Page 71 of Hold Me Close
My father spent the majority of the conversation talking about Rob anyway. My older brother had just made Staff Sergeant, and my father’s pride overflowed in his words.Good for him, I thought. Rob was an aggressive pain in the ass, but he was a born leader.
After the call was over, I stared at the phone.Soon, Ethan had said. It had been eons since, and no communication. When would whatever he was doing with the Abramos be over?
Then the phone rang.Unfinished Business.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Yes. Everything’s fine. But I need a favor.”
I closed my eyes so I could concentrate on his voice. “What do you need?”
“I’m sending you a picture. Can you confirm this is the man Vitale met with? The one you overheard talking about shipments and containers? The picture should come through any second. It’s not great, but it’s all we’ve got right now.”
There was a chime on the phone, and I pulled it away from my ear. On the screen was a black and white shot, like surveillance. “Yes,” I said. “That looks like him.”
“Good.” There was a pause, and I swore I heard his breathing pick up. “Now I need another favor.”
“Okay, but you don’t need to ask. I’m all for helping you with?—”
“Go to Shawn and Kara’s wedding.”
The train rocked, and I latched a hand onto one of the hanging straps. “What? You told me to stay away from them.”
“The Abramos aren’t interested in the Dunns anymore, and by this time tomorrow, they’ll have their hands full anyway. Trust me, it’s safe.”
My brain spun. Go to their wedding? I didn’t even know them. These were Ethan’s friends, not mine, plus Shawn was my employer. “I’m not invited.”
“I’ll call Jason and get him to give you my invitation.”
“Why?”
He sighed. “Because I can’t go. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to tie everything up here, but honestly, I wish I could. I’d like them to know that. And I was hoping you could tell me about it, next time we see each other.”
“Which is when, exactly?”
I pictured his intense gaze and shivered with anticipation. “Soon.”
It was early evening when the town car carried me and my invitation away from the city, delving into the dense forest that surrounded Munich. The phone in my matchingred clutch teased me, but I resisted. Instead, my busy hands worried the edge of the invitation that would give me access to the ceremony. I wanted to know everything about Ethan, and since he was no help, I decided I would glean whatever information I could from his friends.
The town car dropped me off at a farm field that had become a parking lot of luxury automobiles. Boards, covered with black carpet, formed a path up to the security checkpoint, probably done so the ladies wearing heels wouldn’t sink into the mud. The checkpoint was staffed with four serious-looking men, all wearing suits and earpieces, and there were probably guns tucked beneath their jackets.
It was cold outside, and as I waited my turn, I pulled my long jacket tighter around my body.
My invitation was scanned, my purse checked, and then I was wanded with a handheld metal detector. The group of people in line in front of me didn’t seem to think anything of it. The brewery had been bombed and tonight’s bride kidnapped at the last major event Shawn had held.
Once I was through security, I was ushered onto an awaiting shuttle with the other guests, and it was a short ride across the grassy field toward a sprawling, wood-timbered mansion in the distance.
Jason’s home was a gorgeous, Bavarian chalet nestled between ancient trees. The shuttle drove around the side of the home, passing another shuttle headed back out, and then pulled to a stop in front of a woman in a black business suit who stood on a stone patio.
She gave a warm smile then directed us to follow the path to the entrance to the tent. First in German, then English, then other languages Ethan would probably know but I did not. The red heels Kara’s assistant had sent over last minute carried my unsure feet across the stones and into the enormous white tent that had been set up in the back yard.
The interior was draped in layers of white fabric, and anenormous chandelier hung in the center, but it wasn’t the only light. Tall candelabras lined the aisle and were decorated with flowers, their greenery spilling down the sides. A temporary floor had been put down, making the large space feel like a room, and it was so stunningly beautiful, it stole my breath.
It was warm inside the tent, and I was grateful for the coat check they’d offered. There were space heaters, but also quite a crowd had already gathered, and the buzz of conversation was loud and jovial. Part of that could have been due to the silver trays of Osterhägen beer and flutes of champagne that were circulating.
It was ridiculous, but I scanned the crowd for a certain six-and-a-half-foot tall man. But he wasn’t there, and I knew that. Was he thinking about me as often as I was thinking about him?
I’d finished my first glass of champagne when Jason appeared from inside the house, and the crowd of two hundred or so began to quiet and take their seats. The younger Dunn brother wore a tuxedo, and once again, the clothing fit him perfectly—but looked wrong. Like polished leather shoes with workout clothes.
