by Rachel Renee
“What are you three up to?”
“We could ask you the same.” Charlie smirks. None of them were made aware of my plans tonight. They’ve got their secrets and now, I have mine.
“Just going out.”
“With who?” Sophia’s eyes widen.
“Where’d you get those fancy new duds?”
I ignore Sophia and answer Charlie. “These old things?” I fan my hand along my body. “They were in the closet for a rainy day.”
“You forgot to cut the tag off your pants,” Moretti chides.
I look down, inspecting myself. All three of the others burst out in laughter. “Just messin’.”
“Haha. Very funny,” I add. “So, something I missed? Was a meeting of the minds called?”
“No,” Charlie answers quickly. “Not officially. Moretti showed up”—he looks his way— “then Sophia came a knockin’. We were just waiting for you.”
“I’ve got plans. You better make this quick if you’re going to include me.” Or maybe they’d rather wait until I’m gone so they can plan more ways to try to sabotage the mission.
“Well, sit down. Let’s catch up.”
They wait for me to sit, but I don’t. I have no plans to spend much time in their company this evening. I need to get in the zone if I’m going to spend an entire evening trying to get into the minds of the enemy and getting comfy with the three of them, won’t help. “I’ll just stand. Don’t have much time.”
“Fine then. Anyone have anything new they want to share? Anything that is pertinent to other parts of the mission?”
My head moves back and forth between the people in the room. No one speaks. “No? Good. I’ll see you guys later then.”
“Niccolo, wait,” Sophia yells as I turn my back to them.
I hear her chair scratch against the tiled floor, and her heels click as she moves in my direction. “Are you going to the Rubio party?”
Her hand grasps the hem of my blazer as I turn to look in her eyes. She knows exactly when to play her cards. When I canvas the room, the smiles displayed across everyone’s faces alerts me to the fact that each of them knew about this little shindig and if I hadn’t gotten the invite, may not have even been aware of it myself. I don’t let them know my thoughts. “I am.”
“Nic, this is big,” Charlie calls out.
Sophia lets go of my hem. “Do you need a wingman?”
“Nope. My mission.” I hate to be cold, but if they won’t let me in on what they’re working on, I refuse to let them in on what I’m doing. Besides, they always seem to be one step ahead of me and probably know what I’m doing before I do. “I’ve got to learn on my own. You are all experienced.”
“That’s why I can help you, teach you.”
“No.” I lightly push away the hand that is reaching in my direction once more. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“I get it. Good luck,” she answers solemnly, moving back in the direction of the table.
“You have your phone in case you need one of us?” Charlie asks.
“What kind of question is that?”
“I know, I know,” Charlie answers with a grimace.
Funny how they’re all so worried about me now. This may be my first mission, but I got this far on my own and someone obviously believes in my abilities even if these three are questioning them at the moment.
“Well, here I go. See you when I get back.” I give a fake smile to three faces staring me down.
As soon as the front door is closed behind me, I let out the breath I’d been holding. I don’t want their help but it doesn’t mean I’m not nervous. I remember the paper bag from the airline and the relief I felt once I blew into it, regaining my composure. I can do this. I will do this. This is what I was trained for.
13
Present Day
Eliza is still sound asleep once I’ve gotten myself prepared to head to the office. I don’t want to wake her because I’m sure once she goes into work, she’ll be there for the rest of the night, so I want her to get as much sleep as possible.
I put on a pot of coffee and feed the cats—all my normal morning items. This morning, I’m rushing because I am wondering what could possibly be waiting for me once I reach headquarters.
When the pot is finally finished brewing, I pour myself a cup to go and jot a quick note to Eliza on the notepad located against the refrigerator. Will keep in touch and let you know as soon as I know. Love, Liam.
The liquid inside the metal cup is like magma and burns my tongue and the roof of my mouth as I try to sip it while walking down the stairs. Until this moment, I hadn’t thought about the similarities of this stairwell to the one I went down so often during my time in Italy.
I count the stairs on the way down, fifteen. The same number as the Italian flat. Probably just a coincidence that I never would have thought of had I not been heading for a package awaiting me from that country.
The morning is warm and the traffic is heavy when I pull out into the lane that is finally empty enough for me to do so. I’m not sure what’s going on this morning, but I am impatient and find myself honking the horn at a couple of cars that are being polite and allowing pedestrians to cross the road. When the man in the car in front of me flips me the bird, instead of reacting in anger, I breathe deep and remind myself that whatever it is can wait. I’m normally a very patient man, but I can’t stand the fact that I’m so close to something that I had no clue I was even waiting for an hour ago.
By the time I reach the office, I can barely contain myself. I’m not sure if it’s excitement that I’m feeling or dread. I think of Sophia once more, her smile, her genuine concern for me. It is strange to be thinking of her, almost hoping that she is the one that has contacted me.
It could be anyone, though. Maybe Charlie. He said he had something for me as he sent me off to the airport. I thought he was going to hand something to me as he shut me in the taxi but the only thing I got from him was a wave goodbye. Moretti didn’t seem much for goodbyes. I’m assuming that with as long as he’s been in the business, he sees so many people come and go, he probably didn’t allow himself to feel as close to me as I did to him.
“Cauley. What took you so long?”
My Lieutenant is standing right outside the elevator as it opens on my floor. “You been waiting long?” I smirk.
“Was actually heading down to grab some coffee. Ride with me?”
“I want…”
“After. There’s something else I want to run by you.”
I waited this long, I guess a few more minutes won’t do any harm. “What’s up, Lieu?” I hold the elevator open as he enters with a thud, his large feet landing one right after the other on the metal frame of the car.
“After we find out what’s in this package, depending on what’s enclosed, we may reopen this case. How about another mission to Italy? There’s an old friend who’s been asking about you. Maybe what we’ve been waiting for all these years.”
I swallow hard, anticipating what that could mean. Reopen a case that I thought was closed? Another mission to Italy? “I’m getting married in a couple of months,” I remind the man whose eyes are narrowed and dark.
“You could be back in time.”
“Can we just wait and see what’s in the package? Maybe you’re getting ahead of yourself?”
He shrugs. “Could be.”
The tone he takes makes me think he knows exactly what’s in that package. He’s already got something planned for me. The way he stares as he pours himself a cup of coffee and the silence that ensues back up to our floor has my heart beating as if I’d just run a marathon.
“Where’s this package?” We step off the elevator and I can’t stand the treatment I’m receiving. One of my subordinates is sitting in my office chair as we approach. He looks up in surprise when I tap on the glass of the door.
“Boss. Sorry.” He hops out of the chair in a hurry. Grabbing a stack of papers he had been mulling over just mom
ents ago.
“What are you working on?”
“Going over an old report.”
I still don’t understand what he’s doing at my desk. “In here?”
“Yeah. Sorry,” he repeats.
Lieu pushes past me, clapping Zybrecki on the back. “Thanks, Zy. I’ll fill Liam in after we open the package.”
“Why do I get the feeling that you already know what we are going to find inside?”
His brows raise as he reaches behind the door, pulling up the white Express package that I hadn’t noticed sitting there. “Let’s get to it. I’m sure you are just as anxious as I am.” He tosses the package to me as if he were tossing a football to a receiver.
It’s heavy, much more so than I thought. It’s still completely secured, the tape pressed tight against the opening. Maybe they looked through the scanners to make sure that it wasn’t a bomb. That would explain why they would already know its contents.
There’s no name or return address other than the words, Rome, Italy. I place the weighted package on my desk and grab my pocket knife out of my pants, releasing the blade from its sheath. Running the sharpened edge along the tape line, I release the two sides of the box from each other. I swallow dryly, setting the knife down in order to open the box all the way.
Pulling back the two sides, tissue paper and peanuts burst out of the opening. I rifle around, throwing the packaging to the wayside until I reach the treasure inside.
“Do you know what that is?”
My eyes widen at the sight of the uncovered contents. “Yeah.”
“Who do you think sent it?”
“There’s only one person I can think of who would send me something like this.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. So, how about another Italian adventure?”
14
2007
“What does your father do?” I’m hoping Santi will finally tell me exactly what I want to know but the only response I get as I gaze up into the open expanse of their foyer is a smirk.
“Let’s just say he has plenty of money to get by. The new acquisition will bring in much more. That’s all you really need to know.”
“The only time I’ve seen a home this intricate is in the movies. How many staff members are here on a normal basis?” I grab a wine glass from a man standing with a platter full of them. I’ve counted twenty since I walked through the threshold. There are a few women in maid outfits, older than what I would expect from womanizers, men in tails, men carrying trays of food, champagne flutes, and wine glasses. There was even a man parking cars outside. I didn’t have one that needed parked as I rode a taxi in, but I witnessed others getting out of their expensive Lamborghinis, Maseratis, Ferraris and even the single Alfa Romeo.
“Five. Two chefs, two maids, and our butler.”
“Must be nice.”
“Not as nice as you’d think.”
I’m surprised by this comment. I figured Santi for someone who enjoys the finer things in life. He’s always impeccably dressed, even when his hair is disheveled or it doesn’t seem as if he’s brushed his teeth in a day or so. I’ve never seen him order anything off a menu, always has some specialty that he makes the staff conjure up for him when he’s out.
“What’s this party for again?” I keep throwing out the line but he won’t bite.
“Fun.” He smirks. “Let’s have some.” He gestures for me to follow him through the foyer, past the double staircase and toward a huge glass doorway in the back of the house.
The gardens are lush and the women are plentiful outside by the pool. No one is swimming, but the dresses they are wearing are just as revealing as if they were standing in bikinis. Santi walks right up to a tall brunette in a black, basically see-through cocktail dress and places his lips upon hers. When he pulls back, I think she might smack him but she just smiles wryly, grabbing ahold of his tie and pulling him back down to her.
I stand awkwardly staring out into the gardens, waiting for him to break free from his embrace and introduce me to the woman who obviously has some sort of relationship with him. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised when he moves from the brunette in the black dress, to the brunette in the red one. Does he plan to lock lips with every woman standing out here? That could take a while and I really hope he doesn’t expect me to introduce myself in the same fashion.
Another waiter walks by with a full tray of wine and I grab another, replacing the full glass with my empty one. By the time Santi is done with the women on the top level of the garden, I’ve probably downed four glasses of wine and talked to zero women of my own.
I find myself sitting on the rock wall staring out over the green grass below, waiting for my…I don’t know what to call him. Not friend, he’s my…
“Niccolo, why are you sitting by yourself when there are so many beauties to choose from? Please don’t tell me you are thinking of her.” He almost whines when he says it.
I wasn’t thinking of anyone, but I run with it. I don’t need him to set me up with anyone. “I wish I wasn’t.”
He hands me another glass of wine as he takes a seat next to me. “That’s why I don’t do relationships. Too many beautiful women to get my mind wrapped up in one.”
“Maybe you will change your feelings one day?”
“I doubt it. At least not any time soon.” He sneers.
His arm goes up behind me and I’m not sure what he’s doing until two long-legged women come strolling our way. “Ladies, how about one of you take my good friend Niccolo to get a beverage?”
The moment I look over, the dark-haired beauty closest to me is bending down and there’s nothing but cleavage in my face. I stand immediately, not wanting to objectify this woman and everything she has on display. I smile, gazing only at her round face. She smiles back, her red lips plump with makeup, as she reaches her delicate hand out to grab mine.
“Niccolo. It is nice to meet you.” Her look turns seductive as I grab ahold of the hand she offered. “Gabriella.”
I place her small hand up to my lips and kiss it before letting go of it. “Ciao, bella.”
Her cheeks flush and she reaches out once more, sliding a hand down the front of my shirt. “Santi mentioned a drink, shall we?”
She grabs my hand once more and leads me to the bar area right outside the glass doors. I turn to see Santi’s lips locked with the woman he hadn’t sent me away with. Gabriella lets go of my hand as we approach the bar and before I can reach the proffered glasses, she has two in her hands and is distributing one in my direction.
“Grazie,” I tell her with a grin. She’s exquisite. All legs, ample breasts, and a smile that can light up any night. Her black hair is flowing freely across her shoulders and my free hand can’t help itself, reaching out to feel the delicate waves as she stands close enough for me to smell the alcohol on her breath.
“Gabriella, tell me about yourself?” I start a polite conversation with this woman, directing her inside toward where I spotted Paolo just a few moments ago. She speaks, and her accent pours out of her like butter, smooth and delicate. I ask her a few questions here and there but my eyes divert to what is going on around us.
For a dinner party, the Rubios sure put on quite the show. I feel fingers tickling my wrist the moment I spot Paolo standing in the dining room, speaking to a man dressed in all black and bent down listening intently to whatever Paolo is whispering in his ear.
“Niccolo,” Gabriella purrs in my own ear. “Want to go upstairs?”
I look back to her, apologizing for being distracted. “I don’t think that’s a good idea at the moment. Let’s eat dinner first and see where it goes from there.” I try to let her down gently, but I’m just not one for taking advantage of someone. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. I’m going to have to take advantage of quite a few people in order to complete this mission.
I try to smile at Gabriella, turning back to her and picking up the conversation where I know I trailed off. Her face is radiant
and she obliges me with a grin. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Paolo Rubio heading in my direction. He looks like a man on a mission and I seem to be the objective.
My free hand brushes Gabriella’s delicate wrist before I turn completely to shake the man’s hand, who is standing just arm’s length from me now. “Mr. Rubio.”
“Mr. Esposito. So nice of you to join us this evening. Santi told me that he invited you.”
I thank him for the invitation, staring directly into the darkest eyes I have ever seen on a person. The brown is so dark it’s hard to see where the pupil begins and the iris ends. His dark hair lays perfectly atop his head, slicked back with plenty of gel and as he moves slightly, I catch the sparkle of the grey hairs that are sprinkled throughout. As Paolo stares me down, his right hand moves upward, stroking his mustache, trying to bring it to a curl at one end.
“I see you have met our Gabriella,” he speaks once more. “Please enjoy her and everything we have to offer.” His hand motions around the room we are standing in.
Now that he’s done assessing me, he will allow me to continue on. I thank Paolo again for being a gracious host and start to ask him about a painting I just spotted. Anything to get him talking, interacting with me, but he does not bite. Instead, his hand goes to the piece of equipment in his ear and he excuses himself, immediately moving in the direction of another man in black standing on the stairwell. I watch until both men are out of sight and then turn back to the woman Santi has matched me with and offer her to talk about the painting.
As mealtime finally arrives, I see Santi strolling in from the back gardens, a different brunette on his arm. He introduces me to Emma, whose eyes travel up and down my body like she wants to have me for dinner instead of whatever the Rubios are about to serve. I kiss her hand, introducing myself to her.
