245

245
Alaric’s POV
I’d spent the day running interference with business dealings, and now I was dealing with the far more personal issue of Alonso.
The man who’d been a constant thorn in my side for as long as I could remember. And now, more than ever, his antics were threatening to ruin everything. I needed information-specific information-and Rosa was the one who had it. The problem was, getting it from her wasn’t going to be easy. It never was. And the man who was supposed to be getting the words out of her was slacking.
“Allesio,” I called, breaking the silence as I turned my chair towards the door. I didn’t have to wait long before he entered. He didn’t have his usual smug smile on his face and I had a feeling he knew what I was about to ask. He was standing still as he looked af me.
He was always cautious. Too cautious, sometimes. Maybe that’s why I kept him close even though he was slacking too much these days. Besides, if I didn’t keep him close, who would I keep close?
“Boss,” Allesio greeted, his voice low, like he was treading carefully. “What do you need from me?”
I studied him for a moment, noticing how he shifted slightly, not quite meeting my eyes. It wasn’t an unusual behavior, but tonight, something felt off. Maybe it was my gut telling me to trust my instincts. Maybe it was the pressure of the situation on ground. Whatever it was, I couldn’t ignore the unease creeping through my veins.
“I need that information from Rosa as soon as possible,” I said, keeping my tone firm, not letting on that I was aware of the hesitation in his demeanor. “You and I know she has information about Alonso. I need to know if he was truly involved in my brothers murder. I don’t care how you get it, but I need it now.”
Allesio’s eyes flashed for just a split second before he masked it with a casual nod. “I’m handling it, but I’m not so sure she has anything regarding that. She hasn’t mentioned anything about Alonso relating with her family. Are you sure about this? You sure she has anything useful?”
My eyes narrowed slightly. He’d made his point, but something about his question didn’t sit right with me. The way he said it, the doubt lacing his voice, was unusual for him. Everything about him screamed like he was trying to push back on something. Something I wasn’t seeing.
“I’m not asking you to discuss it, Allesio,” I said, leaning forward slightly. “I’m asking you to get results. Rosa is the only one who can give us what we need. The Cruz and the Romano’s are close. You know that as well as I do. So stop stalling and get the information.”
He shifted his weight again, and I caught a glimpse of something. Hesitation. Like he was caught in a tug-of-war, his loyalty to me being pulled against something I hadn’t seen yet.
“I’ll get to it,” Allesio replied, his voice just a little too smooth. “But she’s tricky. And you know that. I still need time.”
I let the words hang in the air for a moment before speaking. “I’ve given you enough time, Allesio. Get it done. Two weeks.”
But he was already stepping back, still too distant for my liking. I could tell he was trying to keep his answers short, keep the conversation moving, but I wasn’t going to let him off that easy. Not tonight.
“Allesio,” I said again, my voice sharper this time. “What’s really going on here?”
He froze. Just for a moment, but I saw it. The slight twitch in his jaw, the way his eyes darted briefly to the side before he met my gaze again. He was lying. And the fact that he hadn’t said anything, hadn’t explained why he was being so evasive, made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“I told you, Alaric,” he said, his voice strained but still controlled. “I’ll get the information. What more do you want from me?”
I stared at him for a long, heavy beat. I could feel the tension building in the air, each second stretching out longer than it should have. Something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my gut. Allesio wasn’t usually like this. He wasn’t one to dodge questions, not when it came to work.
“What are you not telling me?” I finally asked, the words coming out sharper than I intended.
Allesio exhaled slowly, his eyes flicking away again, his hands sliding into his pockets. It was clear he was trying to regain control of the situation, but I was done with the games.
“Alaric,” he said, his voice taking on a more casual tone, but I could hear the slight tremble beneath it. “You’re asking me to dig into Rosa’s business. You know how tricky that is. I can’t just walk up to her and demand information. I’ve been trying for months and everything she told me, I told you. I really don’t think she has anything about him.”
I raised an eyebrow, my patience wearing thin. “What are you trying to tell me, Allesio?”
For a long moment, he didn’t respond. His eyes stayed locked with mine. It wasn’t like him to hesitate, and it certainly wasn’t like him to give half-answers. Everything was always straightforward with him-until now.
“It’s complicated.”
“I don’t care. I want to know everything you’ve been keeping from me. Now,” I demanded.
Finally, he spoke, his voice lower, almost a whisper. “Rosa’s more involved with Alonso than you think. I don’t think it’s just about information anymore. She’s… she’s invested in him in ways that we don’t understand. She’s been asking Emilia too much questions about him these days. If I push too hard, she’ll know and it could blow up in our faces. And I don’t think you want to go there.”
I leaned back, digesting his words. I wasn’t stupid. I could hear the warning in his tone, the concern that wasn’t there before. Something was off, and I had to figure out what it was.
“Are you telling me not to go after Alonso?” I asked, my voice low and controlled, but I was boiling underneath. “Are you doubting me?”
He met my gaze with an unreadable expression. I could see the uncertainty swimming in his eyes and fnag told me everything I wanted to know.
“No,” he replied slowly. “I’m not doubting you. I’m just saying… don’t get too close. Don’t push too hard. I just think it’s dangerous, and I don’t want you to regret it.”
Dangerous. The word echoed in my mind as I processed his words. Was he warning me because he thought it was too risky for me-or because he knew something I didn’t? The idea that Allesio could be hiding something from me gnawed at my insides, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew more than he was telling me.
“I’ll decide what’s dangerous, Allesio,” I said coldly, standing up and walking toward the window. My reflection in the glass barely registered as my thoughts raced. I could feel the pieces of the puzzle coming together, but they didn’t form the picture I expected.
“Just get me the information,” I added, my voice hard. “And don’t try to shield me from the truth. I need to know if Alonso was involved. Understand? Two weeks, Allesio. That’s all I’m giving you.”
Allesio’s silence told me everything I needed to know. He wasn’t going to press the issue any further. But I didn’t help but think there was something he was hiding from me and I needed to find it out before it got too late.