Page 18 of The Mafia's Captive

“Why do they always…”

I shake my head at her to signal her to stay quiet. I’m sure she’ll protest by screaming something, but she surprises me and goes silent. A couple of minutes into their sweep, they find a microphone, followed by two hidden cameras. When they’re done, the table they were throwing the bugs on is now filled with fifty different recordings.

“Your father’s son, my ass,” I say. Silva not only doesn’t trust me, but was probably aware of the real reason I came here. I am after a new supplier and he wants to know if that is true, so he can what, sabotage me? I knew the hospitality was a cover. He still hasn’t forgiven me. “Do another sweep,” I tell them, “To make sure.”

“Holy shit. Your enemies love listening in on you.”

“They’re not my enemies. This is my business partner’s doing.”

“Yikes. Do all your business partners bug your hotel room?”

“Why do you want to know? Do you have someone you want to relay that information to?”

She shakes her head and turns away from me. She takes a tour of the apartment. It’s all white walls, blue sea green antiques and beige rugs. It's meant to mimic the ocean view outside and it barely manages that. The main room is a large living/dining room and there are three open doors that lead to bedrooms. The middle one being the master bedroom. She stops her tour and stands in front of the wide windows staring outside. It’s already nighttime. I doubt she can make out anything out there, but she seems fascinated with whatever she’s looking at. It makes me want to know. Demand what is taking her attention away from me.

After a while, she turns to face me and I feel like a stalker caught in the middle of ogling. “Where am I sleeping?” I nod over to the room in the middle.

Her face scrunches. “And where are you sleeping?” I nod over to the same room. She glares at me. “We can’t sleep in the same room!”

“Why not?”

“How about there are three other rooms?”

“And there’s four of us.”

“I doubt very much that Colin and Rob will sleep throughout the night, especially after the bug sweep you’ve just done. Why are you doing this?”

“Let’s just say I don’t trust you. Not with the recent tricks you’ve pulled.”

“I hate you!” She screams and marches towards the master bedroom.

I can’t help it. I laugh. Her ability to make me forget what she actually is has to be commended. I’m half the mind to follow her there and the other half is telling me it wouldn’t be a good idea. I’m about to concede to the former when my phone rings. It’s Nico, my other little brother. “What?”

“I’m at your place and you’re not there,” he says.

“I’m in Rio.”

“Reno? What the fuck are you doing in Reno?”

“Rio, you idiot. What do you want?”

“Ah. Trying to apply salve to Silva?”

“You have the worst puns.”

He chuckles. “The old man must be mad at you. I thought he dropped us.”

“He didn’t and besides, we can’t afford it.” I try not to say more, just in case Colin and Rob missed some bugs.

“You think there’s going to be a war?”

“It’s possible.” And we need all the allies we could get. I must fortify all my relationships before Saccone can get to any of them.

“I hate wars.”

“Me too. We’ll try to avoid it, if possible. We have an ace.”

“Speaking of which, how is she?”

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