Ricco’s voice was a hiss in her ear. “This house is lethal. I want you with me so I know you’re safe.”

She smiled at the impatience – and concern – in his voice. It was a new experience for her. She liked it – liked that she mattered to someone – especially liked that she mattered to Ricco Ferraro.

She rode the shadows up the side of the house straight to the shattered window, admiring how Ricco had designed his home to maximize shadows from top to bottom, just as he had the incredible gardens. He reached out, hooked her under her arms and dragged her inside, right up against his body. He held her close for several moments.

“You scared the hell out of me, Mariko,” he whispered, pulling back enough to look down into her eyes.

Her heart clenched in her chest. It was the way he looked at her – as if she were the only woman in his world. “You scared me.” She knew how he had survived. He was wearing a vest, but still, the sniper could have gone for a head shot. He’d taken a huge chance to save her.

“I’m too mean to die like this,” he said. His hand slid down to her elbow. “We have guests. We want to make them feel very welcome.” He slid his fingers down her arm even farther to find her fingers with his. It was an intimacy she didn’t expect and her heart turned over. He pushed the rifle into the cabinet in the wall, and waved his free hand toward the shelves. “Pick what you’re most comfortable with.”

There were numerous knives and smaller guns. There was a belt with several holsters and loops. She wrapped it around her waist and slid knives into the loops and the guns she’d chosen into the holsters. She chose extra magazines for the guns and pushed them into the loops.

“Emilio, keep trying Stefano and the others,” Ricco said as he chose his weapons.

“I’m on it, Ricco,” Emilio assured. “Enemies approaching the target zone,” he added. “Three of them.”

Ricco pulled down a screen and activated it. At once she could see three men with backpacks moving cautiously along the hallway leading to the kitchen. It was the narrowest of all the hallways in Ricco’s spacious home, allowing the attackers to come at them two strong rather than single file, although these men were moving in single file.

Other cameras showed video of groups of men spreading out throughout the lower story. Without warning, a panel at the front of the kitchen, just to the right of the door, slid open. Simultaneously, one behind the attackers did the same. Guns slid out ahead and behind them, trapping the three men in the hall. There was nowhere to go and as the one in front shouted a warning, turning slightly to try to get away, both guns spat bullets. Within moments the three men were lying dead on the floor of the hallway and the guns retracted and slid behind the panels.

“Ricco.” She didn’t know what else to say. He’d planned for this. He had known sooner or later someone would be coming after him.

“We’re good,” he assured. He indicated the library. “We’re heading there.”

There was a long verandah wrapping around the circular part of the room with glass doors leading out to the cool porch so one could sit outside and read when they desired. The library took up both stories, the walls lined with books. Ladders with safety rails ran along tracks, allowing anyone to move along the long shelves at any level and pick their book. She loved his library.

They chose a shadow right beside the window, one that went up to the roof. He kept his hand in hers, as if that contact between them was very important to him. From the roof, they caught another shadow that took them to the verandah on the bottom floor of the library. Ricco leaned into her and brushed his mouth over hers. He indicated she move into the left side where there was a small, darker area on the porch like a little alcove. There was one on the right side as well. He opened the glass doors invitingly. She realized this was also built with defense in mind. She’d been taught, the same as him, that every offense was a good defense, and every defense was a good offense. He’d planned. It occurred to her that no matter what, Ricco Ferraro would protect his family – and he was good at it.

“They’re almost to you,” Emilio warned. “You have four coming at you, heavily armed with automatic weapons. They have the backpacks so I imagine they also have explosives. They’re probably going to try to wire the room to take down the house.”

“Wait until I move and pick your targets,” Ricco cautioned her.

She nodded, breathing evenly. The relief and elation that he was alive and unharmed was overwhelming. In such a short time, she realized she was already invested in him. It didn’t matter if he felt the same back – and she wasn’t silly enough to think that he did. He was a playboy. He liked women. Multiple women. That didn’t mean she couldn’t have him while they were together. The time would be short, and if she lived through finding her brother, she would be the one with the broken heart, but for her, it would be worth it. She’d never expected to ever feel for a man the way she did for Ricco.

“Don’t come out of the alcove until you’ve locked on and can take them both down. Two shots, one after the other.”

She sent him a small smile. “I’m good with this, Ricco. I’m a good shot.”

He nodded. She liked that he was a little anxious on her behalf, but she was an excellent shot. The doors of the library opened and the four intruders came in, sweeping the room to make certain it was empty. They hurried to the walls to find the supports for the house. Immediately they eased their backpacks from their shoulders and knelt to get to work.

Ricco and Mariko stepped out of the alcoves. She heard the bark of his gun even as she squeezed the trigger twice. Her targets went down and she switched her attention immediately to his. She should have known he wouldn’t miss. She started toward the dead bodies and their backpacks.

“Leave it. We should clear the house first. We didn’t give them enough time to do anything but set their packs on the floor.”

The idea of leaving explosives around disturbed her, but he was right. They weren’t going off by themselves. Ricco was already checking all four men, making certain each shot was a kill shot. He pulled down a screen in the corner of the room nearest the verandah. She could see the little squares indicating cameras.

Five attackers were inside the great room, setting up their explosives on the massive columns. One of them coughed. The room looked a little smoky. Metal shields on the windows prevented light from entering, and suddenly all the lights went out, leaving the room in darkness. The one man coughed again. Someone flashed a light on and she could see the smoke was thick now. Much thicker than it had been a few moments earlier.

One of the men tumbled over and lay gasping. His friend went to him and tried to drag him toward the door. He coughed, let go of his fallen companion and tried to make it to the door. He couldn’t find the right direction in the murky darkness. A third and fourth man fell. The last one grabbed his throat and tried to cover his mouth at the same time. He gasped and went down, first to his knees and then to the floor.