The scent of jasmine wafted into his airspace, and suddenly Xi-Ping was standing a few feet away. She was a woman whose strength he respected. She’d turned to arms dealing as a way to separate herself from her domineering brother and had become incredibly successful at it.
The supplier wore dark jeans, and a white blouse hid the intricate tattoos adorning her arms and back. Her striking features were devoid of makeup—she didn’t need any. Lustrous black hair fell halfway down her back. Beautiful yet deadly. That was his partner. Or was she? Could she be behind Christos’s abduction?
“Should I call you Ares or Nikos?” A smirk played on her full lips.
“No time for games. We have business to complete.”
“Your pilot asked me to give you this delivery.” She passed him a black resin container slightly larger than a hatbox. “Something I should know about?”
“Family business.” Just not his family.
“Speaking of which, I read the papers this morning. Why accelerate the plan?”
He studied her carefully, looking for evidence of complicity in his father’s abduction. His original strategy had involved Christos arriving in Zimbabwe for the negotiations first. Was Xi-Ping behind a preemptive snatch? Her brother? The two of them were representing the Chinese in the negotiations, so they certainly had motive to kidnap Christos. Still, he didn’t think she would double-cross him. He’d been her top customer for the black-market arms she sold, and he’d helped design a plan that would eliminate her biggest rival—her brother. He couldn’t fault her for wanting to vaporize Chi; the misogynist bastard spoke to her as he might a personal slave. Nikos would never treat Thea in such a demeaning way.
“Everything’s under control.” He would never admit otherwise to her. Besides, after facing down Uzis and AK-47s as a child, not much fazed him. His father’s kidnapping was just another minor obstacle. And once he understood who’d orchestrated it, maybe he could work it to his advantage.
“Your sister could still be a problem.” Xi-Ping’s lips tightened.
“Thea?”
“My men roughed her up in Santorini. I wanted her temporarily out of commission so she wouldn’t be nosing into the kidnapping, interfering with our plans.”
Thea’s bruises. Her close brush with death. How dare She-Wolf hurt his sister? “Don’t ever lay a hand on Thea again.” He stared at the delicate hyoid bone in Xi-Ping’s alabaster throat, wondering how much pressure would be needed to snap it.
She shrugged, as if the attack was a casual misstep.
“Let me be perfectly clear. Thea is off limits to—” His cell chirped. He raised a hand to Xi-Ping, putting their conversation on hold. “Yes?” he said into the phone.
A raspy voice echoed on the other end. “It’s Konstantin from the hangar. Everything is ready.”
“Good work. Continue as planned.”
“Of course. Thank you for your generous gift.”
“There’s more to come.” Nikos pressed the end button.
Xi-Ping gave him a questioning look.
“We’re on target.”
“Can we meet later at my hotel?” She arched a seductive eyebrow.
“We’ll have time for that later.” Or not. “I need to head to Kanzi as soon as possible.”
Disappointment shadowed her eyes. He glanced around. A few families had started milling around the exhibits. “Handle your end, and we’ll have plenty to celebrate.” He hefted the black container and headed for the zoo’s exit.
Cocooned behind the tinted windows of his black Mercedes, he unlocked the latches on the box and broke the seal. Mist drifted out. Vapor from the dry ice. As the plumes dissipated, he stared into the dark eyes of Carlos Antiguez, the former FARC leader, whose greasy hair was now frozen in place on his severed head. He smiled. A renewed energy filled him. Definitely the right choice, backing the nephew.
Chapter Seventeen
Gabrielle Farrah paced beside the baggage carousel at Athens International Airport, waiting for her suitcase, an unlit cigarette in her hand. She usually traveled with just a carry-on, but this time she had no idea how long she’d be gone. Max had texted her before her flight, letting her know that Christos Paris hadn’t shown up at his own party.