Pros & Cons (28 page)

And tracked.

I pray Cara is tracking mine.

Light begins to trickle in through the dusty windows.

Twist.

Tug.

“It didn’t have to come to this, Jenna,” Stavros says tiredly. After hours of bumbling Italian mixed with a little Greek, we’re now back to English. “We could have been the most successful organization in the world. I would have protected you—both of you—if only you’d been loyal to me. But you wish to remain my competition, and I can’t allow that. I won’t.”

Twist.

Tug.

“Maria and Marcello have potential,” he continues quietly. “But look at them now. They’re asleep, Jenna. Asleep! Unbelievable.”

The duct tape across my mouth keeps me from replying, but I get the feeling he’s not really looking for conversation. I’m actually beginning to wonder if Stavros isn’t losing it.

“Since we’re being honest with each other, I feel as if I must admit something.” Stavros stops pacing and looks directly at me. My hands freeze. “All of it was for you. Ethan is very skilled, but you . . . you are the brilliant one. Everyone knows that. Even Ethan.”

I’m not feeling too brilliant right now. I walked right into your trap.

Stavros begins to pace again, giving me the chance to work on the knot. The rope finally loosens.

“And while I’m confessing,” Stavros murmurs, “it
was
I who planned the explosion in New York. But things didn’t go exactly as I’d hoped.”

I knew he was behind the explosion, but hearing him confess is more than my heart can take. Tears start to trickle down my face, and I bow my head. I refuse to let this lunatic see me cry.

Suddenly he’s there, kneeling before me. He places his hand along my chin and gently lifts my head.

“You see, Sweet Jenna, my intention was to kill them all. Then you would have been alone, and you’d have had no choice but to work for me.”

Agony rips through me, and I close my eyes as the traitorous tears begin to fall uncontrollably. Very carefully, Stavros removes the tape from my mouth.

“I don’t understand.” My voice is rough and dry. “Abby was never meant to go into the building.”

Stavros nods. “That’s true. But I knew she’d follow Coop inside. That’s why there were three explosions. The first was merely incentive to get your partner into the building. The second was to kill them all.”

“And the third?” My voice is a weak whisper.

“What’s that American expression? Third time is the charm?” Stavros smiles coldly. “I was just covering my bases.”

He begins to pace again.

“What made you think I wouldn’t run into the building, too?”

“I knew that was a possibility. You remember Dean?”

Dean, the paramedic who was first on the scene. The one who wouldn’t let me out of his sight.

My stomach drops.

“Did you know paramedics are woefully underpaid? I didn’t go into specifics with Dean. I didn’t have to. I merely paid him to keep you out of the building. In his mind, he was just doing his job. Of course, he grew suspicious of my motives when your friends were found dead, but if I’ve learned anything, it’s that money is the perfect remedy for a guilty conscience.”

Twist.

Tug.

Keep him talking.

“Where is Dean now?”

“I assume sipping mimosas in Mexico. He’s being well taken care of. Dean kept a precious commodity safe for me and remained silent when questioned by the authorities. I reward loyalty.”

Stavros protected me, but only because it was me he wanted all along. In his eyes, Ethan, Abby, Coop, and even Dean, were just collateral damage if it meant he could own me in the end.

“Since you’re confessing, what about Coop and Abby? Did they really take a bribe from you?”

He smirks. “I tried. You’ll be happy to know your friends were loyal to you . . . until the day they died.”

I bow my head and smile.
Of course they were.

“I must say I thought I was prepared for everything. What I didn’t anticipate was the growing affection you and Ethan have for each other. I couldn’t have predicted that.”

“Ethan loves me,” I whisper.

Stavros smiles up at the Virgin Mary in the glass. “Yes, he does. Maria was able to intercept some of his more affectionate text messages, which is how we learned you are with child. What a tragic ending to what could have been a beautiful love story.”

I swallow nervously. “It doesn’t have to end tragically, Stavros.”

“Oh, but it does. Especially now that I’ve confessed my deepest, darkest sins. I have to kill you now, Jenna. I have to kill both of you.”

He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a gun.

It must be mid-morning. I can’t be sure, but the sun has risen in the eastern window and has already changed position.

Is Ethan close?

I try to remember how many miles separate Kentucky and Greece, but my mind is foggy with exhaustion and fear.

I want sleep.

I want food.

I need to pee.

My hands are free, but I still keep them behind my back. Not that it matters. Stavros isn’t paying attention to me. He’s too lost in his own insanity to notice. He’s started mumbling in Italian again, and he’s pacing the aisle like a caged tiger. I can’t quite translate all of it, but it seems the idea of killing me is actually bothering him a little. This should make me happy, except for the fact that he keeps pulling the gun out of his pocket, just to remind me that shooting me is still the plan.

The twins are awake now. Their laptops are open, and more than once, Marcello jumps out of his pew and glances out the windows. He and his sister whisper in Italian and stare constantly at their computers.

With my hands loose, I’m desperate to caress my stomach. The gesture has become like an anchor to my heart that keeps me calm and hopeful and sane. But I know I have to stay still. I can’t let them know my hands are free.

Not yet.

Suddenly, Maria’s head snaps up. With wide, fearful eyes, she looks at me, then to Stavros.

“
Qualcuno sta venendo
,” she says softly.

Her voice is void of emotion. It would send chills down my spine if her words didn’t make me so happy.

Venendo.

Coming.

Someone is coming.

The three of them rush toward the windows, and it’s at this point my two years of Italian become completely worthless. Maria and Marcello yell rapidly, shouting over each other. It suddenly dawns on me that I haven’t seen the other guards in ages. I can’t believe Stavros had been so confident in my cooperation that his only protection now are these two idiots—one of which can’t even tie a decent knot.

With the three of them still screaming and staring out the windows, I reach into my pocket for my cell. I quickly scroll through my apps until I find the voice recorder. After pressing the button on the screen, I quickly shove it back into my pocket and place my hands behind me once again.

“I told you he’d find me.”

Stavros spins toward me.

I smile.

“Are you a religious man, Stavros? If so, I’d hit my knees. Not that it matters. I don’t think a couple Hail Mary’s are going to save your sorry soul.”

“Shut up!”

No longer afraid, I jump out of my chair. Maria gasps when she sees that my hands are free.

“You asshole! You killed Abby Moore. You killed Cooper Donovan. You went after Ethan’s parents. You even went after my aunt. You kidnapped me!”

“Yes! Yes!” He’s screaming now, pulling at his hair and dropping to his knees. Maria and Marcello watch him with wide eyes. Suddenly, Maria’s eyes snap to mine. A slow, sinister grin creeps across her face.

“Prendi la pistol,” she says to her brother.

Take the gun.

But Marcello doesn’t get the chance. Stavros lunges for me, knocking me to the floor and pinning my hands above my head with one of his. With a menacing smile, he pulls the gun out of his jacket and rubs the barrel against my cheek.

“Sweet Jenna,” he whispers.

Shots ring out.

I scream.

His body lurches against mine and his eyes grow wide as another gunshot echoes through the church. Stavros gasps, and his eyes roll back in his head. I grab the gun out of his hand before shoving him onto the floor and rising to my feet.

“Jenna!”

It’s his voice—Ethan’s sweet voice that I love so much—but I can’t concentrate on it.

Not yet.

 I have to end this.

“Miss York, please drop your weapon.”

An unfamiliar voice. Maybe a cop? He sounds official.

Doesn’t matter.

I gaze down at Stavros, broken and bleeding at my feet.

“Baby, please drop the gun.”

Ethan.

But I can’t drop it. Stavros had planned to kill us all.

I lift the pistol.

“Jenna, please drop the gun.”

Dad
.

I’ll have to thank him for teaching me how to shoot.

“He killed Abby and Coop,” I whisper.

“We know, Jenna. He’s going to prison for the rest of his life.”

Shane.

The room begins to move in and out of focus, but I can see Stavros perfectly. He’s not moving. Is he dead? Or just unconscious?

Unconscious isn’t good enough.

“Jenna,” Ethan’s voice is distant but oh so clear. I sway, and suddenly, his arms are wrapped around me. “It’s over, sweetheart. Give Shane the gun. I don’t want you to hurt yourself or the baby.”

I shake my head and raise the gun again, taking aim. “But we’ll never be free. He’ll find us. I won’t let him hurt us anymore. I won’t.”

A single gunshot rings out, but it’s not mine.

Stavros’ body jerks spastically until he finally stills. With a loud scream, I drop my gun, which Shane promptly picks up and tucks into his jeans.

We all look around for the shooter. Gabe promptly walks over to Shane and hands him his weapon. Then he walks over to me.

“There, sweetheart,” Gabe says softly. “I killed the bastard. He’ll never hurt you again.”