AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t like strangers taking your computer, but if you trust them…”
“I do. Completely.”
It’s not strangers. It’s Mafia. I can’t blame him to be honest, but it is what it is. We hang up, and I slide my phone into my pocket. Massimo points toward a hallway.
“You can use my office when Maria and Matteo get here.”
That surprises me. He’s letting me into his inner sanctum. He must trust me. That or he keeps absolutely nothing there. Massimo ushers me into the living room while Nicoletta gets us drinks. Luca disappears before I realize he’s gone. Massimo explains Petra has her first cold, and Luca’s been hovering like a ruffled mother hen.
It sounds rather sweet. His scar that runs from beside his eye down to below his shirt collar has clearly faded with time, but it’s still wickedly noticeable. It must have been excruciating. It lends an air of danger to him that’s even more — ominous — than the other men have. That he’s hovering over his baby girl is sweet. As I listen to Massimo explain, I realize he was probably exactly the same.
I’m surprised how easy it is to fill the time chatting with him and Nicoletta. I share stories about my siblings and me, and they tell me outrageous tales about their kids.
“Mama! Papa! We’re here.”
Maria’s voice rings out as the front door opens. I turn in her direction, and I don’t know what I expected. But it wasn’t her completely bare faced, with her hair pulled up in a bun, and in scrubs with rubber clogs. I knew she was a radiologist, but she looks so — well, not what someone would expect from a Mafia princess. Her makeup and clothes were understated the other night, but this shows how naturally beautiful she is. From the way Matteo’s looking at her — like he wants to devour her — he agrees.
Nicoletta stands and tsks.
“When are you going to learn inside voices?”
Matteo snorts. Maria ignores him.
“Hi, Michelle. We have your computer, and your assistant added some files she thought you’d need.”
Anderson is going to have an aneurism if he finds out confidential client files passed through non-employee hands without being in sealed envelopes. I walk forward and accept the bag.
“Thanks so much for getting this. I appreciate it. I know it was out of your way.”
“It wasn’t a big deal. I work in Manhattan, so it’s not that far.”
That might be true on a map, but in traffic, it could have taken them more than an hour. Massimo shows me to his office, where I set myself up. The time flies, and I’m two hours into drafting motions and reviewing a brief Kinsey prepared. Was she sleeping when she did this? There are so many errors. It’s not like her to be this sloppy.
My phone vibrates on the desk, and I answer. I don’t recognize the number.
“Hello.”
The moment the caller begins to speak, I’m out of my chair and hurrying to the office door. It’s some type of voice filter because it sounds like machine.
“Hello, Michelle.”
Even with the altered tone, I can hear the menace. This might as well be Hannibal Lecter saying, “Hello, Clarice.”
“Who is this?”
I rush down the hall toward Massimo’s and Matteo’s voices. They go silent the moment they see me. I suspect it’s more about ending their conversation than wondering what I want. I put a finger to my lips as I pull the phone from my ear and put it on speaker.
“I’m a concerned friend.”
“None of my friends change their voice to speak to me. Who is this?”
“Hello, Massimo.”
He ignores me but knows I must have gone straight to theconsigliere. Massimo gestures for me to keep talking, but he says nothing.
“Massimo’s not here.”
“Really? Because I’m certain I heard you walking toward men’s voices, and now I’m on speaker.”
