He nodded. "That's what I'd like to help you find out."
I angled my head up to him, observing him in the same way he often observed me. "And what do you want in return?"
"A favor."
I crossed my arms. "Are you going to expand on that?"
He smirked. "When the time is right."
A small, hollow chuckle escaped my lips. "I'm pretty sure that's the oldest trick in the book, Marco. Why would I agree to that?"
"Because you need my help. My specialty is gathering information, and you'll find no one better than me in the entire Northeastern United States. I also have ties to Italy. If anyone has been trafficked out of New York through Spain or Italy, I'll be able to find them in time."
I bit my lip to keep myself from scowling. He was right.
"And if that's not enough, I can teach you about the other families here."
My head snapped up, and I glared at him. "What?—"
"I'm not insulting you," he said gently. "But I know how much there is to learn about this world. It took me years to understand the ins and outs, and you've only been in this for six months. You've done an amazing job in that time, better than I or anyone else could, and you will continue to, even without my help. But why not use me for all I'm worth? I have knowledge you won't be able to find anywhere else. Let me help you fill the gaps you have."
He took a step closer, and I studied him. His dark hair blew around his face, but his deep brown eyes never left mine. An air of ease and certainty seemed to exude from him, wrapping around me. Yet he didn't seem cocky; he seemed genuine.
Still, I had to ask. "Why?"
"Would you prefer me to lie to you or be honest, even if it will make you uncomfortable?"
I raised an eyebrow. "I'd prefer honesty if you can manage it."
He chuckled, taking another step closer until the tip of our shoes touched, and my heartbeat raced in my chest. "Because I want to see you succeed. I went to your birthday party, not because your father reached out to me." He leaned in, his voice a dark, hushed whisper. "It was simply an opportunity."
I tried to shrug off how breathless I was. That anything about him could affect me even in the slightest was something he could never know. If he did, he'd use it to his full advantage. I was sure of it. “For what?”
"To meet you."
"You can't honestly expect me to believe that."
"It's fine if you don't. But I saw potential in you that night and I see it now. You could have ruined your entire familia. Instead, it's running better than it did even when Fernando was alive." He stood to his full height once more. "You have skills and a mind that most don't, and anyone else would have failed where you have succeeded. There are no limits to where you can go, what you can achieve, and it would only make sense for me to ally myself with you and stay along for the ride."
The small part of my heart, the piece that had always wanted to be enough, do well enough, be praised for my accomplishments, fuckingdancedat his words, and Ihatedit.
"You know, your ability to be so smooth and find the right words to say is only going to make me not trust you more."
He shrugged. "I told you my honesty would make you uncomfortable. But does that mean you're going to turn down my offer?"
I wanted to, but I couldn't. He had more knowledge than I did and contacts outside of the country, and I needed that. And he was offering to share the information he had on other families with me, which would only aid my familiarity with this world.
I couldn't trust others. I had no one in my corner. But now this incredibly frustrating man was attempting to give me everything I needed for something as simple as a favor.
"I have conditions."
He grinned so wide, his dimples showed. "Name them."
"You will not attempt to hurt or kill me or my familia. Nor will you try to ruin us in any way."
"You have my word."
"And you will also not try to usurp me from my position as head of my familia nor try to undermine me or my power."
