Page 45 of Veil of Vengeance

He twists to me, an amused grin on his stupid face.

“You have their daughter. Valentina, is it?” Stefano moves to the seat opposite mine like the serpent he is. I fight the urge to cut him to pieces with my ancestors’ dagger, just for uttering her name. Clenching my jaw, I press the button for the blinds to go down on the floor-to-ceiling windows, blocking the sunlight.

“Just fucking say it, Stefano, I don’t have the fucking time for your bullshit,” I snap.

He clicks his tongue as he leans forward, placing his elbows on the table, an amused grin stretching his lips, but it doesn’t reach his mismatched eyes.

“You’re no fun. They wanted us to help them get Valentina back to Chicago in exchange for a hefty load of cocaine.”

Cracking my knuckles before I lean back in my seat, I give Stefano a humorless smile.

“And I suppose you have a proposition for me?” I ask.

His grin falters for just a second, and I lean forward before I continue.

“Stefano, you know you’re in my territory and that you need me. Not the other way around.”

Stefano narrows his eyes, and he’s about to respond, but he’s cut off when his lawyer and mine walk into the conference room.

* * *

Something feels off,but I don’t know what it is. Making my way toward my kitchen, my feet against the dark mahogany floors is the only sound echoing in the space. I place my phone on the island before I move around the table to the green cupboards, looking for my coffee mix. Finding it in the third cupboard, I take it out and put two tablespoons into the Arabic coffee pot, just as my phone pings.

New message from Rom.

My brow furrows, confused as to what could be so important that Romiro is messaging me at five in the morning.

Rom

Hey, asshole, just thought you should know that Valentina has been sick for the past couple of days.

Eli

What the fuck do you mean? Sick how?

Rom

I don’t know if the atmosphere in New York affects your comprehension abilities, but she has been out for the past two days with a high fever.

Eli

Why the fuck haven’t I heard about this before today?

Rom

I thought you didn’t care.

Eli

Don’t make random assumptions, you fucking idiot.

Rom

Hate the message not the messenger.

Eli

You’re an idiot. I’ll be in New Hampshire in a couple of hours.

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