Page 5 of Their One-Night Rio Reunion
The man answered, ‘It’s a kidnap threat, and it’s very credible. They’re here, in the city right now, highly organised and motivated. We need to extract you and Mrs Salazar straight away and remove you to a secure location.’
Ana felt that now wasn’t the time to point out that technically she was no longer Mrs Salazar. She wasn’t overly shocked at this news. Growing up as a Diaz, daughter to one of Brazil’s wealthiest businessmen, she had never known what it was to live without the threat of violence or kidnap. Security had been a constant feature of her life, and in many ways she’d grown used to it.
She took a step forward, feeling slightly panicky that there might be a delay in putting Rio de Janeiro and Caio and all the disturbing things he made her feel, behind her. That was more of a threat.
‘I’m due to fly to Europe this afternoon—surely I’ll be safe there?’
Tomás looked at her, and he was grimmer than she’d ever seen him. ‘Mrs Salazar, we have it on good authority that two of the kidnappers are on your flight and have plans to snatch you once you’re through Customs in Amsterdam.’
Ana gulped.
Tomás looked at Caio. ‘And they are planning a simultaneous operation with you here, Mr Salazar. They are going to substitute your driver with one of theirs, so that they can take you to a location and inform you of the kidnap of your wife and lay out their demands. They’re not planning on freeing you until their demands are met.’
A cold finger traced down Ana’s spine at the thought of Caio being put in danger.
The man continued. ‘They’ve been operating for some time, and they’re wanted by every security agency in the world. They’re the same gang who kidnapped the daughter of Federico Falluci in Italy and got a massive ransom.’
Ana went even colder. She’d heard about that. The little girl hadn’t spoken for months afterwards.
‘This is the first time they’ve managed to track the gang down and discover who they’re targeting next.’
Ana shook her head. ‘But we’re divorced...or as good as...what worth have I to them?’
‘They will have been observing you for months by now. They only go after targets they know will do whatever it takes to retrieve the victim and pay the ransom.’
Before Ana could respond to that, Caio addressed Tomás, ‘So what’s the plan?’
Ana turned to face him. ‘What’s the plan? The plan is that I go to Europe today. They’ve targeted the wrong people!’ The thought of Caio caring enough to bankrupt himself to save her was almost laughable, except Ana didn’t feel like laughing.
The security man was shaking his head. ‘I’m afraid that’s not possible, Mrs Salazar. The special security forces are involved now. This is bigger than you or us. We have organised a safe location for you both to go to, but you need to leave immediately. Staff have prepared essential items for you.’
Ana looked at the man. ‘Go where? For how long?’
‘I’m afraid I can’t tell you that. You’ll find out when you get there. As for how long? At least twenty-four hours. That’s the window of time we have to catch this gang, before they realise they’re being watched.’
Her head reeling at this abrupt turn of events, Ana repeated faintly, ‘Twenty-four hours...?’
CHAPTER THREE
EVERYTHINGBECAMEAblur of activity after that. Ana and Caio were taken down to the basement of the building in a staff elevator and put into the back of a non-descript, shabby SUV with blacked-out windows. They were instructed to lie down until told otherwise and Ana complied, suddenly more frightened than she’d ever been by the sheer level of security that had sprung up around them. Some of the men were wearing full protection gear and holding massive guns.
She lay down on the back seat, turning her head to one side, and Caio had no option but to cover her body with his. Far from getting away from him, she was now closer to him than she’d ever been.
The vehicle started to move—up a ramp and presumably out onto a side street.
She was burningly aware of Caio’s body over hers. Her bottom was cupped by his hard thighs and that memory of his naked image filled her mind.
She gritted her jaw.Not helping.
His hands were beside hers on the seat, laughably bigger than hers. His scent filled her nostrils, heady and masculine. She could feel the heat of his body through his clothes.
He generally erred on the side of being casual, working in an industry that wasn’t renowned for conforming at the best of times, but today she’d been surprised to see him wearing a dark three-piece suit. A dark blue tie.
The only other time she could recall him wearing a three-piece suit—apart from their wedding—had been the day she’d signed the prenuptial agreement. It had completely intimidated her the first time around. The suit had made him look remote and like a stranger. But today... All she’d been able to see was the man under the suit. A man full of many more contradictions that she could have ever imagined. A man she’d come to respect.
And more.
The suit was a reminder that he was one of the richest self-made men in Brazil. After ostracising himself from his family and rejecting any inheritance he was due a long time ago, he’d sold his first start-up to one of the big Silicon Valley companies for many millions at the tender age of twenty-four. And since then he’d only become more successful. Everything he touched turned to gold.
