Secret Past Read online

  “What was going on when I walked in? What was the discussion really about?”

  “Before we get into that, there’s something you need to know.” Daniel leaned closer to Katie and turned away from Lorenzo. He whispered, “Your father offered me employment to be your bodyguard—unofficially—because he doesn’t trust Giovanni.”

  “Did you agree?”

  Daniel shook his head. “You know I can’t do that.”

  Katie bit her lip. Confirmation of everything Priscilla had told her was evident in Daniel’s words. Images of the feeble and ailing Anthony added to the fear slithering up her spine. She continued the whispered conversation, mimicking Daniel’s posture. “If Giovanni gets rid of you and me, he’ll go after Anthony next.”

  Daniel shifted in his seat. “Probably.”

  “I apologize for my outburst.” Giovanni entered the room.

  “Is Anthony all right?” Katie shifted nervously in the chair.

  “Yes, he needs to rest. Worked himself up with all that nonsense about the business.” Giovanni returned to his seat. “Marino Industries is very lucrative. I would hate to burden you with the daily decisions that need to be made to keep it running smoothly.”

  Perfect lead-in for her question. “What exactly does Marino Industries do?”

  “We’re a successful importing and exporting company—” Giovanni sipped his coffee.

  “Like guns, women and drugs?” Daniel interjected.

  Giovanni slowly set down his coffee cup, glaring at Daniel. “Mr. Knight, do you ever tire of attacking our family?”

  Daniel shrugged. “Just thought I’d help answer the question since you left it so open-ended.”

  “When the time comes, I’d be happy to sit with you, Isabella, and go over the details,” Giovanni emphasized her name and held her gaze. “However, we have more pressing things to discuss. I’m afraid I must burden you more.”

  “With what?” Katie asked.

  “Father is very ill.”

  She placed her hands in her lap. “I think that’s obvious.”

  “More than physically. Unfortunately, our family is cursed with mental disorders.”

  Daniel tapped her foot, a reminder to beware of Giovanni’s lies. “I don’t understand,” Katie said.

  “He’s mild-mannered in front of company, and right now, you’re still company. I’m not sure what he’s told you up to this point. No doubt he’s woven a tale about a priceless locket, and me wanting to take it from you.” Giovanni leaned forward, his dark eyes drilling into hers.

  Katie wiped her palms on her pants, grazing the necklace in her pocket. She looked past Giovanni to where Lorenzo stood. Did the guy ever take a break? Who was he loyal to—Anthony or Giovanni—or was he working for himself? The Marino house had far too many enemies and not enough allies.

  “He’s been obsessed with that ridiculous locket since Mother took it from him. He’s not well, Isabella.” Giovanni turned to face Daniel. “You’re a problem.”

  “I beg your pardon,” Daniel replied.

  “Father is insanely jealous and won’t share his children’s affections. He also likes to keep us pitted against each other. Ever heard the saying, find a common enemy? Why do you think I’m here without a wife and children?” Giovanni placed his napkin over his empty plate, steepling his fingers.

  Her brother’s words dipped into Katie’s well of reservations. Would Anthony really do what Giovanni accused? Is that why he offered her the chance to escape? Still, her brother was a good-looking man. Tall, physically fit and always the picture of perfection. No doubt he could have any woman he wanted.

  “Please explain.” Katie busied herself lifting the crystal pitcher filled with ice water and poured herself a glass.

  A shadow passed over Giovanni’s face. “I was in love once. She died mysteriously in a boating accident.”

  “You think Anthony murdered her?” Daniel pressed.

  “Yes.” Giovanni placed his palms on the table and rose. “Isabella, you need to send Daniel away for his own safety.”

  Daniel shook his head. “Let me simplify this. No one is sending me anywhere unless Katie goes with me.”

  “Then you might have the same fate as my beloved.” Giovanni addressed Katie, “Father will rid you of everything. It’s part of the reason I fought for you not to have the business ties. Once you’re in this family, there’s no escaping. He’ll own you. Daniel, you pose a risk to Bella by being here. Father will have you removed, one way or the other.”

  “Is that what the big discussion was about when I walked in?” Katie asked.

  Daniel nodded. “Giovanni encouraged me to leave and vouch to the authorities that there is no lawlessness happening here. To eliminate any incorrect assumptions that you’ve been kidnapped—”

  “Which I was—” Katie said, annoyance building.

  “Exactly. They don’t want any heat.” Daniel sat up straighter.

  “Daniel will return and tell the authorities there’s nothing illegal going on—” Giovanni pressed.

  “You want him to lie and say everything is roses and rainbows?” Katie clarified.

  “You got it.” Daniel’s jaw was tight.

  “It’s a way to get him safely out of the picture before something terrible happens,” Giovanni urged.

  Katie jerked to look at him, astounded at the threat. There was no way he would allow Daniel to leave that easily. Her heart drummed in her chest. They had to get out of here and fast. Her words tumbled out. “What if I return with Daniel? Wouldn’t that make the most sense? They’d see I wasn’t being held prisoner.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not a possibility.” Giovanni shook his head.

  “Why not?” Katie asked.

  Giovanni strode around the table and perched next to Katie, invading her comfort zone. “It’s not safe for us to talk here,” he whispered, giving a slight jerk of his head toward the doors where Lorenzo stood. “Let me arrange for an excursion on my boat. We can speak freely without worry of being overheard.”

  Daniel’s expression clouded. “You can’t be serious.”

  Katie stiffened.

  “Mr. Knight, I’m not going to take you to the ocean to dump your body. Quit being so paranoid.” Giovanni brushed an imaginary piece of lint from his pants and smoothed down his jacket.

  Priscilla hurried into the room. “Mr. Giovanni, your father is asking for you and Lorenzo.”

  Katie felt a tiny twinge of jealousy that Anthony hadn’t asked for her too.

  “Excuse me.” Giovanni stood. “Lorenzo, please have Zach assume your post.”

  “We don’t need a babysitter. I want time to talk with Katie about her options. In private,” Daniel inserted.

  “The security is for your own safety. You may speak with Bella in this room,” Giovanni said.

  “You said we’re not prisoners,” Katie challenged.

  Lorenzo moved from Katie’s sight. Zach took his place wearing that boyish grin.

  “We’ll be right back.” Giovanni exited the room.

  Katie caught a glimpse of Daniel out of the corner of her eye. His taut facial muscles, narrowed eyes and fisted hands warned he was about to make a move.

  * * *

  It was time to get out of the Marino house. Daniel surveyed Zach—the guard he’d nicknamed the leprechaun—who stood at the doorway watching Katie like a teenager at a high school dance. Dream on, kiddo.

  Daniel rose, Katie following as he made his way toward Zach.

  The kid stood taller, hand positioned on the Sig Sauer at his hip.

  “Zach?” Katie moved in front of Daniel. “We need a moment. Could you please get Tiffany to bring us a new carafe of coffee?”

  He blinked. “I can’t leave my post.”

  “Too bad.” Daniel swept Zach into a choke hold b
efore the inexperienced delinquent could grab his gun.

  Katie slid the Sig out of Zach’s holster.

  “I don’t want to hurt you. Help us get out of here and we all walk away.” Daniel shifted his weight so he was behind Zach.

  “They’ll kill you,” Zach rasped. “Then they’ll kill me for helping you.”

  “I think that’s a reality regardless,” Katie replied.

  Daniel’s grip around the kid’s neck prevented him from screaming for help. He delivered a strike to the side of Zach’s neck—a classic brachial stun—knocking him unconscious, and set the young man on the floor.

  With a hurried clip through the hallway, Katie and Daniel made their way through the foyer to the entry. Katie searched the area, covering Daniel with the gun.

  Something wasn’t right and quite frankly, this was too easy, but they had to take the chance.

  “It’s like everyone disappeared,” Katie whispered.

  Daniel peered through the window; seeing no one, he flung the door open. “Go.”

  The warm sunlight greeted them as they ran to the massive six-car garage on the right of the L-shaped house. A ten-foot black iron fence surrounded the property with the gate swung wide.

  “Give me the gun and look for keys hanging in any of the ignitions,” Daniel said.

  Two of the garage doors were open, revealing a classic foreign convertible and black SUV. Outstanding. Getaway car approved.

  Daniel signaled for Katie to follow him and they made their way inside. The garage was beyond impressive and resembled a showroom displaying the spotless, stunning vehicles. The other four garage doors were closed concealing a pickup truck, sports car and four-door sedan. Daniel ran to the convertible, but the keys weren’t in the ignition. He moved toward the SUV while Katie checked the sedan and sports car.

  The shimmer of the keys in the SUV’s ignition increased his pulse. “Yes! This one!” He waved Katie over.

  They jumped into the vehicle and Daniel locked the doors. He turned the key as four familiar men advanced from the house.

  Daniel tried again. The SUV didn’t even sputter.

  “You’re wasting your time.” The tobacco-scented assailant from the ranch walked around to the driver’s side and tapped the window with a Sig Sauer.

  “Daniel, what do we do?” Katie slid closer to him.

  “Get down.” Daniel aimed the gun and pulled the trigger. It clicked. Empty.

  “We knew you’d take down Zach. No point in wasting bullets on the kid,” Giovanni called.

  “I think they’re trying to leave without saying goodbye.” The Professor stood next to Katie’s door.

  A cold chill oozed through Daniel’s veins. “Guess the winning side wasn’t Anthony,” he mumbled.

  The Professor also held a Sig Sauer. Did Marino buy those in bulk for his minions?

  “Get out of the SUV.” Giovanni blocked the entrance, holding Daniel’s Glock 21SF.

  “Nice gun,” Daniel growled.

  Lorenzo covered the right side of the garage with his ever-present MP5.

  Daniel weighed the risks, glancing between each of the armed men. His empty Sig Sauer paled in comparison to their loaded weapons. The men could hear them. Creative instructions, coming up. “We’re in the same position as we were at the ranch, Katie.”

  She faced him, understanding in her eyes. “It does look that way.”

  “Stop wasting our time,” Giovanni goaded.

  “Probably get the same results,” Daniel hinted.

  Katie nodded. “That’d be a shame.”

  The tobacco-smelling assailant reached for the driver’s door handle. “Get out—”

  Daniel thrust open his door, smacking the man. He lunged from his seat and tackled the assailant to the ground. Daniel finished the assault by slamming the butt of his empty gun against the man’s head.

  Katie shrieked on the other side of the SUV.

  He turned as Lorenzo’s fist delivered a blindsiding punch. Daniel fell back against the vehicle. In a quick recovery, he jumped up, landing two swift blows that sent Lorenzo’s aviator glasses flying.

  The racking of a gun held Daniel in place.

  His heart jackhammered. He had nowhere to run.

  Giovanni shook his head. “I told Lorenzo if we gave you even an inch, you’d throw our hospitality in our faces and try to escape.”

  Lorenzo’s face was beet red, and his aviator sunglasses lay broken on the ground. A thick scar ran from his right eyebrow, over his eyelid, ending under the glass eye that stared blankly past Daniel. He rubbed his jaw and leveled the MP5, silently reinforcing Giovanni’s authority.

  Daniel gritted his teeth.

  Katie stood in front of The Professor. He held his gun against her head. “You’re outnumbered—give it up.”

  Daniel met her eyes. They’d go down fighting.

  Katie whipped her head back, connecting with The Professor’s chin, then drove her elbow into his stomach. He lost hold of his gun, which clattered to the cement floor. She delivered a strike to his knee, dropping the man, and finished him with a kick to the head.

  Giovanni gaped at the scene, giving Daniel the opening he needed. He charged, driving the man to the ground, and managed to land several punches to his model-perfect face. Lorenzo yanked Daniel off Giovanni and the force had him stumbling backward. Giovanni scurried and stood, chest heaving. He swiped at his bleeding nose, baring his teeth like a caged animal.

  An unexpected blow to the back of his head dropped Daniel to his knees. He glared up at the tobacco-scented man standing over him, gun poised.

  Lorenzo dragged Katie over to Giovanni by her hair.

  Giovanni’s hand shook as he pointed the gun at Katie’s forehead. “We’re done playing games. Take care of Mr. Knight, but keep him alive. For now. My sister and I have some unfinished business.”

  The Professor dragged himself up from the ground. “Well played, little girl.”

  Gun trained on Daniel, The Professor and the tobacco assailant approached with sneers painted on their faces.

  Daniel stood and prepared for the attack. Both men moved toward him. Katie and Giovanni were behind him.

  The tobacco assailant sprang first, but Daniel dodged his effort, then clocked the man. The Professor followed up with a straight punch to his stomach, taking the wind out of Daniel’s lungs.

  Daniel responded with an uppercut to The Professor’s jaw. The other assailant kicked Daniel in the kidneys, causing his back to spasm.

  The Professor attacked from behind, driving Daniel to the ground. Move, Knight. Keep fighting.

  Daniel reared up, but The Professor slammed his face into the hot pavement. Electric streaks of pain shot through his nose, and his eyes watered. A warm, thick copper taste filled his mouth.

  Lorenzo stalked the battle in a slow and steady way, his mouth curved.

  “Stop,” Katie cried from somewhere nearby.

  Her voice jolted Daniel back into the fight. He thrust back his elbow, contacting The Professor’s face. The man fell backward, hands covering his nose.

  Daniel spun like a turtle on its back into the ground defense position, swinging out his legs and striking Lorenzo’s knee. The man cursed and stumbled to the side, clutching his injured leg.

  The tobacco man’s boot slammed into Daniel’s ribs, sending him reeling. The shock immobilized him long enough to give the goon a chance to kick him again. Daniel gasped for air as his ribs exploded in pain. He rolled protectively to his side, attempting to slide away from the boot’s range.

  The Professor pounced, jerking Daniel’s arms behind his back. He couldn’t restrain his cry of agony.

  Lorenzo landed several punches to Daniel’s face, and the world spun as he fought to stay conscious throughout the assault.

  “I’ve been waiting for this oppo
rtunity, Marshal Man.” Lorenzo winced, shifting his weight to one leg as he secured flexicuffs on Daniel’s wrists. “Let’s kill them now.”

  “Not yet,” Giovanni answered.

  Daniel worked his jaw, thankful it wasn’t broken. He met Lorenzo’s icy glare through his blurred vision. “It only took...three of you...to take me down,” he replied between painful inhales around the injured rib.

  “You shouldn’t antagonize Lorenzo. He’s got a very bad temper.” Giovanni dragged Katie toward the truck.

  Daniel contained the urge to shout in pain, gritting his teeth while every part of his body protested in suffering.

  “Take him to the cell,” Lorenzo ordered.

  The Professor rasped into his ear, “A shame, you weren’t smart enough to spot the winning side.”

  SIXTEEN

  Katie’s anger and adrenaline whirled through her body with tornado force. Giovanni pressed the gun into her back, shoving her toward the pickup. The Professor and the other assailant hauled Daniel away like a rodeo calf.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  Giovanni chuckled. “You’ll understand soon.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Little sister, you don’t have anything I want.”

  “The locket. I can give you the locket.”

  “I could care less about some worthless piece of jewelry. You should’ve used that bargaining tool with Father.”

  Katie’s head spun. Now what?

  “Do what I say or you’ll never see your boyfriend again. Do you understand?” Giovanni’s glare pinned her through eyes so black they blended with his pupils.

  She shivered.

  Lorenzo stormed to them, clutching the MP5. “Now, can I kill her?”

  “Patience.” Giovanni chortled.

  Katie startled at Lorenzo’s appearance, sans aviator sunglasses. He shot her a glare and she averted her eyes, wildly surveying the area.

  She could run. As if sensing her internal debate, Lorenzo poked her back with the gun, a vivid reminder she couldn’t outrun bullets.

  “He’s so impatient.” Giovanni gripped her arm, and yanked her toward the gleaming pickup truck.