Chapter One Hundred

*Gia*

She stares at the one they call Domenico, cousin to Enzo Giordano. She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting when she heard all the rumors about him, maybe some player that was more into his appearance and ego than anything else. She couldn’t really tell if he was handsome or not considering she couldn’t make much out of his features with half his face swollen as it was.

She wasn’t surprised that he didn’t trust her either. It was to be expected even though she was lying about just being a simple maid in enemy territory. She didn’t need anyone’s approval. Once things were settled against her brother she was out of this country.

She was pretty sure her ship had sailed hours ago, so she definitely missed that with all the chaos happening back at the dock with Enzo. Also that other douche kept giving her death glares as if waiting for her to do something to prove them right.

He was going to be glaring for a long time because she wasn’t hiding anything other than the fact of who she really was. She hadn’t lied to Gabriela of how she had grown up in the Moretti mansion. Her father and mother truly didn’t care what happens to her, and Dario even less. She knew they were going to be furious once they found out that she had taken their family’s most precious prized possessions.  

She didn’t want to face the wrath of her brother if he ever discovers that she had taken it. Hopefully, he’ll be too angry and frustrated about Gabriela escaping than anything else.

Clearing her throat, she takes a small step back from Domenico. “I…don’t really have much to say. I’ve only worked in the home for a few weeks.”

“Enlighten me.” He quickly states watching her every move.

She squirms a little, wondering if she should just go, but then if she did that, then it would seem like she did have something to hide.

“I…needed a job so jumped on the first offer that was given to me. I didn’t know what I was putting myself in and when I found out I couldn’t just quit, I needed the money.”

He watches her closely before leaning back against his pillow. “Okay, so I’m going to take it you saw and heard things you shouldn’t have, right?”

Oh, it was more than that, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. But he wanted something, and she wasn’t able to get out of this unless she gave some kind of information that would appease him and the others.

“I was practically invisible there. There were times when the owner of the house would have secret meetings in his basement. Not sure what they were doing down there since I was forbidden, plus they kept it under lock and key.”

That information perked his interest. “Secret meetings? What do you think they were doing down there, with who?”

Taking a deep breath, she decided to tell the truth on this one aspect. “I’m not sure. Sometimes it was with other older men, men you could tell were ego-inflated and believing they were more important than the rest of us here on earth. Other times it would be with his own men dragging some hopeless soul with a bag over their head, gagged and tied.”

With a little dramatic effect, she leans in a little and whispers dramatically, “Most of them never came back up.”

“That’s obvious. I’m not interested in the men he brought down to have never come back up. I’m more interested in with the other men he brought for his secret meetings.” He was beginning to get a little excited as he leans in as well. “Did you get any names? Can you give descriptions of what they looked like?”

Racking her brain, she informs him everything she knew about the men that would come in the middle of the night just to speak with her father. She doesn’t mention that part, of course, and was careful not to reveal anything that could tip him off that she was related to the Moretti’s at all.

“I did hear Moretti mention a man called Steno. He was a tall man, kind of bulky with a face that makes you think of a bullfrogs.”

“Steno is bad news. Makes sense he’s with Moretti. They have a bad reputation and deals with drugs and illegal weapons.” He mumbles with a sour face.

“There was another man. Stout and pudgy. Always red-faced as if he drinks all the time or something.”

A grim look crosses his face then, or at least she thought it was a face he was trying to pull.

“Bruno. He'd just stepped into his father’s position not long ago after the old man croaked. Complete pushover and a swine. He loves food and drink more than what actually happens to anyone around him. There’s a rumor he’s already gone through half of the Bruno’s fortune.”

That sounded about right.

“I’m not sure what goes on down there. Just that they have meetings quite often. Dario doesn’t even know about them as far as I know. He’s too busy with his own agenda.”

Cocking his head at her, he asks, “How did you and Gabby escape?”

She goes a little stiff but relaxes when she can tell this part truthfully as well. “I was appointed as her maid while she was locked up. I was only allowed to bring her food three times a day. I felt bad for her, so decided to help her instead. After seeing how Dario Moretti was like, I knew I couldn’t sit back and let her life become a living hell.”

Like her own was.

“Thought you needed the job.” He pinpoints, still watching her closely.

“I guess there comes a point that certain things are more important than just money. She needed my help, and I gave it. When the opportunity presented itself I acted.”

“Okay, say if I do believe you, what are you going to do now?”

“If you believe me? You think I just made all that up?” She scoffs with disbelief.

“I believe you on the meetings and the basement bit. I’m just not wholly trusting you on the part where you just got hired out of the blue. We may be enemies, but we all run the same way when it comes to hiring people under our employment. Moretti is selfish and pigheaded, even down right a narcissist, but the one thing he isn’t is stupid.”

Crossing his arms, he looks her dead in the eyes with his one good one. “You weren’t just running because you helped Gabby escape. You were running long before her, and she just happened to get caught in it. So, Gia, what do you plan to do now that you got away?” he asks again, seeming to be genuinely interested in her answer.

“Got away? It appears to me that I’m still a prisoner. I haven’t gotten away at all.” She nearly snaps, hating that he was far way more perceptive than he seemed to be.

Playboy? Egomaniac? All about his own pleasures and wants? Rumors seemed to be just that, rumors. Unless it was all an act to make people believe he was something he wasn’t at all. And that was dangerous. Highly dangerous.

And she would know. Because wasn’t she doing the exact same thing around everyone she knew and came across in her path?

He perks up and slowly gives her a smile. “Still? Now we’re getting somewhere.”