Page 137 of Brutal Legacy

I pulled it over my neck and tucked it under my jacket.

I had what I needed. It was time to go.

The first ruleof being prepared was always have extras. I went to the wreckage of the safe house first and sifted through the debris. A whole day had passed while I was in the hospital. I’d glanced at my chart as I went out the door. Suspected concussion. I’d gotten off lucky.

Still, I’d lost twenty-four hours.

I found my sniper rifle in the mess that was the bedroom I’d been in. Luckily, it had been the least hit, and the case could take a few hard knocks. I carried it outside to the car we’d driven from the airport. It was parked four blocks away. Never leave your assets all in one location. Thankfully, the keys had still been in my pocket. I got in and drove even farther, until I was backed into a space in a deserted parking lot, where I could see all around me.

I went into the trunk and took out the backup weapons cases. For the second time in twenty-four hours, I strapped myself up with guns and knives. I took a backup phone from a pocket in one of the cases and called Giada.

“Oh my God, are you okay? That was fucking crazy,” my sister said, answering immediately. She had that wired note to her voice that told me that she hadn’t left her post in twenty-four hours, waiting for news. I’d seen her do it before, existing onenergy drinks and anxiety. Hopefully Bran was making sure she was taking care of herself.

I reached for the satellite link I’d need and put it in my ear.

“How are the drones?”

“Dead. You’ve got one spare. Be gentle with her. What about your other men?”

“In the hospital, and hurt. I’m not bothering them with this. They’ve done enough.”

“So, you’re going in alone, after they tried to blow you up.”

“I don’t have a choice.”

Giada was quiet.

“What is it?” Dread formed like ice in my veins, and I just knew something even worse had happened.

“She didn’t make it here, Elio… We think Massimo caught her.”

I stared at the dark night beyond the parking lot, emotions I hadn’t felt in a decade brewing in my chest.

“She’s not dead. Don’t you dare tell me she is,” I warned my sister.

“She’s not! I don’t think that she is. Her tracker is still working… transmitting a location. It went haywire for a bit, when I first realized that they were taking too long to show up here, but it’s transmitting normally now.”

“Where is she?”

Giada cleared her throat. “Actually, you’ll be happy to hear that she’s not too far from you.”

“Where?” I demanded, but I knew. Of course it would come to this.

“Castel Amaro. The Bellisario villa. They’ve taken her… home.”

39

GEORGIA

Ahand was moving slowly through my hair when I woke. For a moment, I thought it was Elio, and we had fallen asleep in the orchard that overlooked town. No one was missing us, and we could steal a few more minutes of peace before we headed back home.

Then my stomach lurched, and the dream shattered. I turned to the side just in time to vomit on the floor.

“Shit, are you okay?” Toni’s voice came to me. She was sitting with my head on her lap. We were in the back of a car.

“What’s wrong?” a deep voice asked from the front.

“She’s sick. Too much sedative back-to-back.”

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