Under Pressure [IAD Agency] (Siren Publishing Classic)

something caught his eye.
    No. Not something, someone.
    There sat Elizabeth Trenton, Liz, Bella’s friend looking at him with wide, astonished eyes. The woman sitting with her back to him had a mass of long, mahogany curls that he would recognize anywhere.
    Bella.
    She sat at the bar with her friend right here, in front of him. With a look that could only be described as predatory, Jason left the table and stalked over to them.
     
    * * * *
     
    Bella heard Liz whisper to her and turned her head slowly to look behind her to see what Liz was staring at. As her eyes met Jason’s narrowed gray ones, her mouth dropped open in surprise to form a perfect O .
    He grabbed her elbow in a deceptively polite gesture, though the steel grip was unbreakable and told of his anger beneath his calm facade.
    “If you would excuse us.” His voice was frigidly polite. He nodded to Liz as he pulled Bella from her stool and dragged her next to him as he made his way to the back of the bar, giving her no choice.
    Watching their receding forms, Finn pulled up short next to Liz and looked down at her matching wide eyes. Danny came back over to them to greet Finn.
    “Hey, where did my sister go?” he said, which had Finn going pale.
    “Aw shit, I knew it.”
    Finn had guessed it was Bella leaving the apartment building last weekend as he had gotten out of a cab. He had wished with all his might that it wasn’t, but seeing Jason drag Bella away had just confirmed it. So, Bella was the reason Jason was like a powder keg ready to blow all week. Not that Jason had said a word.
    Shit, shit. Finn was friends with her brothers. Hell, he had even met Bella once but didn’t really get to speak to her. Danny and Tony were protective of her.
    Very protective.
    Finn knew that something horrible had happened to her when the family had all taken off to go for New York. He had even helped install the state-of-the-art security system in the townhouse where Bella and Tony lived. This was going to cause problems. Major problems.
    “She…ummm…in back,” Liz croaked out, wide nervous eyes meeting Finn’s in understanding.
    Picking up the beer Danny placed in front of him, Finn drained half of it as his eyes strayed toward the back. A hand clasping his shoulder had Finn’s tense body going into a combat readiness as he turned, gripping the hand on his shoulder.
    “Hey, Finn, how’s it going?”
    The man standing before him looked like a giant savage, dark thick hair falling down to his shoulders. His body was pure solid muscle, tall at almost four inches over six feet, and he radiated power just by breathing.
    “Toro, it’s good to see you.” Finn grasped his hand in a shake as they moved to grip one another in a half hug.
    “Toro? What the…holy shit, Sal!” Danny all but bounded over the top of the bar, almost kicking a patron in the head to embrace the now-grinning giant man in a tight hug. The giant laughed in return as he picked the six-foot-one muscular man up in a bear hug with ease. “When the hell did you get back, bro?”
    “Just today actually.” Sal straightened and pulled Danny close with an arm slung around his shoulder.
    Finn looked at both of them through narrow eyes. “Brother? Sal? What the hell is going on?”
    “Sal is my real name. Salvatore actually. Tore, Toro. The assholes in service started calling me Toro, like a bull ready to charge in and it stuck…You should have known that.”
    “Brett took care of your paperwork.” Looking a little sick, Finn gestured toward them. “So, you’re actually Danny, Tony, and Bella’s brother?” he asked faintly.
    “Got it in one.” Turning back to Danny, he said, “I just got back a few hours ago. I just dropped my stuff off at the new apartment and headed over here for a meet with Finn and Mac. Plus I wanted to stop by and see you and Tony. Since it’s late, I’ll stop in and see Mama and Pops tomorrow. Man, it’s good to see you. The bar is doing good, little bro. You’re looking great.”
    “Thanks. You work with Finn, Sal?” Danny’s eyes darkened slightly, his face becoming serious. “It’s been two years, man, two fucking years.”
    “Yeah, I work with him now. I’m done with the Rangers. I know, I know. I’ll explain everything later, I promise.” Sal put up his hands in a conciliatory gesture. “I couldn’t make contact, I swear. Even sending the letters I did was a risk.”
    Danny didn’t respond.
    Sal swung his gaze to Liz, and she was