“It’s tragic, really. This all would’ve been so easy if worm boy hadn’t thought he was smarter than a man whose pedigree goes back to Malta and Lepanto.” He pauses, turns, his eyes these thin, snake-like slits. “And more recently, as some might say, pirates. My ancestors filled their coffers with doubloons, jewels, and exotic riches by the pound, sourced from every continent.”
He’s sick. Delusions of grandeur on steroids. Just being in this psycho’s presence makes my skin crawl.
“Rayman should understand better than anyone. I’m merely following in their footsteps. I offered your family friendship and fortune until you decided to screw it up. Incredibly foolish, especially when you know my policy on traitors.”
He kicks the table, making the ashtray bounce across the glass, and then shouts at one of the men standing near the door. “Any word yet, Hale?”
“No, sir. But she should be finishing her dinner shortly. She’s taking her sweet time with a glass of port, apparently,” the goon in the corner says.
Her? My heart starts jackhammering again.
Cornaro settles his gaze on me, his lip curled. “We’re just waiting for one more to join us all the way from Kauai. Even sent my own chopper to pick her up.”
“Mother?” I can’t stop the shiver that takes me over. “Why?”
“Why don’t you tell her, Rayman?” Cornaro eyes my brother slowly, folding his arms. When he doesn’t speak, he sighs. “Fine, then. Since your lips are sealed, it’s only fair Ms. Gerard should know…traitors like your idiot brother aren’t just killed. They’re lessons. In over thirty years of this game, I’ve only had two people stupid enough to double cross me. One was the man married to the woman your boyfriend couldn’t save. The other, well, he’s sitting right next to you, and this time, I will kill his entire family.”
I’m numb.
Disembodied.
Too shocked to even scream at how coldly he rattles off our fate like some kind of demented judge.
“However, first, we’re going to have a little heart-to-heart talk with your oh-so-understanding beau.” He actually smiles. I’m not even surprised half his teeth are gold.
“No! Leave him alone, he’s not even family. I…I dragged him into this.”
He walks toward me. “I told you, wench, he screwed up a very important act of discipline in Bali. If Mr. Calum hadn’t come crashing in with his merry men that day, maybe Rayman wouldn’t have decided to play at a man’s game of subterfuge. I spent years hoping he’d died, or at least wound up paralyzed. He should have, after his little moment with the drill, but…I don’t believe in coincidences.”
Oh, God. I’m almost panting, my breath rising and falling in shallow ripples.
“I never felt so lucky the day I learned none other than Flint Calum saved you from the sharks. Now, I not only get King Heron, I get to settle old scores.” He stops in front of me and extends a hand. “And perhaps I get you. You’re delightful enough to make me want to re-think my policy on total extermination for turncoats’ families.”
His hand almost touches my hair before I flinch.
I can’t!
Without thinking, I whirl, grab his hand, and sink my teeth into the fleshy side of it.
He snaps his hand away and roars, rubbing the area I bit.
I hadn’t broken the skin, but the taste of his flesh is on my tongue, and I spit at him.
Snarling, he backhands my face. Pain ignites the side of my face and wraps around my head, this halo of thorns.
My cheek stings, but I don’t scream.
I don’t even move.
He might have muscle and intimidation, but I have grit. Hard, angry determination, something I learned from one man. I won’t give him fear, knowing that’s what he thrives on.
“Leave her alone!” Ray shouts.
“Such brotherly love,” Cornaro says bitterly, stepping back.
Then he pulls a gun, a freaking gold gun, out of his waistband. It just keeps getting better.
“I think it’s time I put you out of your misery before we even wait for dear old mom. It’s a privilege to die by this weapon. There’s only a small handful of them in the world, you know. One belonged to Leland Durham, the once illustrious CEO of Galentron. Lord knows they’ve been in the news lately, but I digress…”
I leap to my feet, jumping in front of Ray. “No! No. You’ve already hurt him enough. What is it you want? King Heron? Fine, it’s yours. We’ll erase any data on you.”
He laughs. “You’re that naive, girl?”
“Val, don’t do it!” Ray shouts, pulling at my arm. “You don’t know…”
“Know what?”
“Our little worm boy has been gathering secrets. He was going to take them to the Feds wrapped up in a nice shiny bow. However, his sloppy attempt to assassinate me by blowing up his own boat failed. I never even went to the meeting he set up.” He goes deathly still. “No one tries to kill a king, Ms. Gerard. Not even a crown heron.”