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“She’s interesting. She’s already put our accounts back in order. She also made improvements that mean we don’t have to worry about our money disappearing again.”
Santino studied me, his face giving nothing away. In this world, emotions got you killed. “Don’t let anyone else hear you talk like that. She’s on borrowed time.”
It was nothing I wasn’t aware of. But his words still pulled at me, reminding me that I had to find a way to get her out fast or it would be too late. As soon as she wasn’t useful anymore, Maurizio wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of her. “I know. Now, are we doing this, or do you want to ask me about my hopes and dreams as well?”
Two things that were on short supply in this world.
It was his turn to flip me off, and we turned back to the dummies. There was a time when we used to go hunting in the jungle to improve our aim. But nobody was allowed out of the compound without a small army. Maurizio had made too many enemies.
I just hoped one of them would be skilled enough to take him out.
Though what his death would mean for me wasn’t something I liked to think about.
We kept practicing for another hour, switching from dummies to moving targets. Santino’s aim was true, never missing a mark. Once I pushed thoughts of a certain blue-eyed girl away, my aim improved as well.
Not having Maurizio breathing down my neck all day improved my mood significantly. He still checked in every hour, but phone calls were a far better way to communicate than watching him lord over everyone from his ridiculous throne.
I fought the urge to check in on Everleigh on the way to my office. It was already hard to ignore my feelings for her; being around her any more than I had to was dangerous.
Once in my office, I checked for bugs, as usual finding a few. I left them where they were, making sure nobody had added cameras to my surveillance as well.
My burner phone was safely stored in my bedroom, the one place I’d cleared of bugs the first day I returned. I also checked it every day, even though nobody had access to my room but me. But safety and privacy in this compound were an illusion. If Maurizio wanted to get inside my room, he would. But so far, he’d ignored my small act of rebellion.
He knew I was aware of what he was doing, and he was getting impatient. His constant need to check in proofed of my suspicions that he might have welcomed me back but didn’t think I was loyal anymore.
Nobody ever accused him of being stupid. I still couldn’t figure out why he would give me back my previous position. He hadn’t had a second the whole time I’d been gone. I’d been sure he’d appoint Santino. But while my former best friend was in charge of a lot of the operations, he’d never gained the official position.
Something else that made reconnecting with Santino more difficult. He said nothing about it, but he must have felt resentment at being moved down the ladder after my return.
I’d barely sat down when the first person stormed in with a trivial issue. My office was never empty. Something else I was sure was Maurizio’s doing. He wanted eyes on me. And since I would have found any cameras, he had to use his men.
I finally escaped when everyone was busy with dinner. Retrieving my burner phone from my room, I went to the edge of the cliffs the property sat on. They weren’t all that high, but it was enough to stop anyone from accessing or leaving via the water.
Dense vegetation covered most of the region, and I easily slipped behind some bushes and trees, sitting at the edge of the cliff. The water churned beneath my feet. Sofie would have loved it here.
Thinking of what I’d left behind reminded me why I was doing all of this in the first place. For her. Because she deserved better.
I powered up my phone, scrolling down to the only contact in it. CIA Officer Harris answered after the first ring.
“About time you called.”
His gruff voice sounded through the speaker. He’d been my handler since I’d returned. A chain-smoker with a bullshit radar that could rival a lie detector. I’d come to appreciate working with him.
He was direct, didn’t tolerate screwups, and pushed until he got what he wanted. These traits didn’t always benefit me, but more often than not, they meant he did everything he could to help me out.
“I couldn’t get away. I think Maurizio suspects something.”
“He’d be stupid not to. Anyone would be suspicious about their long-lost son showing back up after seven years.”
Yeah, there was that. “You have any more info?”
“I found your guy.”
The words made me sit up, body stilling. This was it. Would I finally be able to put this to rest? “Where?”
“You won’t like it. And he won’t be easy to get to. But lucky for you I have a job I need you to do that will get you a step closer.”
“Tell me.”
