Chapter 146 Bugged Suite

Chapter 146 Bugged Suite
Emma's POV:

"You need women that badly?" I asked, walking up to James as he stood outside the hotel. "You had to hit on girls at the airport?"

James gave me that puppy-dog look he'd perfected over years of getting out of trouble. "Boss, it's my only hobby..."

"I don't care how wild you get in America," I said, my voice casual but my eyes sharp. "In Mexico, you need to keep it together." I paused, letting my words sink in. "If something happens to you here, all those women back home will be finding new men."

James wasn't an idiot. He caught my meaning immediately and nodded, his expression turning serious. For all his womanizing ways, he'd never dropped the ball when it mattered.

"Let's go upstairs," I said, walking back to Alexander and slipping my arm through his. Our group entered the hotel and headed directly to the top two floors, which we'd reserved entirely. Alexander and I took the presidential suite, while the others settled into business suites.

Inside our room, I sat on the sofa beside Alexander, watching Bill and Isabella lead teams with detection equipment through every inch of the space. They were methodical, checking each room four times, not missing a single corner.

Thirty minutes later, I stared at the coffee table with a bemused expression. Over a hundred listening devices were piled there like tiny mechanical insects.

"I'd love to meet whoever's behind this," I said, crossing my legs as I leaned back against the sofa. "Planting this many bugs without anyone noticing takes serious skill."

"Couldn't it be the hotel staff?" James crouched down, picking up a couple of the devices to examine them.

I shook my head. "This is the best hotel in the area. It's still not up to American standards, but they wouldn't risk trouble. The people who stay here are either wealthy, powerful, or not exactly law-abiding. The management wouldn't wade into those waters."

I tossed the bug I'd been holding back onto the pile. "So, this is a welcoming gift from someone who knows I'm here."

Rising from my seat, I walked to the balcony and gazed meaningfully toward a specific location in the distance. With a cold smile, I raised my hand to form a gun shape with my fingers and mimicked firing a shot.

"Know who they are?" Alexander asked, coming to stand beside me. His arm settled comfortably around my shoulders.

"No idea," I admitted. "In Mexico, there's no shortage of people who know about Phoenix."

"Donna, what do you think they want?" Isabella asked from the sofa, watching me with curious eyes.

"Has Phoenix had conflicts with anyone here?" I frowned, trying to puzzle it out.

Isabella shook her head confidently. "Not in Mexico. We've done a few deals here, and they all went smoothly. After you decided to stop doing business here, we never came back."

"Then why follow us?" I was genuinely confused. This wasn't making sense.

I turned to Alexander. "Do you have business interests here?"

"I'm a legitimate businessman," he replied with a slight smile. "What legitimate business is there in Mexico's underworld?"

"Well, this is strange," I muttered, waving my hand dismissively. "Whatever they're planning, let them do it. Worst case, I'll make a name for myself here too."

I turned to Isabella. "What about those transactions I asked you to look into?"

Isabella had helped Mexican clients import weapons from America several times. The deals had been profitable and smooth, but I had principles. If their activities affected America, I wouldn't continue the relationship. That's why I needed to see things for myself.

"I checked them out," Isabella reported. "Their influence here is substantial, primarily weapons smuggling. I haven't confirmed if they're involved in drug trafficking. I traced each shipment's route, and so far, I haven't found any connections to the U.S."

"Set up a meeting," I decided. "Tonight."

"Tonight?" Isabella seemed surprised. "It's already late—wouldn't tomorrow be better?"

"Tonight," I insisted. "Information travels faster here than we expect. Anyone with decent connections will know I've arrived by tomorrow."

As Isabella made the call, Alexander and Bill exchanged looks.

"Emma, you said people will know you're here by tomorrow?" Alexander asked. "Are you that famous in Mexico?"

I paused, unsure how to explain this. "Well..."

"Sir, let me explain," James intervened. "Although the boss hasn't been here before and doesn't know anyone personally, all the important players know Phoenix. Their external business operations often require a trading platform, and Phoenix provides exactly that—untraceable transactions."

"Phoenix is ranked among the top internationally," he continued. "Being blacklisted by Phoenix forces them to find alternative platforms, which is problematic since their business is typically illegal and involves massive sums. Smaller platforms can't guarantee security, and even if they're willing to use them, their clients might refuse."

"So not just in Mexico—anywhere in the world, Donna commands respect from local organization leaders simply as Phoenix's Donna. Building connections with her is like hitting the jackpot."

"But wouldn't it be dangerous for Mrs. Sterling to appear in person?" Bill asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Absolutely not," James shook his head emphatically. "Crime bosses in every country want Donna safe. If something happens to her, Phoenix suffers, which hurts their business. Actually, the more secure her position is, the more stable their profits become."

I nodded, finally finding the right words. "My darknet operations and my mafia family are both Phoenix, but they serve entirely different purposes. Online, Phoenix is untouchable. Offline, Phoenix is just another crime family that establishes its position through force."

Alexander and Bill nodded, clearly processing this new dimension of my life.

Isabella returned from her call and whispered something in my ear. I nodded in agreement, and she walked to the door, returning moments later with a man I didn't recognize.