Charade (18 page)

Polite applause ensued,
then
Sasha stood and nodded. “I’m honored to be part of this impressive assemblage, especially now that I’ve heard of your amazing careers and accomplishments. You probably haven’t noticed, but I’m the only female here.” She paused for some nervous laughter,
then
she explained. “As Colonel Kerenski mentioned, I am my father’s sole heir. You may also have heard that he and I have had our differences these last few years. Let me assure you, gentlemen, while I may not have shown up for many Christmas dinners, I was kept informed, discreetly, about the family business.”

She sent a warm smile in Roberto Aguilar’s direction. “A few minutes ago, my tio Roberto referred to me as angel face—a nickname from my childhood. And it was a fitting one. I was a very happy child, and I’ll tell you why. It was because I had a powerful, loving protector of my very own. His name was Franco Bracciali.”

An unexpected sob hit her throat and she swallowed it. “I lived in a great city, but a very dangerous one. Plus, I had ears, so I knew that my father’s business was complicated, and that he had made enemies who might wish to harm me. Yet I slept like an angel. Do you know why? Because there was no doubt in my heart that Big Frankie Bracciali would protect me. He was a legend in those days, gentlemen, and I suspect you’ve heard some of the old stories. Believe me, they’re all true.
Each and every one.
Even the bloodiest and most ruthless of them.
If you crossed the Bracciali family, you were dead. Maybe you didn’t know it yet. Maybe you hid on the other side of the planet. But trust me, you were dead. Of all my father’s great qualities, that’s the one that made
everyone
want to be his friend. It’s the reason everyone wanted him to provide security for their enterprises. And it’s the reason I slept like an angel.”

Sasha paused, allowing the passionate blend of hero worship and cold, hard facts to sink in. Then she shrugged and said offhandedly, “But times have changed, haven’t they? The best security now is the invisible kind. Discretion and tech training have replaced brute force as the primary means of enforcement in this modern world. If you have impenetrable, invisible security, you can own the world.
Or at least, as much of it as it takes to satisfy your women.”

They all laughed. Then she leaned forward, her palms pressed to the tabletop, and said with ringing authority, “The Bracciali family can provide that new breed of security to any project, no matter how large. But don’t be misled. Behind the scenes, our muscle is still the best. The biggest, the strongest, and I promise you, the most ruthless when crossed. My father’s tech experts are the best, too, but you’ll sleep better at night—like angels, in fact—knowing Big Frankie Bracciali can and will
annihilate
anyone who tries to stand in your way. Let me give you a few recent examples—ones of which my father and I are particularly proud.”

After that, Sasha was on a roll that ended in thunderous applause, even from the men who had looked crooked at her earlier. She took it as a compliment, either to her rhetoric or to her final anecdote—the one about the snitch who had been buried in London.
And
Amsterdam.
And
Orlando.
That snitch’s remains would
never
be reunited, thanks to the fine work of Bracciali security.

Her only worry now was that Vlad might ruin the effect of her speech by remarking on it, but he said only, “Thank you.”

Then he cleared his throat and announced that three participants and their entourages were being asked to leave the room. There was no explanation, no offer that they could still attend the ball, just the promise that their bags were being packed, and that transportation out of Kestonia awaited them.

“Good riddance,” Aguilar announced cheerfully as soon as the doors were closed again.

“We should probably inform Big Frankie right away, General Zelasko,” Sasha murmured. “He’ll want to keep a close eye on those three.”

“I will inform him myself. Thank you for the suggestion. And now—” Vlad paused to straighten to his full, imposing stature, before assuring the remaining participants, “It’s time for me to tell you exactly what I need from each of you, and how you will be compensated if you fulfill that commitment.”

It took only fifteen minutes for Vlad to outline his needs. Then he spent another full hour speaking with each of his new associates in turn. In the interim, he instructed Sasha to accompany Nikko to a private bar adjoining the conference room to wait for him and to enjoy the private dinner that awaited her there, and she was glad for the opportunity.

Vlad had been masterful. She had watched as—one by one—the hard-nosed gangsters had sat up and taken notice. She understood now why the Kestonian people worshipped him despite the brutality of his takeover. It had been swift, and on some level, they had been proud—and relieved—to be on his side.

Oratory, veiled threats and the promise of billions—
quite a heady combination for men like
Roberto Aguilar.

And for men like Franco Bracciali,
she told herself with a sigh.
No way will Dad pass on this deal. I just wish he could have seen Zelasko in action. He would have eaten it up!

“You did well. Better than the men,” Nikko told Sasha as they dined together.

“With the exception of your boss,” she reminded him. “He was amazing.
And what about
you?
Cool, calm and collected. That’s a great compliment in America.”

“I was very nervous.”

“Me, too.
I thought—Oh!” She jumped to her feet the same way Nikko did when Vlad burst through the door.

There was no need to guess the dictator’s mood. The meeting had been a complete success and he knew it. Still he asked Sasha playfully, “You were impressed?”

She thought about giving a sexy reply, but caught herself and murmured, “I thought I had seen everything. So many meetings like this at our house. But honestly, Vlad, I’m speechless.”

“Good. You spoke for too long already.”

“Excuse me?”

He grinned. “Shall I call you angel face now?”

She rolled her eyes. “If I was such a problem, why didn’t you send me home with the other rejects?”

His eyes warmed. “You were magnificent. Not only for a woman, but even compared to grown men. Your father would have been proud.”

“Thanks.”

“I am convinced now that your reconciliation with him will survive. You love him—
worship
him—and that is good. All is forgiven. He found it necessary to kill an unfaithful wife, not because he wanted to, but because his reputation—his entire future, and perhaps even his survival—depended on how he reacted at that moment in time.”

To her surprise, it was almost true. In the process of reliving those days, she had been forced to remember that any sign of weakness was a death sentence for someone in her father’s position.

It also forced her to remember why she had walked out the door and refused to speak to him ever again.

“I have caused you depression?”

“Well, you killed the buzz, but that’s okay. I’m glad you could sense how I felt about Dad, either in my words or in my attitude, because I don’t want the other gentlemen to have any doubts about me.”

“They will not. Not now,” Nikko insisted heartily.

Vlad chuckled. “You are aware that Nikko is in love with you, are you not?”

The colonel flushed but said nothing.

“Don’t tease him, General. Please? His introduction gave me an extra shot of confidence right when I needed it.”

“Did it?” Vlad smiled. “You are pleased with us then? That is good.”

Nikko smiled, too. “Are you looking forward to the ball, Sasha? And to the display of fire that will follow it?”

She felt her cheeks warm. “Well…”

Vlad chuckled and explained to his assistant, “She believes you mean the lovemaking that she will have with me. She does not know about the church.”

“The church?”

“On the morning following the gala, I will blow up our old cathedral in a great explosion.
To signal to Kestonia that the time for rebuilding has arrived, as I promised during my rise to power.
It will be an impressive display.” Leaning his mouth against her ear, he added provocatively, “Almost as impressive as our private display will be.”

“Why do you have to blow up the old one? Doesn’t it have historical value? I saw it from a distance and it looked so charming.
A little run-down, but lovely.”

“We have stripped out the murals and statues.
And the altar.
Everything of value.
The building is no longer safe. It was allowed to grow weak from neglect, as was all of Kestonia, under the old regime. I will change that.
Beginning with the new cathedral.”

She smiled. “You’re so ambitious. But you didn’t give us any specifics about your enterprise. Just that it would make money for all of us. You’ll eventually have to give details to those men, you know.
So?
Can’t you tell me a little about it?”

Vlad shook his head. “The details are irrelevant for now. But I will tell you that my success in this venture will identify Kestonia as a world leader in the advancement of science, as well as ingenuity and vision.”

In other words…Teal.

After what she had witnessed over the last few days, she was beginning to suspect that Vlad himself was the real mastermind behind the kidnappings. Allison had been convinced he was just a pawn, but Allison hadn’t been in that conference room listening to this man and his “vision.”

It would be a mistake for anyone—especially Sasha—to underestimate him.

In contrast to the lack of drinking during the conference beyond a ceremonial toast at the end, the champagne had flowed freely during the private celebration with Vlad and Nikko. Fortunately, Sasha had remembered to take her antiabsorption medication, but she pretended to be inebriated as an excuse for an early retreat. Apparently her performance was convincing because Nikko insisted on holding her elbow as he escorted her back to her room.

It was easy to keep the banter light with him, not only because the meeting had gone so well, but because of Vlad’s jokes about his underling’s feelings for Sasha. She wasn’t sure it was true, but if it was, it was a stroke of luck. Hadn’t she been looking for some way to manipulate him?
To ensure that he didn’t go and check on Vlad after the ball, only to find that someone had drugged him?
Flirting with him seemed far preferable to whacking him over the head with a vase, which was the only other solution she had been able to devise for the Nikko problem.

When they reached her doorway, she thanked him again for the lovely introduction he had given her,
then
as if on impulse, she kissed his cheek and insisted, “What would I do without you?” Then without giving him a chance to do anything but blush, she slipped into her room and closed the door firmly between them.

Things are going so well,
she told herself as she leaned against the door and allowed her heart to slow to a normal rate.
What if you can actually pull this off? Not only rescue Teal, but also get proof that Vlad’s the mastermind
and
get your hands on that key card in case your favorite sleepyhead insists on hitting the lab on the way out of town.

It was too ambitious.
Too complicated.
She knew that, yet she also knew she was going to try.
Which meant she really
did
need to get some sleep, because the beginnings of exhaustion were lurking under her euphoria.
Moving toward the armoire, she began to shed her navy-blue silk suit with one hand while flicking the light switch on the wall with her other.

“Well,” said a voice from across the room. “Look who finally decided to show up.”

Sasha whirled, completely disoriented by the familiar sound. Then she literally squealed Jeff’s name and sprinted over to him, wrapping her arms happily around his neck. “You’re here! How is this possible? Oh my God, Jeff, tell me I’m not dreaming.”

“More like a nightmare, wouldn’t you say?” he drawled.

Sasha drew back, surprised by the tone, and suddenly aware that he hadn’t made any attempt to participate in the embrace. One look at his expression confirmed that he wasn’t happy with her. In fact, there was a quiet sort of anger behind his eyes that she had never seen before, not even on the day the FBI had first inflicted her on him.

“You’re angry?” She touched his cheek, and when he flinched, she insisted, “I wanted to tell you, Jeff. I begged them to let me. But they wouldn’t.” She bit her lip,
then
admitted, “They had their reasons. And I desperately wanted to do this, so I agreed. You have to forgive me,
though,
because I’m so glad you’re here—”

“You forgot to ask me
why
I’m here,” he interrupted coolly. “So I’ll just tell you. I came to rescue you. Isn’t that a laugh? I was so sure you were in over your
head,
I put my whole effing career on the line to come to this hellhole and save you. Like you need saving! My God, you already own the place! Zelasko’s mistress.
Big Frankie’s daughter.
Jesus Christ, Sasha—” His tone grew almost reverent. “I still can’t believe you did all this. I thought I knew you—”

“Is that what this is about? You think I actually
slept
with him? You think I really reconciled with Dad? Because I swear to you—”

“Don’t make me laugh. You
swear?
Like that means anything coming from you?” He exhaled sharply. “You swore you thought your father’s business was ninety-nine percent legit. And I believed you so much, I actually felt sorry for you!
Like
you
were the dupe, when all the time it was me.”

“Jeff—”

“Don’t worry. I don’t think you really reconciled with the big guy. I think you conned him the same way you conned me. The way you made me believe you were naive.
Made me want to protect you.
Even fall in love with you. All part of your mission for the NSA, right?”