Chapter 46 THE SECRET MEETING

Chapter 46 THE SECRET MEETING


Adeline's POV

The next morning, Russio's summons hung over us like a storm cloud.

"What do you think he wants?" I asked Kayden over breakfast.

"It could be anything and it could be nothing."

"You don't believe that."

"No. I don't." He pushed food around his plate. "But we have to face it. Whatever he knows or suspects, we deal with it."

"And tonight? The warehouse?"

"We are going. No matter what happens this morning."

At 9 AM sharp, we knocked on Russio's office door.
"Come in."

We entered. Russio sat behind his desk. H looked relaxed and calm, which somehow made it worse.
"Sit," he said.

"I wanted to discuss the Castellano negotiations. They're next week. I need to make sure we're all aligned."

That was it? Just business?
"Of course," Kayden said. "We're prepared."

"Good. Because these partnerships are critical. Can't afford any... distractions."
The emphasis on 'distractions' was pointed.

"There are no distractions," I said.

"Glad to hear it. Because I've noticed some concerning behavior lately. Late nights, secretive conversations, activities that suggest divided attention."

"We're just being careful. With everything happening—"

"What's happening, Adeline? Please. Enlighten me."

A test. He was testing us.
"Nothing specific. Just general caution. This world is dangerous, so we're learning to navigate it."

"Hmm." Russio studied us both. "Well….continue being careful, but remember where your loyalties lie. Family first….always."

"Of course," Kayden said.

"Good. You're dismissed."

In the hallway, Kayden exhaled. "That was..."

"A warning. He knows we're up to something. Just doesn't know what yet."

"Which means we need to be more careful tonight."

"Agreed."

We spent the day preparing.
Scout reports on the warehouse, entry points, security patterns, escape routes.

By evening, we had a plan.
At 10 PM, we drove back to the industrial district with a different car this time.

One of Marco's personal vehicles that wasn't registered to the family.
We parked further away and approached on foot.
The warehouse was dark and silent.

"Think anyone's here?" I whispered.

"Only one way to find out."

We moved closer and found a window with a better view than last night's.
Inside, the warehouse was mostly empty. Just like before.

But this time, Grey wasn't alone.
He stood in the center, waiting, checking his watch.

At 10:23, a door opened and a figure entered. He was a tall male and moving with authority.

But not Russio this time.
"Can you see who it is?" Kayden whispered.

"No, it's too dark, and they're staying in the shadows."

We watched as Grey and the figure talked. We were still too far away to hear, but we could see their body language.
The figure stood with confidence and authority. It was definitely someone used to being in charge.

Grey's posture was different than it had been with Russio. He was more deferential, but not submissive.

Like he respected this person or maybe even liked them.

"They know each other well," Kayden observed. "Look how comfortable they are."

He was right. This wasn't a business meeting. This was familiar, almost familial.

The figure gestured, explaining something and Grey nodded, listening intently.

Then the figure handed Grey something. A thicm folder that looked important.

"Whoever that is, they're close to Grey," I said. "Maybe even closer than your father."

"Family?"

"Maybe, or a mentor. Someone he trusts."

They talked for another ten minutes. Then the figure moved toward the door they'd entered through.

Still in the shadows, wtill impossible to identify.
"We need to see their face," Kayden said.

"But we can't risk getting closer."

"Then we wait and see if they pass under better light."

The figure opened the door, paused and said something to Grey.

Grey nodded, saying something back.
Almost like they were saying goodbye….or good luck.
Then the figure left.

Grey stood there alone. Looking at the folder again, he tucked it under his arm and headed for the exit.

"He's leaving," Kayden said. "We should—"

"Wait. Let him pass under the streetlight outside. We can see what's in that folder."

We moved to a different position again. One with a clear view of the parking lot.

Grey emerged from the warehouse and walked toward his car.

As he passed under the streetlight, the folder caught the light, and I saw it.

Embossed on the cover, clear as day.
The Gravano family crest.

"Fuck," Kayden breathed. "That's one of our folders. From my father's office."

"Grey has access to official family documents."

"Not just access, he's been given them, by whoever he just met."

Grey got into his car. Drove away.
We stood there in the dark.

"That wasn't Russio he met with tonight," I said.

"No, it was someone else. Someone else in the family who's working with Grey."

"Someone your father trusts enough to give access to sensitive documents."

"Or someone acting independently behind my father's back."

"Either way, this is bigger than we thought. Grey isn't just working with your father, he's embedded with multiple people in the family."

"We need to know who and what's in that folder."

"How? We can't exactly ask him."

Kayden thought for a moment. "My father keeps copies of everything. If that folder came from his office, there should be duplicates. I can search his files."

"That's risky."

"Everything about this is risky. But we need to know what Grey is working on, what information he has access to."

We headed back to the car.
"Tomorrow," Kayden said. "While my father is at the Castellano preliminary meeting. I'll search his office and find out what was in that folder."

"And I'll follow Grey. See where he goes, what he does with those documents."

"Be careful. He's clearly more connected than we realized."

"So are we. We're just getting started."

That night, I couldn't sleep.
I kept thinking about the meeting, the figure in the shadows, the familiar body language.

Whoever Grey had met with tonight, they cared about him, protected him.
Which made them dangerous.

Because people who care are willing to do terrible things to protect what they love.

Around 2 AM, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.

You're getting close. But not close enough. Want to know what Grey is really after? Check Russio's safe. The combination is Belle's birthday. You'll find answers there.

I stared at the message.

Someone was helping us, feeding us information. But who? And why?

I typed back: Who is this?
Unknown: Someone who wants the same thing you do. The truth, and justice.

Me: Why help us?

Unknown: Because Russio has gotten away with too much for too long and Grey is his weapon.
Stop Grey, and you stop whatever Russio is planning.

Me: What is he planning?

Unknown: Find out yourself. The safe….tomorrow….before it's too late.

The message deleted itself.

I sat there, heart pounding.
Someone inside the family was helping us. Someone with access to information, to Russio's schedule, to everything.

But I couldn't trust them….not yet.
For all I knew, this was a trap. A way to catch us breaking into Russio's office.

But what if it wasn't? What if there really were answers in that safe?
I had to know.
Even if it meant walking into a trap.

The next morning, I showed Kayden the message.
"It's too convenient," he said. "Someone just happens to text you the combination to my father's safe? Right after we watch Grey get handed family documents?"

"I know. But what if it's real? What if someone inside is trying to help?"

"Or trying to get us caught."

"Then we're careful. We make sure your father is gone. We get in and out fast."

"This is insane."

"Everything about this is insane. But we're running out of time. Belle's wedding is in less than six months. We need answers now."

Kayden ran his hands through his hair. "Okay. But we do this together. No splitting up, no solo missions."

"Agreed."

"And if it's a trap—"

"We run as fast as we can."

He nodded. "My father has the preliminary Castellano meeting at noon. He'll be gone for at least two hours. That's our window."

"Then that's when we move."

We spent the morning preparing, watching and waiting.

At 11:45, Russio left for his meeting. Then at noon, we entered his office.

The safe was behind a painting, cliché but effective.

I pulled out my phone and checked the message again. Belle's birthday.
"04-17-09," I said.

Kayden input the combination and the safe clicked open.

Inside were files, documents, cash, and a single folder with Grey's face on it.

Real name: Grayson Falco.

I pulled it out and opened it.
It was filled with photos of Grey
..or Grayson…from over the years I'm different hair, different styles, but unmistakably him.

Employment records from two years ago when he worked for the family, and notes that were handwritten, in Russio's distinctive script.

Asset acquired age 14. Juvenile record sealed. Useful skills: adaptable, intelligent, loyal when properly motivated.
Primary weakness: seeks approval, father figure. Use this.
Current assignment: Cornelia connection via youngest sister. Establish trust, await further instructions.

Kayden read over my shoulder. "Assignment. He's calling Grey's relationship with Belle an assignment."

"And 'await further instructions' means whatever Grey is doing now, it's just the beginning. There's more coming."

I flipped through more pages. Financial records showing payments to Grey over the years, for training records, psychological evaluations.

Russio had been grooming him, molding him for years.

"Grey is my father's weapon," Kayden said quietly. "A tool he's been developing since Grey was a teenager."

"And now he's aimed that weapon at my sister….at me."

"But for what purpose? The notes don't say what the endgame is."

"Just 'await further instructions.' Which means your father hasn't given the final order yet. Whatever Grey's ultimate mission is, it hasn't been activated."

"So we have time."

"Maybe, but not much." I photographed every page with my phone. "We need copies of all of this."

"We also need to close this safe and get out. My father could come back early."

I finished photographing and put the folder back exactly as we'd found it, closed the safe, rehung the painting, and we left the office.

In the hallway, my hands were shaking.
"We have proof now," Kayden said. "Proof that Grey is working for my father. That their relationship with Belle is manufactured."

"But we still don't know the endgame. What your father is planning, what Grey's final missi
on will be."

"Then we keep digging, and we prepare for whatever's coming."

We headed back to our room.

Behind us, I heard a door close softly. I turned around but the hallway was empty.

Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone had been watching….that we'd just been caught.