Chapter 43 Pile of dead Bodies
Alex POv
Marco sits down and stares at a spot over my shoulder , I watch him quietly as he appears lost in thought.Eyes dimming and his nerves look shot .
I address him as his silence starts to wear on my nerves “I do not have all night. No lies and no wasting of time . Just answer my questions truthfully and you may make it through the night.”
Marco stiffens, as he nods coughing slightly.
“Let’s begin from the beginning, Marco, I say, my voice flat and emotionless. “You said Thomas Serrino told you to come to Sicily. Why?”
I pause “ You also mentioned you came to give me heads up so they don't come for me?”
His knee bounces instantly, hitting the table hard before he places a shaky hand on it. I smirk. Fear, fear is a great tool if you know how to wield it.
“Thomas reached out to me, and all the other mafia loads within the peninsula, for a meeting tomorrow.”
I freeze.
My pulse starts beating erratically.
That’s over 50 mafia lords all flying into Sicily tonight and tomorrow.
What the actual fuck?
What the hell was Thomas thinking? Has he gone senile because he lost La Rosa?
On what grounds? I press. “What is the contents of the said letter?”
He looks away for a moment.
“Marco!” I warn him.
He nods and faces me again, gulping hard.
“The letter is just a formal invitation for annual meeting, but word in the street is he wants to tell everyone about La Rosa and the keeper.”
My eyes narrow on him. “What? Thomas can’t be that foolish, can he?”
He hesitates for a moment, and I raise a brow.
He leans back, resigning.
“It’s true. He has told a few of his trusted underdogs he wants to make a formal announcement at the meeting tomorrow.”
I go still, dropping my cigar in my ash tray.
Fucking Serrini.
Like it isn’t bad enough trying to locate the jewel before him, now he wants to enlist the help of the entire mafia in the peninsula? Unbelievable. This will be a circus. A bloody circus, but a circus nonetheless. I must have zoned out Marco’s muttering at some point. I only caught the tail end of his last statement.
“Bounty.”
“Come again?” I growl, gritting my teeth.
Hating that I got distracted. Distractions get you killed in our line of work. Focus, Alex.
“What bounty?” I ask calmly, even though my heart is anything but.
“He will be putting up a bounty, according to the underdogs, of over a billion dollars.”
Marco rubs the back of his neck nervously, quickly averting his gaze, scanning the room.
“Marco, focus. I am losing what little patience I have with you.” I growl, which makes his forehead glisten with sweat more.
He takes a deep breath.
“Everyone knows already in the underground, on the streets. The announcement is just a formality. It’s out everywhere, Alex.”
Fear slides down my spine as I sit upright.
“So now you are all his lackeys, I take it?” I ask calmly.
Marco’s voice drops low. “It’s a lot of money, Alex. None of us are as rich as you two. No one will refuse a gig that pays this well.”
The room feels like it’s turning around. My jaw tightens as I think about the gravity of what Thomas has done and the madness he is about to unleash tomorrow.
One billion.
The number is large enough to make
Every ghost
Every mafia lord
Every mercenary
Every enemy
Hell, even strangers will take the risk, ripping the world and everything in it to shreds just for an opportunity to find it.
I hear movement and move my gaze to the ajar door as Luca slips in quietly, resuming his seat.
“All clear, Alex. I called the reception. They already vacated the premises.”
The office is quiet for a few tense seconds as the tension grows so thick it seems to be suffocating us. Marco won’t stop coughing and pulling on the neck of his shirt. Perfect, let him choke on his unease Mezza .
Staring him down, I ask, “So that’s your stance? Sell your allegiance for a little money?”
Marco shrugs. “It’s business, Alejandro, nothing personal.” He pauses. “Those that are in the know want to get a head start and are already searching for it and, in addition, her. Thomas has given his word that whoever finds it first will be paid immediately.”
I sit quietly because if I speak I may betray my emotions or thought on the matter.
Marco shifts in his chair uneasily.
“Alejandro, I didn’t come here spoiling for a fight. At first I wanted to see if I could steal her for a few minutes from the club just to get an idea.”
I growl as I recall, and he raises his hand in defense. “I came to apologize. I didn’t know she mattered to you. I just thought you should know everything. Since La Rosa is connected to her-”
“Alessia is her name,” I correct him.
He winces. “Since it’s connected to her, then you are in trouble, because after tomorrow’s announcement? They will come for her, and they will come in droves.”
"So in essence what you are telling me is by tomorrow the word will be out on the streets and the entire mafia population will be searching for La Rosa " I pause clenching my fists tightly ...they all think Alessia has the answers. And only I know she is innocent, I add inwardly.
Marco nods. “I am afraid so, Alejandro.”
And I am the one man standing between Aleesia, La Rosa, and a one billions dollar chase of chaos.
Marco gulps, nodding. “Si.”
“Just how many can you take down, Alejandro?” he adds softly.
Luca drops his gun on the table, and it makes a loud clanging sound in the quiet office. “Ayyya, amigo, this is going to turn into a blood bath.”
I sigh, leaning back, my cigar long forgotten.
I give him a nod, tilting my head just so. My brain is in overdrive, thinking furiously, flashing to Alessia, my raven-haired sexy mama cita, and how I left her lip swollen from my kisses, eyes deeply lidded with desire, and something stirs.
I will kill a million if it means keeping her safe. There will be a pile of dead bodies, plenty dead bodies.