Chapter 40 The Devil’s Bargain
MARCO’S POV
I stared at the whiskey in front of me, watching the amber liquid catch the dim bar light. My fingers twitched toward the glass, but I kept them flat on the table.
I couldn't afford to let alcohol dull my senses when dealing with someone like Alessio Delgado.
The bar was quiet for a Thursday afternoon with soft Italian music playing from speakers I couldn't see.
I'd chosen a booth in the back, away from windows, and with a clear view of both entrances.
Twenty minutes past our scheduled meeting time, when Alessio finally appeared. He walked in like he owned the place flanked by two guards.
"Marco!" he called out, sliding into the booth across from me like we were old friends. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic was murder."
"Must be a Delgado family trait," I said, unable to keep the edge from my voice. "Being fashionably late to business meetings."
Alessio laughed. "I like you already. Most people are too scared to give me shit." He snapped his fingers at one of his guards, who walked away and returned moments later with a bottle of scotch and poured generous amounts into both our glasses.
I didn't touch mine, I just watched as Alessio took a long drink, his eyes never leaving my face.
"So," I said, pulling out a folder from my bag. "The shipment. It offloaded successfully in Genoa three days ago. No issues with customs and your contact there was worth every euro we paid him."
I slid the folder across the table but Alessio barely glanced at it.
"The secondary shipment to Milan went through without incident as well," I continued, uncomfortable with the way he was looking at me. "And the Rotterdam connection confirmed they received their portion. Everything is on schedule.”
Alessio took another sip of his whiskey, that knowing smile playing at his lips.
"You're very thorough," he said finally. "A job well done, Marco."
"Thank you," I said tersely, wanting nothing more than to get this over with and get the hell out of here. "If that's all…"
"You're Vitale's right-hand man," Alessio said, cutting me off.
I didn't respond.
Alessio set down his glass leaning back in his seat. "That must mean Vitale trusts you, enough to send you here alone and handle negotiations with families he considers allies." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "But something tells me you're not the loyal kind."
My entire body went rigid. "What did you just say?"
"You heard me." Alessio leaned forward now, close enough that I could smell the scotch on his breath. "You're the kind of motherfucker who runs on greed and breaking trust. You make it seem like you're loyal…hell, you probably even believe it yourself, but deep down? You get a kick out of being smarter than everyone else.”
My jaw gritted tightly and I curled my fingers into a fist. "You don't know a goddamn thing about me," I said. "I suggest you be very careful about the accusations you throw around, Delgado. I'm not one of your employees you can intimidate."
Alessio just laughed, the sound echoing through the nearly empty bar. "Don't mind me, friend. Just making observations. Let's go back to business, shall we?"
But I couldn't let it go. I sat there glaring at him, my hands still clenched into fists under the table, imagining all the ways I could wipe that smug expression off his face.
"Now," Alessio continued, completely unfazed by my rage. "You wanted information about the girl.”
"Yes," I said through gritted teeth. "That was the agreement. We handle your shipments, you tell us where information about Arya."
"And I will. In time." Alessio swirled his whiskey. "These things require delicacy. Giovanni is... protective of his new wife."
My patience snapped completely. I stood up, grabbing my jacket. "This is bullshit. You're wasting my time with vague promises and…"
"They're on their honeymoon right now."
I froze halfway out of the booth. Slowly, I turned back to look at him.
"What did you just say?"
Alessio's grin widened. He'd been toying with me, drawing this out just to see me lose my composure. "Sit down, Marco. I think you'll want to hear this."
I didn't sit but I didn't leave either. His guards shifted slightly, blocking the path to the door.
"Giovanni took her to Italy," Alessio continued. "The Amalfi Coast, specifically. He has a villa there and it’s very secure."
My heart was pounding now, so hard I could feel it in my throat. "Is she… is she okay?"
"As far as I know, she's fine. Giovanni isn't the type to damage his assets unnecessarily." Alessio took another drink. "In fact, he's willing to arrange a meeting. You and Robert… he'll let you see her."
I stumbled forward, nearly tripping over my legs. "When? Where?"
"Two days from now and there’ll be details to follow." Alessio stood, buttoning his jacket. "But there's a condition."
"What condition?" I asked, dreading the answer.
"Christabel comes too."
The world seemed to tilt. "What? No. Absolutely not. Robert would never agree to bringing another one of his daughters."
"Those are Giovanni's terms," Alessio said, his voice hard now. "You want to see Arya? You want proof she's alive and well? Then you bring the little sister. Consider it... insurance."
"Insurance against what?" I demanded. "What the hell does Giovanni want with a fifteen-year-old girl?"
"Not my business to speculate." Alessio moved toward the exit, his guards falling behind him. "But if I were you, I'd spend the next two days figuring out how to convince Robert that this is the only chance you have."
Then he was gone, leaving me standing in the dim bar with my heart racing and my mind spinning.
I sank back into the booth, finally reaching for that whiskey I'd been avoiding and I downed it in one burning gulp.
I was going to see Arya.
But at what cost? Bringing Christabel into this, it went against every protective instinct I had. Robert would lose his mind when I told him.
Hell, I was barely holding it together myself. But what choice did we have?
If we refused, Giovanni could keep Arya indefinitely and use her in ways we couldn't prevent from thousands of miles away.