the CIA—in exchange for not serving prison time, either.

“Of course they would,” Enzo answered his own question when no one spoke up. “Looks like I’m not going home tomorrow after all.”

Chapter 25

Hudson

At the sound of a text,I rolled over to my side on the bed and went for my phone on the nightstand.Bella . . .

Bella: You awake?

Me: No.

Bella: Real funny.

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