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Taken care of.
I needed to tell Carlo immediately that there was someone inside their ranks. If I didn’t…well, who knew when they’d strike? I couldn’t let that happen. Even if I didn’t particularly like Carlo, I didn’t want to see him dead. Caught in thought, I didn’t hear the pacing footfall approaching the door. I didn’t notice until the person on the other side was a step away. I only had enough time to lift my hand as if to knock before Virgil opened the door, meeting my eyes with his heated gaze. My heart sank as those malicious, hateful eyes met mine. He’d calmed the roaring seas of malice within them within a few blinks, but I saw it. I knew I had. I saw the mob boss beneath the exterior, and for the first time, I realized exactly how much danger I was in if I had one slip-up.
“Hi, sir,” I said, unable to coax any other words from my mouth as the two menacing figures stood behind him. God, what would I say? What excuse would I have for standing here?
He turned back to the men behind him, addressing them firmly. “Go and take care of the issue at hand, and get back to me when it’s settled.” The fear on their faces was evident as they nodded and moved from the house. Seeing two large, tattooed, dangerous men terrified of the middle-aged man in front of me felt surreal. As they rushed down the staircase, I realized I was being left alone with the viper, and I blanked.
“How can I help you, Ms. Ricardo?” he asked, his tone hospitable. But there, behind his gaze, I could clearly see how his pupils constricted and his mouth tightened. He knew I’d heard something; if I didn’t fix this, I knew he’d be suspicious. I couldn’t let that happen. He was dangerous—more dangerous than I could imagine. Even being here in a professional manner was a risk, but it was one I was being forced to take.
I shoved the words from my lips, fear giving way to a slight tremor in my tone. “I just have a question if you’re available to come downstairs with me,” I said.
“I gave you full freedom to do with the space as you please,” he reminded me, leaning into the doorframe.
He had to be onto me. He had to know. “I know,” I replied, feigning a smile. “But it’s a question about the house itself.”
Where was I going with this? I needed to think. I needed a question important enough to come and ask him in person, but there weren’t any questions—none that I could think of with the cloud of fear swirling around my mind right now.
I could back down and call Carlo for backup. If I didn’t play this right, I had no doubt it would end poorly, but Carlo would come. He had to. But he couldn’t. not here. Not in the home of his enemy.
He raised his brows. “And what is the question?”
“Right,” I muttered, taking a deep breath. There had to be something—just one thing. But the longer I took to think of something, the more incredulous his look became. Why hadn’t I thought of something before approaching his office? My mind swirled until finally, it latched onto something. “The electrical you have running through your home is attached to a really old breaker—one susceptible to combust if left too long. A larger breaker wouldn’t be a bad idea for all the new outlets we’re adding at your request, but running new electrical will cost a lot more than you’d initially budgeted. I hate to bring this to you, but if your home burned down because I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself…”
His brows rose, and the suspicion melted away as he crossed his arms. “That’s very generous of you to be concerned about.” He looked at the ceiling for a moment before nodding. “Add an electrician to the contract, and I’ll sign it again. Whatever the new budget needs to be will be fine.”
I nodded and took a step away. “Thank you, sir.”
He turned and sealed himself back in his office.
* * *
I chargedin through the Bonanno home and looked around, finding nobody. Frankie’s office was empty, and the main room was just as barren. I needed to find them immediately, especially when so much was at stake here. “Shit,” I whispered, turning back toward the door.
“Are you here for any reason in particular?” I whipped around and found Carlo striding down the stairs, looking me up and down with a raised brow.
“Where’s Frankie?” I asked.
“If you have something you need to say, you can tell me, too.”
I could, but if I went through Frankie, I’d avoid any more uncomfortable interactions with Carlo. He was the last person I wanted to talk to—the last person I could stomach working beside. Maybe it was because of the frustration that bloomed in my chest when I spoke to him, but I knew it was how my body still reacted to him. I still wanted him, even though I shouldn’t. My body wanted him and my mind hated him.
But right now, that didn’t matter. Not when I’d just gotten information that could get everyone killed. “He has an inside man,” I finally said.
He didn’t react. “Okay.”
“Are you serious? He has an inside man here, and he’s confident it’ll be enough to take you all out.” I threw up my hands. “That’s a pretty big deal.”
“It is, but talking to you about it won’t solve anything,” he mused.
I gaped at his words and crossed my arms. “You’re going to play this game with me?” I asked. “You’re going to act like I don’t need to be privy to your thoughts? Like I don’t deserve to know how you’re going to move forward?”
“You don’t need to know any of that,” he remarked. “You don’t even want to be here, Sierra. You’ve made that incredibly clear, so why would I waste more of your time?”
“Are you not even the slightest bit concerned?”
He nodded. “I am, but you don’t need to hear about it. This is a matter for my brothers and me.”
“I go into his house every single day. I think I deserve to know what you’ll do next.”
