Page 24

We reached closer to the pier, and, to eliminate any counter-arguments that might arise down the line, gave her some background. “Your brothers run an import operation at the pier. Very profitable. Very illegal. We're going to watch them work.”

She shook her head. “They import furniture and art. It's legitimate, but the only illegal thing they do is take a back-door and avoid import duty.”

I smiled incredulously. “Is that what they told you? And you believed them?”

“Why wouldn't I?” Her fingers twisted together. “They never lie to me.”

The certainty in her voice made me laugh. She frowned in my direction, but, again, chose to ignore me moving forward.

The rest of the drive passed in silence. I could feel her tension growing as we approached the industrial section of the city, the buildings growing more dilapidated, the streets emptier.

My driver pulled into an alley two blocks from the pier, cutting the engine. “Warehouse 7,” he said quietly. “If I drive any further, we could risk being discovered. They're moving product today. Dmitri says at least twenty men are on site.”

I nodded. “We’re going on foot from here. East side has the best view.”

We left the car hidden in the shadows and proceeded on foot. I kept Larissa between my driver and myself, one hand firmly on her arm.

“If you scream,” I murmured against her ear, “you'll get us all killed. Including yourself. Understand? They won’t recognize you from a distance.”

She nodded, her soft hair brushing my jaw with the movement. I caught a whiff of her shampoo, fresh and floral, and I felt my heart stammer in my chest.

It was just the adrenaline from our expedition, or so I told myself.

We approached the warehouse cautiously, staying under cover. The loading dock was busy as hell. Men moved back and forth, carrying crates from a truck into the warehouse. From this distance, it looked like ordinary work—just another mid-afternoon delivery.

This was their trick, I knew. They moved shipments in broad daylight because the authorities wouldn’t believe anyone would have the courage to break the law while the world was wide awake.

Guts. It took guts.

I guided Larissa to a stack of shipping containers that provided cover while offering a clear view of the operation. We crouched behind them, close enough to see but far enough to remain hidden.

“Watch,” I whispered.

For several minutes, nothing happened that would seem out of place. Men unloaded crates. Others checked papers and shouted orders. Ordinary dock work, except for the armed guards positioned at strategic points around the perimeter.

Larissa shifted beside me. “I don't see anything wrong. They're just—”

“Wait,” I cut her off, my eyes fixed on a new arrival—a tall man with silver at his temples. Larissa must have recognized him, too, because she tensed, leaning forward slightly.

“You know him?” I asked.

“He… yes. He’s some sort of manager. He drops by the house sometimes, though we’ve never spoken.”

Good, I thought to myself. This was confirmation enough for her that I had indeed brought her to Gastone’s operation.

We watched as the manager spoke to the foreman, his gestures sharp and angry. Something had clearly gone wrong.

The foreman called over one of the workers, a thin man who looked like he wanted nothing more than to avoid the manager’s attention. There was an argument taking place, with workers all around watching. Then, the thin man raised his hands in supplication.

“What's happening?” Larissa whispered. “Why is the manager angry?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered back. “Just watch.”

The manager nodded to one of his men, who stepped forward and grabbed the thin worker by the arm. Another worker tried to intervene, only to be restrained by a second guard.

“No,” Larissa breathed, seeming to sense what was coming.

The manager raised his hand, and the dock fell silent. He spoke again to the first worker, who was now on his knees. Whatever the man said, it wasn't what he wanted to hear. He nodded to one of the guards, and a gun came into view. Beside me, Larissa gasped and moved as though she wanted to intervene from all the way over here, but I held her in place.