Gabriele’s POV
Olga and his apprentice were gone. I was left with Arianna once again.
My head had returned to the files in front of me but my eyes were on her. She was pulling her fingers and throwing glances my way every two seconds.
I could guess what was on her mind. But if she expected me to start that conversation then, we would be here longer than anticipated.
“Here,” I said, passing her the file in front of me. “These are all you will be needing on the job. There are histories of all my transactions with the clients.”
She took the files from me and her inquisitive eyes dropped to them. She ran them over the file but I could tell her mind wasn’t on what she was looking at.
“I will take you to the guards that will be accompanying you by morning,” I said. I was still watching her and waiting for her to make her move.
I could almost see the wheels of her head starting and then shutting down again.
“Do you have any questions?” I asked hoping she would take the bait… And she did.
She raised her chin and looked at me. “Are you punishing me?” She asked and I only narrowed my eyes as I waited for her to finish what was on her mind.
“Because Eleana just lied about me and you believed her… Yet somehow you are still giving me the job…” She said.
“So what I want to know is if this is a sort of punishment… So that my mental health and body can prepare for it.”
I dropped the files I had picked and relaxed on the seat again.
“Do you think I believe her?” I asked her and she went silent.
The sound of our breathing filled the room as she tried to put her head around what I had said.
“But… But in the detention room you said you believed her,” she stammered.
A smirk covered my face and I shook my head. “I wanted her to think that way… It’s so I can get what I want from her. Plus, you didn’t leave the room that day. I have my doubts.”
Her face brightened up and she shifted to the very edge of the chair. “So, you are saying that I am innocent?” She asked.
“I am saying I don’t believe either of you. I doubt both of you but… I decided to go on with the job offer I gave to you.”
She stayed quiet for a few pulsating seconds and then she mumbled.
“Thank you.”
“Doesn’t matter… Just don’t do anything stupid. Nico and Mike are known to always break the rules.”
She furrowed her brows again as she didn’t understand what I said.
“Who are Nico and Mike?”
“They are your guards for the mission…” An evil smile played on my lips as I watched her face change from confusion to understanding and then fear.
“Don’t worry. They have been instructed to protect you but, If you try something that could be detrimental to me and my organization, they will take you down without hesitation.”
She nodded and continued studying my files.
Her head slowly dropped to hers as well but I could tell the news I gave her didn’t sit well with her. Her face was flushed and her hands tapped on the table as she tried to study the paper.
Knowing the kind of person she was, I was certain she planned on escaping during or after the job.
I needed her to be with guards she couldn’t convince with money or her body…
She was really uptight with her body but who knew what she would do for freedom?
This was why Nico and Mike came to mind.
The two were loyal to a fault. I had saved Nico from a band of slavers somewhere in Brazil while Mike was about to be killed by his old boss when I bought him.
They both had so much potential and I needed someone with their body strength and attack tactics after the death of my family.
They had fought by my side ever since and I treated them like kings, this, in turn, made them overly trust and protect me.
They would never buy any of Arianna’s ideas of escape. In fact, if she decided to go against them, they wouldn’t hesitate to shoot her down.
An hour passed before I decided to let her be. I had forced her to study the files without actually saying so. The fact that I had been studying made her do the same.
“I think you are all set now.” I finally said as I got off the seat and stretched my arms.
“You may go but if you need anything do not hesitate to ask or call me.”
“Yes, Gabriele,” she said in a spent voice.
I walked out first, leaving her to decide if she wanted to go straight away or stay a little while.
As I reached my room, I went straight to the bathroom to take a quick shower. The day had been long and I was grateful it was coming to an end.
I needed to find a permanent solution to this Eleana problem once and for all. And the only one who was close enough to her was Nadia.
I stepped into my closet and picked out a fresh new t-shirt and a pair of free pants. I ran my hand through my hair and let it be.
As I stepped out of my room once again, Basilio was leaning by the wall waiting for me.
“We have news on Gianni,” he said and I paused to look at him.
My blood recoiled and I felt heat course through my body as anger surfaced.
“Did you find him?” I spat through clenched teeth.
“Your godfather sent words that he will be in that party Demyan is organizing,” he said.
“But Demyan had assured us that he had nothing to do with Gianni. Why would he invite Gianni to a party we would be attending?” I blurted out.
It made no sense.
If Demyan was indeed looking for peace like he had said, he wouldn’t invite us and his mate Gianni to the same location… Except he had motives.
“How did my godfather intercept this information?” I asked as I resumed walking.
“Through a gathered bit of encrypted message we got from Demyan’s phone conversation,” Basilio started.
“He expressed the same concern as you… But I think we should still be on our guard.”
“If Gianni will be there, he will be masked or he will not be in the party hall but somewhere monitoring our movements… We need to hit them with all we have,” I said as I continued walking.
“A team is being right away for this operation. If Gianni shows up, he will be taken down,” Basilio assured and I nodded.
It was time I avenged the blood of my family. Gianni shouldn’t be breathing so peacefully.
“Do not prepare just a team. Make it the entire force we have! In fact, Godfathers should do the same. Tell the police that are under our payroll to also be on alert. We might just be dumping the body of a well-renowned criminal at their doorsteps.”
“Yes, Fratello. I will scurry back and implement your command,” he said with a small nod.
He was about to leave when he stopped and turned back to me like he had forgotten something.
“Fratello, I know you are fully in charge of Arianna’s situation but don’t you think sending Nico and Mike out there with her is dangerous?”
I knew he was going to ask me this at one point and I was ready for him.
“If she has no silly ideas planned, then she has nothing to worry about. You know Niko and Mike would never hurt something that belongs to me. They will protect her with their lives except she shows signs of betrayal,” I said confidently.
“I know… But she is still very new to this system, what if-”
My tongue kissed my teeth as I got tired of listening to him. “Basilio you proposed we use her… Didn’t you think about all of these before opening your mouth?”
He stayed quiet and I knew I had given him a low blow. Basilio had some crazy fantasies in his head of how Arianna was going to steal my heart and make me happy.
That wasn’t happening. All I wanted from her was to get her body and for her to stay loyal and less stubborn.
“I believe you have gotten my message,” I said and walked on.
The guards at the upper floors straightened up their backs as soon as they saw me approaching and for their safety, I hoped they hadn’t let Nadia escape either.
They pulled the door open for me and I stepped in.
Fortunately, Nadia was awake this time. She sat on the vanity chair, brushing her long dark hair.
Her olive skin glowed under the evening sun that filtered through her window panes.
Nadia was a beautiful woman and I loved the energy she brought to the house -sometimes.
As she saw me through the mirror, a smile filled her face and she turned around to meet me.
“You came,” she said and got off the chair, and walked to me.