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Chapter Nine
Asoft knock on thedoor alerted him to Benny’s presence. “Come in.” The bundle of woman in his arms groaned and pressed her face into his neck, as if she was trying to hide. Her embarrassment was really too cute for words. “It’s just Benny,piccolina.”
“He’ll know,” she whined, tugging her skirt down over her bottom as much as possible. Unfortunately for her, the dress had been designed for someone much shorter than her, and her position on his lap left her bottom fully exposed.
“This isn’t the first freshly spanked bottom Benny has seen and it certainly won’t be the last. Stop fussing and sit still.” A sharp swat to her thigh earned him a shriek and an outraged glare, but she settled down immediately.
“Good girl.” Shifting his attention, he looked up at his right-hand man. “What is it?”
“You have a visitor. I believe you’ll want to meet with him,” Benny added meaningfully when Emilio frowned.
Though he was loath to leave her, Emilio stood and carried Amara to a corner of the room dedicated to various toys and activities. “Daddy has to go for a bit, but I’ll be back as soon as possible. Behave for Benny,piccolina.”
He’d expected an argument, but she only gave him a silent nod before gracefully lowering herself to her knees in front of the oversized dollhouse.
Something was off, but it would have to wait until after his meeting. With a curt nod for Benny, he strode out of the room and down the stairs.
Detective Bartholomew Franks stood waiting for him in the foyer. A good twenty years past his prime, with his ill-fitting suit and uncombed salt-and-pepper hair, he greeted Emilio with his customary scowl. “Rinaldi.”
“Franks. Let’s speak in my office.”
“Sure.”
They didn’t speak until the door had closed behind them and Emilio had taken his position behind his desk. As much as he trusted his men, there was some information too sensitive for just anyone to hear.
“What did you find?” he asked bluntly, holding out a hand for the manila envelope Franks held in his sweaty hand.
“If there’s anything hinky going on, nobody in the Vitali organization is talking about it.”
It was Emilio’s turn to scowl as he waved the envelope between them. “Then what’s this?”
“I said, nobodyinthe organization is talking about it. But there have been some rumors, on the street. And in the office.”
“Rumors of what?”
“That Vitali is slowly switching out his, ah, product.”
“To what?” Emilio snorted. “Did he discover some new kind of cocaine or something?”
“Not drugs. Girls. And the occasional boy.”
Shock robbed Emilio of his ability to speak for several long seconds. “Sex trafficking.”
