Page 16 of Dangerous Games of Trust
“Have you forgotten I have two mafia families after me?” I sigh. All the money in the world can’t buy me freedom. I’m still trapped here in this apartment, with people out there just waiting to kill me.
“You two have work to do.” Geovani smirks at her, and I can see even he was surprised at how lucrative the business is. All his Christmases have come at once. I wonder what the boys would make of all this.
Dani leans her head into mine, like we’re conspiring against Geovani. “After work today, you, me, and my laptop are taking you shopping. Even if it has to be online. You can’t keep wearing my hand-me-downs forever.” She rolls her eyes toward him as she takes off for her desk.
I glance down at the dress I’m wearing, playing with the soft almost jet-black fabric; I hadn’t considered where it came from. It was my size and in the wardrobe in my room, so I put it on this morning. Wasn’t like I had a whole lot of choices. The slip I arrived in was destroyed, and I couldn’t really do another day in the yoga pants and tank I found on the end of my bed. The underwear I found all still have tags on them, so at least I know they were new.
“After work and our training session, you two can do whatever you want. But for now, I need both of your help with this. Dani, you know that list of clients you have, get on to them, I’ll sendyou the link,” Geovani calls to her, and just like that, I have been dismissed.
“Done.” Dani smiles cheekily. She’s way too excited about this. I, however, want to know why Marco looks like he’s seen a ghost. Maybe he feels just as overwhelmed by all this as me. Or maybe he’s just worked out how much trouble we’re in if Carlo ever works out what we did.
I touch his arm, pulling him from his daze. “Marco, can we talk?” I ask softly, not even sure how to approach my brother anymore.
He looks to Geovani for the okay. I shake my head. Why is he being such a suck-up to these two? What does Geovani have over him?
Five, Geovani motions with his hand. I take off out of the room, immediately wondering where the hell I can talk to Marco privately. After our conversation last night, I’m positive Geovani is watching every room in this place and is probably listening to every word said as well. I want a second’s solitude with my brother. Marco follows me, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. I’m sure I’m on my way to crazy town. I shove open the sliding door of the balcony, scanning the perimeter for any signs of cameras. I can’t spot any, but Geovani’s so shifty, I’m sure he has some invisible spy device hiding up there somewhere.
Marco closes the door, leaning against it, waiting for me to talk. He was always one to listen more than speak. He’s a watcher, sees what’s going on around him, notices things others would never see.
I pace the massive, tiled balcony, too much nervous energy running through my body. “How do you wrap your head around all of this? I can’t. I feel like my head is going to explode.”
He takes my arms, preventing me from moving. “Lana, just stop. I need to talk to you, and we don’t have a lot of time.”
“He’s bugged the place,” I warn him before he says too much. “I’m pretty sure anyway, so be careful what you say inside and probably out here as well.” I keep searching even though I don’t spot anything.
He nods, and I know he agrees with me.
“How do we turn what we just saw inside into a way out of here? I want to disappear, Marco, take you with me. Go somewhere low-key where we can be safe from this life.”
His practiced facade starts to slip as he takes my hands in his. I stare into his big brown eyes; they make me want to cry. I’m ready to completely fall apart. “It’s a nice dream, Sis, but it’s not possible. I couldn’t leave Dani behind.”
“So that’s a thing now?” I mutter, already knowing it was; it’s obvious watching them together. After what she told me the other day, I knew. I guess it’s good to hear he feels the same way about her. Even if I’m alone in my quest to escape.
“It is. I wouldn’t walk away from the boys or Geovani, not now. They need us. Can you truthfully tell me you could happily leave them for good? Could you really run away, never looking back now with everything you know? We’re not the only ones trapped in this life, they all are, we have to help them.” My brother has a heart of gold. I have no idea where he got it from because it clearly wasn’t our papa. But I’m grateful he cares so much about his brothers and Dani.
I sigh heavily, the weight of this situation bearing down on me. My eyes meet his, searching them for answers. “I’m scared. That kind of money turns people batshit crazy. Carlo will find us, and then what? Not to mention when Enzo works out you’ve been hiding me out here. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you because of me.” My bottom lip trembles at the thought. The thought of losing him again sends a shiver down my spine, reminding me of the pain I felt before.
“Our security is the best in the country, Sis, they can’t get to us here,” he reminds me with confidence.
I pull out of his grip, pacing again. “I don’t feel safe. What if there is a fire, one they set to smoke us out of here or a bomb. Or a sniper sitting in the apartment across from us. Or…”
He takes my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “Sis, stop spiraling. You have to trust us, we have this under control. You’re safe, Geovani would never let anything happen to you, okay?”
I stare back at him, my breathing ragged and out of control. Not sure if I’m about to have a panic attack or just drop dead from being so fucking stressed out. His hand comes to my back where he rubs slow gentle circles. “But you’re the one who said he destroyed his first wife,” I whisper, remembering our conversation in the bathroom back at the safe house.
“What I told you was wrong. Just breathe, you’re okay,” he tells me in a calm voice. It covers me like a blanket, transporting me back in time to when the two of us were younger. This is the big brother I know. My protector, and I realize that maybe it wasn’t just him who pulled back, it was me as well. I have been so preoccupied with my situation, I hadn’t thought about how he was coping.
I focus on the touch of his hand, letting him bring me back to the present. “I’m so sorry about all of this.”
He wraps his arms around me, holding me tight to his chest. “This isn’t your doing.”
“I know, but I’m sorry he did this to us,” I mumble into his shirt.
He hugs me tighter. “I know, so am I.” We stay like this for some time. I don’t want to let him go. Or go back inside and face Geovani again. He wants me to be so strong all the time, but I’m not. Sometimes it’s hard to pretend.
As he pulls back from me slightly, I notice a subtle change in his body language. “We have another problem,” he says softly. “The boys want to see you, and from what I heard, Alex isn’t taking no for an answer anymore.”
My skin prickles. “I thought he didn’t know I was here with you,” I mutter, not sure how I feel about seeing the man who lied to me for his own gain.
