Page 103 of Lawbreaker
She closed her eyes, wishing that she’d stayed in New York, where she was protected. Nassau had been an impulse, a response to Tony’s painful summary of their relationship. Here she sat, pregnant and about to die, and that worm had turned his back on her and their child. Except that she couldn’t get past the sound of his deep voice soft with wonder as he’d acknowledged the baby. He’d sounded as if she’d offered him the world. He hadn’t seemed angry or dismissive.
He knew how beautiful her voice was. He knew about her ambition and what she’d sacrificed for it. He’d only been furious when he knew that she’d left that first performance at the Met to rush to the hospital when she thought he’d been fatally injured. He’d wanted her to realize her dream. So, if that was the case, wasn’t it possible that he’d deliberately brushed her off, thinking that he wasn’t going to be the cause of her losing her one chance at singing in the Met?
That would be like him, she thought. He would want what was best for her, not what was best for himself. And only now, facing death, was when she’d realized it. She was going to die, and he’d blame himself forever as being the cause of it.
She wished she had some dark skill, like being able to pick locks, so that she could escape. But, although she was strong and she knew her way around ranch work, she couldn’t get out of handcuffs. Even if she could, she had no idea where she was, or even where Tony was.
Oh, Tony,she thought miserably,it’s just not fair that it has to end like this!
“You’ve got her? You’ve got her?!” Phillip James was high as a kite, but this took him even higher. His men hadn’t let him down. He had a way to pay Tanner Everett back for all the misery the stupid man had caused him. And as a bonus, he got to torture Tony Garza, who liked the girl he’d had kidnapped. He laughed. He was on top of the world. He was going to play this like a perfect sonata. It would be beautiful.
It was good that Stasia had Tony’s private number. Tanner punched in the numbers with fingers that didn’t want to work. The past five minutes had been hell on earth.
It rang once. Twice. Three times. “Come on, damn it, Tony, answer the phone!” he muttered. Four rings...
“Garza” came the gruff reply.
“Tony, it’s Tanner Everett...”
“Who called you?” Tony asked.
“A contact in Nassau. He says...!”
“Yeah,” Tony said, confirming his worst fears. “Listen, your phone is going to ring soon. It will be James. Don’t answer it. In fact, don’t answer any phones until I get there. Do you understand? Tell me.”
Tanner swallowed, hard, exchanging looks with the rest of the family. “I understand.”
“They may think it’s a ransom call. But it won’t be. I think you know that already. He’s set on revenge. He doesn’t need money. If you answer the phone and he gets to tell you what he’s planning, he won’t call back, and that will be the end of any chance we have to save Odalie. You get me?”
“I do,” Tanner said gruffly.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. Keep everybody in the house. Have eyes everywhere. Remember about the phone. No matter how tempting it is, do not answer it.”
“We won’t,” Tanner said.
“I’ll get there as quick as I can.” He hung up.
Tanner turned to the rest of the family, scattered around the living room. “He said not to answer the phone under any circumstances.”
“But it might be a ransom call,” Heather said, fighting tears.
“Tony knows what he’s doing,” Tanner said. “We have to trust him.”
Cole made a rough sound in his throat. “I don’t like dealing with animals, either, but not answering the call might cost Odalie her life. If they want ransom, we’ll pay it, no matter what it is!”
Tanner didn’t want to say it in front of the women, but Cole was unpredictable, and he might grab for the phone if it rang.
“Okay, this is how it is,” he said, then drew a deep breath. He met Cole’s eyes. “He won’t be asking for ransom.”
Cole stared at him. “Then what does he want?”
“Vengeance,” Tanner said simply. “I’m threatening his little empire. He doesn’t like it. So he’s going to...torment someone close to me as a warning to the others.”
Cole’s silver eyes flashed. “Revenge.”
“Exactly,” Tanner replied. “Cold and savage.”
“The damned coward,” John muttered.