Benedict continues to glare, obviously doing some kind of calculus in his head. Things can go very badly from here, and so much depends on how this madman decides to react. He’d be well within his rights to assume we’re doing something wrong, and he’d be completely right—but I’m guessing Malcolm ordered him to hold back out of respect for the deal they’re close to finishing.
I slip off the desk, standing unsteadily. I lean against Gavino for support and he holds me there, hugging me tight against him.
“You two are doing something,” Benedict says finally, hands tightening into fists as he speaks. “I don’t know what, but this isn’t about some kink.” He says it with a sneer. “If you want to leave this office alive, you’ll submit to a search.”
My heart’s clattering. I knew this would happen. The bag with the hard drives is outside on the rocks, and if Gavino hadn’t been clever enough to toss them out then Benedict would find them, no doubt about it. Gavino steps forward before I can speak, and I get the sense he’s not about to acquiesce easily.
“How about you turn around and walk away before I rip your tongue back through your spine,” he says with a soft snarl.
Benedict sighs and snaps his fingers. Three big goons enter the room, all of them armed. Suddenly, the situation tilts heavily in Benedict’s favor.
“Search them,” he says.
The goons advance. Gavino doesn’t move, standing there stiffly as they pat him down. I can tell it kills him to give in and let them touch him, but we don’t have much of a choice. Fighting now would be useless and stupid. When they’re done, they move to me, and Gavino’s growl makes the guy that’s about to touch my back hesitate.
“If you cross the line, I’ll find you, and I’ll kill you myself,” he says quietly.
The goon clears his throat and pats me down thoroughly but efficiently, like we’re in a TSA line at the airport, studiously ignoring my body.
“Nothing,” the goon says as he backs off, eye cast downwards. “They’re both clean.”
When it’s done, Benedict looks extremely disappointed. “Go now,” he snaps. “I’ll report this to Malcolm.”
“Please do. Tell him I apologize for the mess on his desk, but we got bored. And tell him I said goodbye but couldn’t wait around much longer. Jeanie and I have some business to finish.” Gavino smirks as he takes my hand and leads me into the hallway.
As I pass Benedict, his eyes narrow, and I know what he’s thinking: time’s running out.
We hurry away. I don’t know if Benedict is going to check that server closet and I don’t want to be here if he does. Gavino takes me down the steps, around the side, and through the kitchen. The cooks and staff give us strange looks, but I get the feeling we’re not the first guests to slip out the back. Once we’re out a side door and standing in the cool evening air, it takes me a minute to locate the bag.
“Are they intact?” he asks as I gather the fallen drives.
I shake my head. “They’re beat up, but I think they’ll work.” I sling the bag over my shoulder again and zip it shut. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
He leads me around the side and up from the shadows. The valet guys are smoking and talking and nearly jump out of their skin when we approach. The younger of the two hurries to get the truck, and once we’re finally driving back to Villa Bruno, I feel safe enough to lean back and let out a long, pent-up breath, followed by a crazed, giddy laugh.
“It worked,” I say, shaking my head wildly. “It seriously worked.”
“I’ll get those drives to my tech guys tonight. While they analyze the contents, you and I have some celebrating to do.”
I shiver with excitement and put my hand on his thigh. “Gladly.”