Page 40 of Going for Gold (Sweet Cravings 3)

Just when I reached the door, Rodrigo said, "Hold on."

I spun around and looked at him.

"There's one more thing I wanted to show you. Isadora, can you grab my computer?"

Isadora walked past me into the hallway and returned a second later carrying a laptop. She opened it and put it on Rodrigo's lap. He typed a few things and then turned the laptop around so I could see it. It looked like some sort of crappy quality YouTube video.

"Does this look familiar?" asked Rodrigo.

"Not really."

"Let me switch to a better view." He hit a button and the screen changed to a video feed of Emily sitting at her desk in her dorm room typing on her computer.

I balled my fists. That mother fucker. While Emily was out, Rodrigo must have had someone sneak into her room and plant cameras. I suddenly realized that I had slightly underestimated Rodrigo. I originally thought he was some two-bit thug trying to intimidate me into helping him. But that wasn't the case. He had probably been planning this for months, setting up an international network and thoroughly researching his marks. There was no doubt in my mind that he knew my entire history and that I'd do anything to keep Em safe. He was three steps ahead of me.

"I hate to be unpleasant," said Rodrigo, "but it would be bad business to not have an insurance policy to keep my assets from skipping town in the middle of a job."

"I assume you've done your research about me," I said.

"I have."

"Did you happen to come across any information about my last foster parents? The one's who weren't very kind to my sister?"

"Yes. Horrible tragedy."

"Was it?" I said, raising an eyebrow. Maybe Rodrigo's research hadn't been that thorough after all.

"Now you're a tough guy, huh? Nice try, but I'm not buying it. Call the police, mess up a mission, or try to fuck me over in any way, and my friend Vitor is going to blow your sister's brains out." He pretended to put a gun to his head and pull the trigger. "Are we clear?"

Every word out of his disgusting mouth made my blood boil. I was going to kill him. "Are you sure that's how you want to play this?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Alright then." Big mistake, asshole. "I hope you're making the right choice."

"Enough with the tough guy shit. Just check your emails every morning and don't do anything stupid that's going to get your sister killed. Isadora can vouch for me; I'm not fucking around."

For the first time, I could see emotion in Isadora's eyes. She nodded her head slowly. I wondered what horrible thing Rodrigo had done to one of her family members, but whatever it was, it had been enough to scare her into being his sex slave.

"Don't worry, you'll win your bet," I said.

"Good. Then your sister will live and you'll be fifteen thousand dollars richer. Everyone walks away happy."

"We'll see."

He ignored my comment. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Bryce. I hope you aren't as disappointing as my last operative. I'd hate for this to end the same way that it ended for him. Cristiano will drive you to wherever you need to go."

Chapter 16

Monday

Alina

"Guys, this isn't funny. He left before us. He should have been back by now."

"Alina, I'm sure he'll be here any second," Kristen said. "His crazy driver probably got lost or something."

My phone buzzed and I quickly swiped my finger across the screen.

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