looked down at her. Hackles raised, the dog growled and bristled, staring balefully at Franco. Gabrielle almost fell over from surprise. To her knowledge, Rocky had never so much as bared her teeth at a human before. The growl grew harsher, coming from deeper in the chest. She put a hand on the big dog’s collar, aware of what could happen if Rocky attacked. Her other hand clenched around the navy pump in her hand.
“Hurry up,” she said. “I don’t think my dog likes you.”
Franco curled his lip. “Put it out.”
“Drop dead.” She met his gaze, knowing they were both remembering another time, another dog. Her grip tightened on Rocky’s collar, the leather biting into her palm and fingers. “Why are you here?” Knowing Franco, he had a gun or a knife hidden under his dark suit. Gabrielle knew Franco’s capabilities with guns. And knives. Especially knives. But she wouldn’t back down.
He smiled again, though less easily, and took a seat. His expression sincere, he looked up at her. “I must talk to you about Vito.”
“I told you, I won’t discuss Vito with you.”
“He’s very ill. If I could tell him I’ve seen you, that you’ve asked about him . . .”
“Ill?” In spite of herself, it worried her. But Franco could be lying, very likely was. “What’s wrong with him?”
Franco lifted a shoulder. “The doctors don’t seem to know. For myself, I think it’s a broken heart.”
She snorted. “Get real. Vito’s one of the least sentimental people I’ve ever known. If he’s pining, it isn’t for me, it’s because he lost a pawn. And I doubt he’s still concerned over something that happened years ago.”
“Do you really think he’s forgotten you? You know you’re more to him than a pawn.”
Was she? It didn’t matter. That part of her life was finished. She frowned, narrowing her eyes at him. Or it would be finished, once she got rid of Franco. “If that’s all you’ve got to say, you can leave now.”
“Wait! Gabriela, if you’d see him it would mean the world to him.”
And what would it mean to Franco if he went back with her in tow? Did he think her so stupid, she couldn’t see what he was up to? Play it cool, she thought. Don’t let him see how he gets to you. “It’s too late for Vito and me. Besides, I’m stuck here working on your case, remember?”
“After that. Come back with me.”
She stared at him, awed by his nerve. “Are you nuts? I wouldn’t go to a dog fight with you.” Though he covered it quickly, she saw the anger flash in his eyes. His looks and, even more, his power didn’t garner him many rejections. But she knew the real Franco. The soulless monster who lived behind the smooth, darkly handsome exterior.
Noxious sincerity oozing from every pore, he asked, “Was it so bad between us?” His voice dropped to a deeper tone. “Don’t you remember any of the good?”
“Franco, there was never an ‘us.’ There was me, and there was you and Vito. I was merely a pawn in your struggle for power.”
“I loved you, Gabriela.”
She closed her eyes, willing the nausea down. Opening them, she said harshly, “You’ve never cared spit for anyone but yourself. Least of all a woman. Now get out.” She gestured at the door with her shoe, holding it like a would-be sword. “And don’t do this again. I can still quit your case.”
His smile was knowing.
Her eyebrow lifted, and she gazed at him coolly. “Do you think I won’t?”
“You don’t dare risk it.” Softly, he asked, “What will CG and S do when they find out you’re the daughter of Vito Donati? The missing Mafia heiress. The woman everyone believes is dead.”
Malice curled around her with each of his words. Gabrielle couldn’t stop the sudden intake of her breath, though the threat was no surprise. She’d be out on her butt faster than a revolving door. But she wouldn’t buckle under to Franco’s threats. Not without a fight. “Fine. You tell them. But get ready for
“Hurry up,” she said. “I don’t think my dog likes you.”
Franco curled his lip. “Put it out.”
“Drop dead.” She met his gaze, knowing they were both remembering another time, another dog. Her grip tightened on Rocky’s collar, the leather biting into her palm and fingers. “Why are you here?” Knowing Franco, he had a gun or a knife hidden under his dark suit. Gabrielle knew Franco’s capabilities with guns. And knives. Especially knives. But she wouldn’t back down.
He smiled again, though less easily, and took a seat. His expression sincere, he looked up at her. “I must talk to you about Vito.”
“I told you, I won’t discuss Vito with you.”
“He’s very ill. If I could tell him I’ve seen you, that you’ve asked about him . . .”
“Ill?” In spite of herself, it worried her. But Franco could be lying, very likely was. “What’s wrong with him?”
Franco lifted a shoulder. “The doctors don’t seem to know. For myself, I think it’s a broken heart.”
She snorted. “Get real. Vito’s one of the least sentimental people I’ve ever known. If he’s pining, it isn’t for me, it’s because he lost a pawn. And I doubt he’s still concerned over something that happened years ago.”
“Do you really think he’s forgotten you? You know you’re more to him than a pawn.”
Was she? It didn’t matter. That part of her life was finished. She frowned, narrowing her eyes at him. Or it would be finished, once she got rid of Franco. “If that’s all you’ve got to say, you can leave now.”
“Wait! Gabriela, if you’d see him it would mean the world to him.”
And what would it mean to Franco if he went back with her in tow? Did he think her so stupid, she couldn’t see what he was up to? Play it cool, she thought. Don’t let him see how he gets to you. “It’s too late for Vito and me. Besides, I’m stuck here working on your case, remember?”
“After that. Come back with me.”
She stared at him, awed by his nerve. “Are you nuts? I wouldn’t go to a dog fight with you.” Though he covered it quickly, she saw the anger flash in his eyes. His looks and, even more, his power didn’t garner him many rejections. But she knew the real Franco. The soulless monster who lived behind the smooth, darkly handsome exterior.
Noxious sincerity oozing from every pore, he asked, “Was it so bad between us?” His voice dropped to a deeper tone. “Don’t you remember any of the good?”
“Franco, there was never an ‘us.’ There was me, and there was you and Vito. I was merely a pawn in your struggle for power.”
“I loved you, Gabriela.”
She closed her eyes, willing the nausea down. Opening them, she said harshly, “You’ve never cared spit for anyone but yourself. Least of all a woman. Now get out.” She gestured at the door with her shoe, holding it like a would-be sword. “And don’t do this again. I can still quit your case.”
His smile was knowing.
Her eyebrow lifted, and she gazed at him coolly. “Do you think I won’t?”
“You don’t dare risk it.” Softly, he asked, “What will CG and S do when they find out you’re the daughter of Vito Donati? The missing Mafia heiress. The woman everyone believes is dead.”
Malice curled around her with each of his words. Gabrielle couldn’t stop the sudden intake of her breath, though the threat was no surprise. She’d be out on her butt faster than a revolving door. But she wouldn’t buckle under to Franco’s threats. Not without a fight. “Fine. You tell them. But get ready for
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