Page 19

“And I am one pissed-off woman, Antonio. As any man who’s faced me in court will tell you, it’s not a pleasant experience when I’m angry.” I’d been allowed to second chair a few trials, a couple of them juicy, but I’d never handled a case on my own.

That wasn’t something anyone within the organization or anywhere else needed to discover.

Fake it to make it.

No one dared say anything else and as the minutes ticked by, I thought about how I wanted to handle the meeting. I hated that my palms were already sweaty. In attempting to act as ifI could handle dealing with Torres with ease, I’d made myself nauseously anxious.

At least I had on my signature red, a power color. That was something else my professor had recommended. Stand out. Never hide behind a man, especially those with gray hair. I’d laughed, but now I understood why. With my four-inch heels, I could easily see eye to eye with a man over six feet. I’d thought about wearing shit-kicker boots, as a New York friend of mine had called them, but I wasn’t ready to present my hand just yet. Let the fucker think I wasn’t strong enough to fight him.

I bit my lower lip as the driver began to slow. Watching the other two vehicles being forced to remain on the side of the road gave me heart palpitations. This could be the first of many life-or-death performances. An eight-foot stone wall flanked the opening, which I was certain enclosed the entire property.

The gate was opened, but a guard stepped from an all-brick building, sticking his head inside and shining a flashlight.

I refused to blink when he settled the beam directly on my face. The bitch inside even managed a smile.

He allowed us to go through after running a wand under the car. The guard was checking for bombs.

The house was massive, modern looking with white stone or brick and oversized glass windows. Whereas my father’s estate had been built in the late nineteen-forties, the property nestled in several acres of trees, the Torres property was situated on a secluded hill. My guess was the entire city of Barcelona was highlighted through windows in the rear of the property.

Lights were easily seen through the blind-less glass, which I had no doubt was also bulletproof. Safety had to remain of utmostconcern. Random attacks used to occur with frequency. That much I did remember.

“You’ll be fine, Genevieve,” Emiliano said just before he climbed from the vehicle. I waited, taking my place as the new lady of the manor until my commander opened my door. He even offered his hand, guiding me onto the aggregate driveway.

We both knew we were being watched, our actions and reactions noted. It’s what any good attorney would do. Antonio followed behind us while the driver would remain with our vehicle for security reasons.

Before we even made it to the house, we were stopped by two hulking men who looked very uncomfortable in the suits they were wearing.

“No weapons,” one of them stated.

Emiliano growled, acting as if he wasn’t going to comply.

“It’s okay. Do as they say. We are guests.” I tried to keep my tone light. For now.

My commander wasn’t quick to comply, but did as requested, Antonio following.

“Arms out,” the second hulking mass stated.

I tipped my head toward Emiliano first as a silent command.

He was cursing under his breath, but did as he was told, the bastard taking his sweet time patting my man down. I almost blurted out that I thought the guy liked it a bit too much but managed to keep my mouth shut.

When they were finished with my men, I unbuttoned my suit jacket, allowing them to see the interior pockets. “Would you like to frisk me as well, boys?”

Antonio coughed.

The two thugs looked at each other. Finally, one just opened the door, allowing us inside.

I held back a laugh, but not a smile. We were greeted by two more gigantic men who led us from the entrance foyer into the house.

I wasn’t impressed easily, especially when it came to interior design, but I was captivated with the furnishing and the layout of the sleek home. Surprisingly, a wide-open floor plan had been used, offering stunning views of the city from every room while offering little privacy.

From what I could see through the glass panels leading into one room, a party was about to be held. Perhaps Jago believed I would cave that easily. What an asshole.

After making a turn down a hallway, I noticed more traditional walls and a door leading to another room. The men stopped in front of it, knocking once.

“Come in.” The voice was deep, husky, and full of authority.

A soldier opened the door, ushering me inside, but stopping my two men.