After the wedding, they would go somewhere fabulous for a week or two.
“Ready?”
She shifted in the front seat so she could look at him. All that strength and skill, and he was determined to use it to protect her. To make sure she always felt safe. “Thank you for driving me.”
Luca leaned over and kissed her. “Let’s go figure out if Destiny is in this shadow syndicate.”
Kira rolled her eyes. “That’s not why we’re outside her house on a random afternoon. Anyway, have you heard from Butler about Dr. Torres? Has he said anything?”
“Unfortunately, the Marshals don’t invite me to their briefings.”
“Bummer.” She pushed open the car door, listening to him chuckle, loving the sound of his amusement and knowing she was the one who brought lightness to his life. Enjoyment. A little bit of peace that was wrapped in the gift of God they were to each other.
Holding hands and walking into a church service together this past Sunday had been the best feeling. Kira felt like she was riding the biggest high of her life—and it was all because of Luca.
He walked with her to Destiny’s front door and pressed the doorbell that echoed through the house like stately country church bells. “Not the tone I’d have chosen.”
“I’m going to get one of those doorbell cameras. You never know who might come by with juice, trying to tempt you with a chocolate pastry.”
A loud crash echoed through the house.
Luca tried the door, and it opened. He pulled out his gun and thumbed off the safety. “Stay behind me.”
She knew the drill by now but was still surprised when he didn’t order her to stay in the car or something like that. Kira stuck with him, matching his pace and sticking in the protected spot right behind him.
From deep in the house, Destiny screamed and a gun went off.
Luca started running. Kira fought to keep up, racing up the stairs and down the hall through the open doors of the main bedroom. Destiny stumbled back toward the door in the corner, a smoking gun in her hand.
“Mrs. Rousseau, put the gun down.” Luca rounded a body leaking blood into the plush fabric of the carpet.
Kira knelt and pressed two fingers against the man’s carotid. Nothing. “He’s dead.”
She retrieved her phone from her jacket pocket and called 911, asking for Detective Michael Martinelli and reporting a dead body.
Kira stood and gave the body a wide berth, moving to where the other woman would be able to see her. “Destiny? Put the gun down, please.”
It tumbled to the carpet. The other woman gasped, her face pale. Hands shaking. Her blouse rumpled as if it had been tugged away from her body. One cheek red like she’d been slapped.
“Destiny, are you hurt?” Kira kept her voice soft, easing toward the other woman.
She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes glassy.
“The police are on their way.”
Luca squeezed Kira’s hand, passing her and moving back to the body. “This is Antonio Abalos.”
She glanced at him. “Francisco’s nephew?” The one who’d forced him out of the cartel. What was he doing in Destiny’s house?
“He was going to kill me.” Destiny gasped again. “The cartel still wanted to deal, but if Ralph could stand up to them, then I wasn’t going to back down. No way.”
“Let’s go into the hall, okay?”
Destiny moved with her, and Kira led her out of the room. Luca stayed with the body but came out when the cops showed up with Mike right behind them. The detective said, “I need to see the victim, then I’ll be out to speak with Destiny.”
“All right.” Kira nodded.
Destiny had a bench beside the bookshelves at the top of the stairs, so Kira led her to it and had her sit.