An Opportunity Seized by Donna Gallagher

the road…”
    “Is Mum okay? What happened? When did this happen?”
    “Your mother is fine, Toni. She was a bit shaken up and as much as I hate to say this, it has made my task of protecting you all a lot easier. She and your father are finally taking the threats seriously. And I can guarantee no one will get that close to her or you again. Fuck, it wouldn’t have happened in the first place if I’d actually been informed of the notes and calls your father was receiving. It wasn’t until after the accident that Grimaldi—I mean your father—brought me up to date. Since then, we’ve managed to intercept a suspicious parcel addressed to your little girlfriend, Jason. Nasty piece of work it was too. Had to hand it over to the local boys after I defused it. Stupid cops got all up in my face for touching the evidence. Had no clue the fuckin thing might have gone off at any second. Didn’t have time to wait for the bomb squad to roll on in.”
    “Got anyone in the frame for it?” Jason asked.
    Jason’s grip on her hand tightened. It was almost painful. She wasn’t about to make him let go any time soon, though, after hearing that a bomb had been sent to her.
    “Well, my gut feeling is that this has nothing to do with what’s going on at the mine. The wording of the threats, the earlier ones, don’t even mention the cave-in. It’s like the un-sub has just used that accident as a convenient excuse. Maybe head any investigation in that direction.”
    “Un-sub?” Toni cut in, not understanding what Nathan Haven had meant.
    “Unknown subject,” Jason answered.
    Nathan continued speaking, completely ignoring Toni’s question.
    “This is personal. Someone wants Grimaldi to suffer. Unfortunately, I can’t find any firm reason why or what Grimaldi might have done to warrant this kind of hatred, revenge. To build a fucking bomb and send it to his daughter? That’s just fucked up.” Nathan looked directly at Toni, his lips drawn together in a firm line.
    The way he was staring at her—his eyes the color of a winter’s night and just as cold—made Toni uncomfortable. It was like he was reading her mind and what he found there was not to his liking.
    Then just as abruptly, Nathan looked away from her. “No one is talking, telling me the truth so I can find the bastard or bastards that are doing this.”
    “I will,” Toni said. “If it helps keep us all safe. I just don’t know much about the business…yet.”

Chapter Eleven
     
     
     
    Traffic was heavy as usual at this time of day in the city so Jason had time to make the most of the close contact he and Toni shared in the car. It was probably the last time for a while that they could be themselves. In a few minutes, Toni would be thrust back into the life of excess and luxury. Jason was worried that between the stress of what was happening in her life and the influence of her family, he would get shoved aside.
    He was so proud of her, though, the way she was dealing with it all. Jason had nearly lost his mind when Nate had calmly informed them of the device he’d intercepted. The sudden urge he’d felt to punch Nathan in the face for telling Toni about it so callously, was hard to resist. The bastard was an insensitive arsehole. Didn’t he even think how that sort of information might affect her? It wasn’t a normal occurrence to be sent a bomb with your name on it. Stupid fuckwit.
    Glad he knows what he’s doing, though. Better to have Nate on my side than the other. Wouldn’t mind running a check on her father, though. Got to be something in his past… Something he has done that’s putting my woman in danger. Jason paused as he reflected on his choice of words. My woman? Yeah, I like the sound of that. Jason swiveled his head so he could catch a glimpse of Toni’s face as she rested against his shoulder. There were dark circles under her eyes, her lips were turned down and there was a frown, owing to her lack of sleep or maybe just