Chapter 10 Your cheeks are red

Wade went to the café downtown to get a cup of coffee to energize his brain. His father called again this morning and all that ever talked about was Henry's scoldings and how incompetent of a police chief he was. 

"The usual, please," Wade said to the waitress who nodded and gave him a pleasant smile.

The bell hung above the door rang and an overbearing presence walked in. The waitress stood staring at the newcomer for ten seconds, mouth hung open before she quickly rushed into the kitchen, her face red. 

Wade, a little curious as to the waitress's reactions, turned and casually glanced at the newcomer. His eyes widened upon seeing the man from last night.

Luciano. 

Their gazes met, with Wade feeling slightly uneasy. Scorching, burning, seering intense gaze as if Luciano wanted to uncover him and strip him naked.

"Having a good time, officer?" Vincenzo walked over to where he sat and took a seat right beside him. 

"Just a little peaceful before you showed your face here," Wade replied cheerfully, pulling his gaze away from him, and went back to focus on stirring his coffee while thinking on how to pry open Luciano's lips. 

"Oh, that means you are thinking about me?" Vincenzo had a smug look across his face.  

"Get your head right. Why would I be thinking about you? I was only thinking about your right hand man," Wade snorted, immediately irritated by his words. Geez, why does his words seem to annoy him so much? 

With the way Luciano flirted around him, Wade might have passed it off as he was interested in him. 

"Don't get so worked up, Wade. I was only pulling your leg. Why do you want to speak to my right hand man? Which one?

Vincenzo looked as if he was contemplating something. 

Don't play with me. He should also be known as your second in command, Alvin Martinez," Wade said, sounding shrewd.

Luciano was somewhat related to this case, hence Wade decided to get closer to him. How to get words out of his mouth? Hmm... He can't be bribed or threatened, right? Seduce him?! That ridiculous thought came to his mind but he quickly kicked it out. 

Why would he think of seducing another man all of sudden?! He should be seducing girls instead!

"The name ring a bell?" Wade said, not to loud, while avoiding eye contact with Vincenzo.

After all, Alvin Martinez was quite a well known name sitting in files in the police station's cabinets. His face and name had appeared on the news many times. 

"I heard he has a brother, Gordon, was it?" Wade went on rambling, trying to get a response out of Vincenzo. Perhaps if he irritated him enough, he might blurt something out of anger like last time in the nightclub. 

Gordon. 

Something flashed across Vincenzo's pupils and he fidgeted with a ring on his ring finger.

As Wade turned to look at Luciano's gorgeous side profile, he noticed that the later wasn't talking back at him. Rather he looked like he was focused on something else.

"Hey, hey, are you low on sugar or something?" Wade snapped his fingers to get Luciano's attention. The Mafia King seemed to be distracted by his thoughts for it took him a three seconds to react.

"Alvin Martinez? Gordon? Wade, do you know what are you asking for?" he said in a warning tone, grabbing Wade's hand and pressing it down against the table.

"I've already thought it through before I opened my mouth," Wade retorted as he tried to pull his hand out of Vincenzo's grip without causing a commotion.

 He already knew that it was impossible to interrogate a member of a Mafia gang, let alone a high ranking one. Luciano giving him permission to interrogate one of his members was like stepping on his dignity. 

A member of a Mafia gang talking to a police officer; the scene spelt of betrayal and disloyalty. 

Hearing the name Gordon had actually made Vincenzo's mood turned sour. But he masked it perfectly behind a cold mask. 

"Why are you so determined to crack this case?" Vincenzo suddenly asked, his fingers caressing Wade's hand gently in an unconscious manner. 

That caress sent tingles throughout Wade's body and he tried his best to ignore it. 

"Answer me. There are so many unsolved cases piling up in your police station over the years. But this one gets your attention the most. I'm jealous," Vincenzo continued to caress Wade's smaller hand in his iron grip. 

Wade swallowed, his whole body felt as if it was on fire. He wanted to pull away from Vincenzo but somehow his body didn't react, he didn't move at all. He ended up staring back into those dark eyes, as if it was a black hole sucking him in. 

"Luciano...," The words didn't came out fierce as he wanted them to, rather it sounded as if he was out of breath. Wade could feel the warmth of Vincenzo's skin, he could feel himself starting to burn up more and more, feel his heart thumping wildly and his usually smartass tongue stiffened.

Vincenzo's thumb moved in comforting circles against the bottom of Wade's thumb. 

They were practically holding hands, well, almost like holding hands because Wade's right hand wash pinned underneath Vincenzo's one left hand, thus forcing Wade to lean over closer to Vincenzo, his body turned slightly. And man! The guy had a strength ten thousand times better than an ox. 

It was at this moment that Wade got a good look at the Mafia King. 

Pink, thin lips, mesmerizing dark eyes that always seem to draw him in, angular jaws, a high bridge nose and slightly tanned skin. His eyes wandered to the tattoo on the side of Vincenzo's neck, suddenly finding a strange urge in himself to touch and caress his fingers against that skin.

Wade had an irresistible urge to lean in and taste those lips for himself. 

"Your cheeks are red," Vincenzo tilted his head and stated, looking smug.

"What!?"