AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER 7
ROMEO
I strutted into the club without a word, just like I had every other time I’d come here. It had been nearly two weeks since that first time I’d set foot inside, and every time, Gio had been here, whether I knew it at first or not. So it wasn’t a surprise that as soon as I strolled through the door, he was in a booth on his own, his gaze glued to the door. Almost like he’d been waiting for me.Maybe he had.
A man came behind me within seconds of me entering, and grunted, “He wants to see you.”
I knew this was coming. We hadn’t been able to finish off the conversation we were supposed to have that first night he’d introduced me to his secret business, so hopefully this would be it—this would be where he would be open with me completely.
I needed some solid, tangible evidence that he was trying to take Lorenzo down. We already had all we needed to prove that he was trafficking people, the problem was, I felt a responsibility to find outwherehe was keeping them. If we shut him down and hundreds of people were trapped, then we’d have too many deaths on our hands.
And I refused to be that person. We may have been Mafia men, but that didn’t mean compassion didn’t seep through our bloodstream just like it did with law-abiding citizens.
I wasn’t a stranger to death, but there had to be a reason behind it. I wouldn’t take the lives of innocents just to get rid of this giant dickhead any earlier. So I had to bide my time and learn every facet possible about him. Only then could I do what I’d been sent here to do.
There was a way to do it, and pulling out a gun to shoot a bullet right between his eyes wasn’t the way to go.
Yet.
“Gio,” I greeted as I slid into the booth across from him.
His attention was out on the main floor, goading me to look, but I didn’t need to. I’d seenheras soon as I’d walked in, kneeling on the ground against the wall, her head down. I hated to admit how relieved I was that she was here, in plain sight, with no one else touching her.
My cock jerked at the idea of her on her knees.Fuck.
“Romeo,” he replied, finally moving his gaze to mine. “I got you your usual drink.”
I nodded in thanks and flipped the cap off the beer that was sitting on the table, then took a small swig. I wasn’t like most of the Italians in our family that preferred whiskey or wine. I was a beer drinker through and through. Yet another reason why I was so different to the rest of them.
We sat in silence for several minutes, neither of us willing to talk first. I knew what I’d come here to do, but I wouldn’t reveal my hand. I could have a play and do some acting though…
“So…you’re having me followed.”
I studied him as I said the words, noting the slight tilt of his head and his hand gripping his glass a little tighter. His knuckles turned white but there was no mistaking the red scrapes on them. He’d clearly been in a fight, which intrigued me even more. Did he have trouble amongst his ranks? Maybe they didn’t agree with the way he was making all of their money now.
“I had to make sure that you’re not playing me,” he said flippantly, as if a Mafia boss having another soldier from a different family followed wasn’t a big deal.
Newsflash. It fuckin’ was, and if I’d have told Lorenzo, he would have been livid and on a rampage.
As if Gio could read my mind, he commented, “You didn’t tell Lorenzo.” It was a statement, not a question, but I clipped my head in a nod anyway to confirm.
I leaned back on the leather seat, taking him in and analyzing every one of his movements. He was purposeful, knowing I was giving him my full attention. There was something in the air, a silence that he was waiting to fill.
Or maybe he was waiting for me to say something first, too bad that I had no intention of saying anything. I played the long game, I always had. I’d wait for an hour just for him to utter one singular word. It was a mental game, one that I won every single time without fail.
“I’m starting to trust you,” Gio said, letting out a breath as he swirled the liquid in his glass. His words were a mistake—the biggest one he would ever make—but I wouldn’t stop him from talking. “If you want to be boss, I can help you take them down.”
“And by them, you mean…” I trailed off, knowing I would finish his thought. If I made him say it, then he would become even more suspicious, and that was the last thing I needed when he’d just said he was starting to trust me. “Lorenzo and Dante.”
He slowly moved his head up and down, silently confirming.
“How?”
His lips lifted into a grin almost instantly. “One step at a time, Romeo.” He tsked at me as if I were a kid who had just been caught eating candy before dinner. “I have a plan but it’s not complete yet.” He raised his glass to me. “I had a head start with a certain baby…” He winked at me, alluding to what he’d done to Dante and Navy’s baby, how he’d tried everything in his power to separate them. It took everything in me not to give him a reaction. I was sure that was what he was looking for, but I stayed straight-faced, a skill my father had taught me. “In the meantime,” he continued. “While I wait for all the pieces to fall into place, I have an apology present for you.”
“A what?” He’d taken me off guard, something that I hated. I was still trying to process what he was saying, and as it trailed through my mind, my gaze flicked around the room, noting that Bailey wasn’t kneeling on the ground anymore. She was gone, but I didn’t have the chance to process it as Gio leaned forward.
“I had you followed,” he sang, as if this was one big game. I supposed to him it was. “And I want to apologize for that.” He slid out of the booth and stood at the edge, staring down at me. I presumed he was waiting for me to stand too, but I didn’t. I stayed seated. “She’s in room four.” He glanced at one of the men always scattered around the place keeping an eye on things. “Show Mr. Pagani to room four.” He winked at me, his grin turning more sinister. “Have fun.”
