Page 17 of Mafia Boss's Baby Surprise

I don’t know why the person following her didn’t just write the exact address where the photo was taken. It would’ve made things so much easier. But I guess he was one of Alessandro’s trusted men, so he wasn’t overly familiar with the city he was in. He was just keeping an eye on Marya and didn’t have time to figure out anything else.

It looks like more than one photo was taken very close to that particular bar. Maybe it can help me with finding her hideout. If she goes to that bar often, something important has to be there, and she needs to have a hiding place close by.

Maybe a friend. Maybe an informant. But there has to be a reason why she’s going there and risking getting seen. I just don’t know what exactly it is.

I do every possible image search available, and about an hour later, I have the name and the address of the bar in question. Now all I have to do is go there and take a good look around. Maybe I can find whatever makes that bar or that area special for Marya.

But if I take my men with me, we’ll be too easy to spot. This has to be done by someone who knows what they’re doing and who won’t get seen. Everyone would expect my men, but they won’t expect me.

I get to my feet, grab my jacket, and head out. No one will know about this. I won’t tell anyone. If anything happens to me, ah well. Alessandro will take care of everything.

I know just how to make sure no one sees me.

* * *

I getoff my motorcycle in a dark alley and look around. Nothing and no one moves in the shadows, so I pull a hood over my head and stride in the direction of the bar.

The main street is full of people who are laughing and ready to party. A girl with long dark brown hair catches my eye, but when she turns around, it’s clear she’s not my mysterious Aurora.

I don’t know why I’m even thinking about her or getting excited at the thought of seeing her. If Aurora was really here, it would mean she’s working for Marya and that would seriously piss me off.

I keep walking and watching the buildings around me. Why would Marya risk coming here? With so many people going about, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd, but it’s also hard to keep an eye on potential threats.

I don’t see anyone who looks like they’re guarding something or scanning the crowd for danger. Does that mean nothing important is here? No hideouts?

Maybe, but maybe Marya has an informant or a close partner who likes to meet with her here. She might not have chosen this place herself.

Once I’m in front of the bar, I take a good look around. None of the people seem suspicious. No one pays me any attention either, so I enter the bar.

It’s stuffy and smells like alcohol and cigarette smoke. The music isn’t too loud, but people are. The air is thick with the noise of conversation.

I furrow my brow. This isn’t the right place to have a business meeting. It’s too bright. The tables are too close together.

Unless you spoke in code, the person at the table next to you could overhear everything. Hell, even trying to pass something under the table would be too visible.

This bar can’t be a good meeting place, unless there are secret rooms in the back or somewhere upstairs. I spot the restroom and head in its direction. In the same hallway, there are more doors. They’re marked asStaff Only.

I lean against the wall, pulling out my phone and pretending I’m busy with it, and wait. A waiter rushes out through one of the doors, and behind his back, I can see what looks like a storage room for drinks.

Unless there are boxes of drugs or weapons hidden with the drinks, I don’t think there’s anything interesting in the room. But getting those boxes out of the bar without getting seen wouldn’t be easy. There’d be no way to get rid of them quickly or hide them in case the cops or someone else decided to pay a visit.

I tuck my phone back into my pocket and push myself off the wall. A woman in a long dark brown coat storms out of the restroom, a big hat on her head.

Marya?

I follow her as she strides through the bar and goes straight for the exit. Maybe I should’ve checked the restrooms. They could be a good hiding spot.

Someone could leave a small package tucked away somewhere, and then Marya could come pick it up, or she could be leaving something for someone. It could be a message or some information.

The woman walks so fast that I almost lose sight of her in the crowd. I hurry after her across the street.

Suddenly, she stops and turns her head to look over her shoulder.

Not Marya. Fuck.

She eyes me for a moment and then keeps walking. I get a strange sensation that someone’s watching me. Was the woman just bait? Is Marya using her to see who’s looking for her?

I catch a glimpse of a shadow at the corner of one of the alleys. The guy tries to slip into the darkness, but I catch him and slam him against the wall.

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