Collateral (Collateral Damage 1)

“Doesn’t say. All I get is that it was an accident and no criminal charges were brought against anyone.”

“Where did this accident take place?”

Rafa reads an address. It’s New Jersey, but I don’t recognize the neighborhood.

“Here’s the interesting piece. Ready to hear whose house it is?” he asks.

“Who?”

“Ed Romano.”

“Is that name supposed to mean something to me?”

“The kid the other night with the broken legs? His grandfather.”

I think back to that night. To what was said and what the kid had done for Gabriela.

“Was the kid there?”

“No clue.”

“We still have a man on him?”

“Yeah. He’s not going anywhere. There’s one more thing, Stef,” he says.

“Don’t leave me hanging.”

“Your girl called her brother yesterday.”

“What?”

How?

Rafa nods. “Promised to call him in a few days.”

“Did she?” My tricky little fiancée.

“You want me to put on a man on the brother?”

“Yes. And get the jet ready. I’m going to Rome. I need to revisit my fiancée’s friend.”

“Now?”

“Now.”22GabrielaI don’t see Stefan the next day and Miss Millie is gone too. A girl I haven’t seen before greets me when I come downstairs. When I ask where they are, she tells me that Miss Millie will be back later that evening and Stefan is out of town.

Thanks for letting me know.

On the upside, I notice the library door is still unlocked so I’ll call Gabe again later.

I finish breakfast and spend the next few hours sitting around reading when, around one in the afternoon, Rafa walks into the house with another man, the two of them laughing about something. He pauses when he meets my eyes and I remember the Rafa of the other night. The night he held a gun to Alex. The night he bruised my arm in his rush to obey Stefan’s order.

Without taking his eyes off me, he almost dismisses the other guy. I guess as Stefan’s cousin, Rafa’s high on the totem pole.

He makes his way to me, a wide smile on his face that I don’t trust for a second.

“Gabriela,” he says, his voice deep and smooth. Too smooth. “Morning.”

“Morning.” I turn to pick up my cup of tea.

He pulls Stefan’s chair out, turns it and straddles it, arms resting on the back of the seat. He’s more casual than Stefan. Dresses in jeans and T-shirts rather than suits. He’s got a holster on his shoulder, but his gun isn’t in it.

“How are you doing?” he asks.

“Fine.” I sip my tea, give him a fake smile. “Just great. What do you want?”

He narrows his eyes, but not cruelly. Or he hides it well, at least. He’s about as easy to read as Stefan.

“Millie mentioned you were bored. I figured you’d be tired of being cooped up in here.”

“Your concern is touching.” Jerk.

“I’m heading to Taormina in a little bit. You’re welcome to join me if you like. It’s about a three-hour drive but it’s along the coast. It’s pretty.”

“Why?”

“Why is it pretty?” he raises his eyebrows.

“Don’t mess with me, Rafa. Why are you inviting me?”

“Like I said, I figured you’d get bored being cooped up. And I guess I want you to like our little island. Not come to see it as a prison.”

“Why do you care how I see it?”

He shrugs a shoulder. “Just trying to do something nice for you, Gabriela,” he says, standing. He spins the chair around easily in one hand and replaces it. “You’re welcome to stay here if you prefer.” He walks away.

“Wait.”

He stops, turns to look at me expectantly.

“Did Stefan put you up to this?”

He smiles. “Stefan’s too busy to put me up to this.”

“What’s he busy doing?”

“Business.” He checks his watch. “Are you coming?”

I’m desperate to get out of here. Although it’ll mean calling Gabe later, when I’m back. But with the time difference, it may even be better.

I nod.

“Good,” he says, smiling. “I’m glad. Grab a bikini in case you want to swim in Taormina.”

“Do I have to?”

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. There’s a private beach where my meeting is. I figured you’d want to lay around. You can go into town, but I’d have to send men with you.”

“It’s fine. Beach is great. It’ll be good to get out of here. I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

I run upstairs to throw a bikini and a cover up into a beach bag, and grab my iPod Touch, which Stefan, true to his word, returned to me.

When I return, Rafa is waiting. We step outside to find a waiting SUV. He opens the passenger door and I get in and when he climbs into the driver’s side, I’m surprised.

“Don’t you have a driver?”

“Nah. I’m just an underling.” He checks the mirrors and pulls out.

I turn the air conditioning down a little and look around as we drive off the property and head onto a coastal road.