Page 40 of The One
Shit. What happened now?
“I think it really is her,” Rom mutters, rubbing his chin, and I glance back at him. “The way she moves her head when she laughs…”
“Since when do you remember the way a girl laughs?” I ask, amused.
This is a side of Rom I’ve never seen before. And trust me, I thought I’d seen it all.
“Shit, there’s a ring on her finger,” he says next, ignoring me altogether.
“Hardly unusual. Girls wear rings.”
“A wedding ring, idiot,” he snaps.
Rom is on his feet the next second, striding purposefully toward the mystery girl. The sudden movement catches everyone’s attention, and I see both Tiero and Santino glance up from their conversation, their eyes narrowing in confusion.
“What’s gotten into him?” Santino asks.
“The brunette who currently looks like she’s about to faint,” I reply as we watch my best friend grab the girl’s elbow, ushering her outside. “He’s been gawking at her since she walked in. Did you not notice?”
“I thought he was scouring for his next lay,” Santino replies dryly.
“Enough of this bullshit,” Tiero mutters. “We have bigger problems.”
“What is it this time?” I mutter, wishing this day would just end already.
My mind is already halfway home, picturing a long soak in the jacuzzi. And then, maybe Mariella is going to play the guitar and sing again, hidden away under that old oak tree.
The thought sneaks in uninvited, but I don’t fight it. Her voice has been stuck in my head ever since I heard it last night.
“Uberto went through Rizzo’s phone records,” Santino says, his voice taut with frustration. “There are several numbers saved under labels like ‘Rat One,’ ‘Rat Two,’ and so on.”
The implication hangs heavy in the air. Fuck!
“Our rats?” I ask, even though I know the answer already.
Tiero nods.
Of course, they’reourrats. Well, at least we know about them now.
“How many and who?” I ask, pinching the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on.
This day has been shit, and it’s getting worse. We only seem to scratch the surface of this mess.
“Three,” Tiero replies, his tone clipped. “Uberto uncovered the identity of two, but not the third one.”
I exhale sharply. “Great. Just what we need. Any leads on the third?”
“No, all dead ends so far,” Santino says, his frustration clear. “Whoever it is, they’re going to great lengths to stay hidden.”
I curse under my breath. “So who are the other two?”
Santino turns his phone to show me.
Fuck!
Two men we thought we could trust implicitly.
“Bring them in,” Tiero orders.
