known Malandante enforcers. It’s right on the desktop called Mal . Yeah, I know. Original. Go through the pictures. See if you recognize the guy who attacked you while I’m gone.”
“Do you think he’ll go after Tira? Or Jensen and Tanner?”
“Tira should be fine. Her foresight will act as an early warning system and she’s agreed to lay low for the next day or so until we figure out what’s going on and who this guy is.”
Sal paused and she forced herself to meet his dark solemn eyes.
Maybe she didn’t want to hear the answer to her question.
“I think, if whoever’s after you thinks he can draw you out by going after the Miller brothers, he will. Short of breaking all kinds of written and unwritten rules about eteri knowing about Etruscans, they’re on their own.”
Her heart twisted but she’d known what he was going to say.
She never should have gone home with them last night. And she’d never see them again.
And if something happened to them, she’d blame herself for the rest of her life.
* * * * *
Jensen walked into Lacey’s Stay-A-While and stopped just inside the door.
He let his gaze travel over the entire room, stopping to thoroughly examine every woman in the place.
Which didn’t take long. It was still early for a Saturday, only around six, but he hadn’t wanted to wait at the house any longer. Tanner had a meeting he couldn’t miss but he’d be there as soon as that ended.
Hopefully by then, Jensen would have found the woman.
His unease had grown all day and he hated the sense of disorientation that came with it. Like someone had gone into his brain and scrambled his memories. Why someone would do that or even how someone would do that made it all the more ludicrous.
And yet…
Walking up to the bar, he sat at a stool at the far end, away from the door so he’d have a clear view of anyone entering or leaving.
The male bartender he remembered from last night walked over. He didn’t see the female owner, Lacey.
“What can I get you?”
His stomach rumbled at the smell of grilling meat and tomato sauce wafting around the room. “A menu? Food smells great.”
The bartender laid one on the counter, still eyeing him. “You were in last night. You just move to the area?”
Jensen flashed the guy a look, noting the shoulder-length brown hair, the intent hazel eyes and the hard expression. As if he knew Jensen had questions. But that was stupid. Why would this guy think Jensen was there for anything other than dinner and a few drinks? Paranoia must be gaining on him.
“Born and raised in Robesonia,” Jensen finally answered. “Nice place.”
“Yeah, my wife thinks so. It’s hers. I’m Teodoro de Feo.”
Okay, maybe that explained the guy’s interest in him. He was warning Jensen away from his wife. Maybe he’d be happy to hear Jensen was looking for another woman.
“Jensen Miller.” He stuck out his hand, which de Feo took without hesitation. “Nice to meet you.”
The other man nodded even as he acknowledged the two guys who’d just sat at the end of the bar. “I’ll be back in a minute to take your order.”
After figuring out what he wanted, Jensen waited for Teodoro—What was that? Italian?—to return, wondering how he should go about asking what was probably going to sound like an idiotic question.
Hey buddy, could you describe the woman I was with last night? Was she a redhead or a brunette? Did my brother and I leave with her? And can you tell me where she lives because I think she’s in trouble? Why? Hell if I know.
Yeah, that’d go over real well.
“So, what’ll ya have?” Teodoro stood in front of him, watching him with sharp eyes.
Jensen ordered a burger and fries and a beer, which Teodoro tapped and set in front of him after putting in his food order.
“You look like a man with a question, Jensen Miller. Wanna tell me what it is?”
Jensen set his beer back on the bar and looked the guy straight in the eyes. “The woman I was
“Do you think he’ll go after Tira? Or Jensen and Tanner?”
“Tira should be fine. Her foresight will act as an early warning system and she’s agreed to lay low for the next day or so until we figure out what’s going on and who this guy is.”
Sal paused and she forced herself to meet his dark solemn eyes.
Maybe she didn’t want to hear the answer to her question.
“I think, if whoever’s after you thinks he can draw you out by going after the Miller brothers, he will. Short of breaking all kinds of written and unwritten rules about eteri knowing about Etruscans, they’re on their own.”
Her heart twisted but she’d known what he was going to say.
She never should have gone home with them last night. And she’d never see them again.
And if something happened to them, she’d blame herself for the rest of her life.
* * * * *
Jensen walked into Lacey’s Stay-A-While and stopped just inside the door.
He let his gaze travel over the entire room, stopping to thoroughly examine every woman in the place.
Which didn’t take long. It was still early for a Saturday, only around six, but he hadn’t wanted to wait at the house any longer. Tanner had a meeting he couldn’t miss but he’d be there as soon as that ended.
Hopefully by then, Jensen would have found the woman.
His unease had grown all day and he hated the sense of disorientation that came with it. Like someone had gone into his brain and scrambled his memories. Why someone would do that or even how someone would do that made it all the more ludicrous.
And yet…
Walking up to the bar, he sat at a stool at the far end, away from the door so he’d have a clear view of anyone entering or leaving.
The male bartender he remembered from last night walked over. He didn’t see the female owner, Lacey.
“What can I get you?”
His stomach rumbled at the smell of grilling meat and tomato sauce wafting around the room. “A menu? Food smells great.”
The bartender laid one on the counter, still eyeing him. “You were in last night. You just move to the area?”
Jensen flashed the guy a look, noting the shoulder-length brown hair, the intent hazel eyes and the hard expression. As if he knew Jensen had questions. But that was stupid. Why would this guy think Jensen was there for anything other than dinner and a few drinks? Paranoia must be gaining on him.
“Born and raised in Robesonia,” Jensen finally answered. “Nice place.”
“Yeah, my wife thinks so. It’s hers. I’m Teodoro de Feo.”
Okay, maybe that explained the guy’s interest in him. He was warning Jensen away from his wife. Maybe he’d be happy to hear Jensen was looking for another woman.
“Jensen Miller.” He stuck out his hand, which de Feo took without hesitation. “Nice to meet you.”
The other man nodded even as he acknowledged the two guys who’d just sat at the end of the bar. “I’ll be back in a minute to take your order.”
After figuring out what he wanted, Jensen waited for Teodoro—What was that? Italian?—to return, wondering how he should go about asking what was probably going to sound like an idiotic question.
Hey buddy, could you describe the woman I was with last night? Was she a redhead or a brunette? Did my brother and I leave with her? And can you tell me where she lives because I think she’s in trouble? Why? Hell if I know.
Yeah, that’d go over real well.
“So, what’ll ya have?” Teodoro stood in front of him, watching him with sharp eyes.
Jensen ordered a burger and fries and a beer, which Teodoro tapped and set in front of him after putting in his food order.
“You look like a man with a question, Jensen Miller. Wanna tell me what it is?”
Jensen set his beer back on the bar and looked the guy straight in the eyes. “The woman I was
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