Chapter 6

Adrian

 

F*ck, this was going to be hard.

 

Feeling her skin against my hands.

 

Her lips slightly parted as they stared up at me in surprise when I held her chin.

 

I shouldn't have touched her at all.

 

Now memories of that night I thought I had pushed into a corner of my mind came running back to the front.

 

"Take care of her college transfer and traces; you know what I mean, right?"

 

Kael nodded, and I walked towards my car, where I dialed the burner phone number that Elio had used to call me earlier, not bothering till I got home to have some privacy.

 

"So tell me in detail what happened." I said to Elio when he picked up the call, "What do you mean, risk of getting caught?"

 

"Is Lyra there?"

 

"Of course not."

 

I knew just how much he wanted to keep this life of his away from his daughter, and he sighed in relief.

 

"Okay."

 

"So..."

 

"Someone sent an assassin to me."

 

"What? Are you okay? Who?"

 

"Uhm... I don't know, probably the Donovans, as I said earlier in my voicemail. I have a feeling that they know about the business."

 

"Right, you mentioned that. But how did they catch on? I mean, you didn't do anything out of line recently, did you?"

 

"Of course not. I've always made sure to keep our business under wraps. I don't know how they found out."

 

"F*ck!" This was crazy. Inconvenient, if I were to explain in lame man terms.

 

"I've sent someone over to check things out though, so things should be settled within a few days, okay?"

 

He responded with a grunt and stopped me before I could cut the call. "T-thank you for taking her in."

 

"Oh, uhm... no problem. You'll have her back in your care as soon as I take care of things."

 

Hopefully sooner, because I didn't want to have to sin against my best friend again.

 

"Okay"

 

I cut the call and signaled for Kael to walk in when I was done, "Take me to the house."

 

There I loosened up a few of my buttons before I dialed another number. It connected me to Alfredo immediately: "So...

 

"Things are crazy; check the news."

 

Oh, please, no.

 

I turned on the television in my room to see what my brother was trying to tell me, and the video of FBI officials surrounding the company that I and Elio had built from scratch made me groan.

 

"F*ck, what's going on?"

 

"I met them here, but thankfully one of our men already erased connections between you and the business before they could take the documents, but it's likely for them to still find some things."

 

"Fuck!" I ran a hand through my hair, sitting down on the chair to think, and I cleared my throat after a moment, "What of the Donovans?"

 

"I'm still trying to spot their involvement, but I've not found anything for sure."

 

"Okay, be fast. I want an answer by tomorrow morning," and knowing Alfredo, he would probably f*ck his way to the answer.

 

"Okay"

 

I cut the call and went to my mini-bar in my study, and I poured a glass of whiskey for myself.

 

I needed it after everything that has been happening.

 

The Donovans, one of the strongest mafias in New York, the FBI—it was probably the Donovans who had alerted the FBI of our operations, but who had alerted the Donovans was the question.

 

An insider?

 

A spy?

 

One of our men?

 

I tried not to think of that last part, even though it was the first thing that had popped into my mind the minute I heard the news.

 

But it was logical considering that everybody hated everybody in the Mafia world, and probably a bunch of people wanted me out of the throne.

 

The throne of the biggest and strongest Mafia in the whole of Italy. Not just Sicily, where we're based.

 

"F*ck!"

 

I ran a hand through my hair again and sat down at my desk one more time.

 

I had to take care of other matters regardless of the situation, and since Kael wasn't around, I had to go through it myself.

 

Financial reports and monthly reports on how each region was doing. We had about twenty-six regions alone in Italy and a few others in different countries, so that was a lot, and we were still planning on expanding our boundaries.

 

I went through the reports, trying my best not to stare at the computer that was in front of me, and you may wonder why...

 

It was because of the lady that was displayed on it, sleeping.

 

The jet lag must have taken its toll on her, not to even talk of the mental stress of getting kidnapped as well as the drug that had been used on her.

 

I glanced away immediately, finding myself staring, and I glanced back to the documents, clearing my throat.

 

It was for the best like this.

 

I could keep an eye on her while keeping her at arms length also, and the cameras were only in the living room and around the surroundings of the house, so that wasn't a violation... right?