Ciel needed to learn. If he spoke up, he could have just about anything. And I had no problems sharing, so long as I got what I wanted.
30
WYNN
Leona slipped on the motorcycle behind me, wrapping her arms around my chest and nestling her thighs against the backs of mine.
She wore tight-fitting dark jeans, a plain white shirt, and a dark leather jacket zipped up the front. Her long braid reached the middle of her back and gave me all sorts of ideas about wrapping it around my wrist and pulling her against me. Lace-up leather boots gave her an edgy quality that had me remembering how she’d mesmerized me with that insane move in the gym. She mightseemlike a mafia princess, but she had more hidden beneath the surface than most people likely realized.
Willow deserved my thanks. She had done a fine job furnishing Leona with a new wardrobe. It did something to my heart to know it wasmymoney that had taken care of her. Leona had sworn she’d repay me, but I’d never allow it. Seeing her walking toward me with a dangerous sway in her hips was more than enough reward.
I stifled a groan, desperately trying to hide the bulge straining against my pants. The shower session had barely quelled the urge to get between her legs, and it was now backwith a vengeance. If we didn’t get going soon, I’d have to pull her to my bedroom and tell Ciel he had to wait.
“You good?” she asked as she wiggled on the back of the bike, only making my dick even harder.
I ran my hand down the outside of her thigh and squeezed gently. I meant it when I told hernext time. I’d get my fill of her again soon.
But now we had work.
“Yes. The helmet feels good?” I asked, making sure the straps under my chin were secure. These helmets were bulletproof, crash-resistant, and entirely reflective, so seeing our faces was impossible. I never rode without mine, and thank goodness I had an extra one I kept for Willow, just in case.
“Yes, sir,” she said as her arms squeezed around my waist. “Ciel’s cameras are secure in my backpack and the bike’s storage. Let’s go plant some eyes.”
I kicked up the stand and revved the engine before we took off from our private level of the secure parking garage underneath our apartment building.
The map Ciel made us projected on a heads-up display inside my helmet, unsurprisingly similar to a particular video game Ciel was obsessed with. I followed the GPS instructions south to the first marker, where we needed more visibility. The route skated us right past the territory of the Tommaso Family, another one of the Italian mafias in the Five Families group. Then it led to where the Russians had staked claim a few years ago. The plan was first to plant the cameras in the Russian territory and then gradually throughout the entire breadth of the Italian mafia—covering black spots in each of the Five Families’ territories—and circle the Vero Family’s territory last.
With our extended reach, if Volpe surfaced for even a moment, Ciel should be able to ID and track him within minutes.
“Everything working, Ciel?” I asked into the microphone embedded in my helmet as we sped through New York’s city streets, constantly dodging cabs and pedestrians. The city was clogged, even at this time of night.
“I’ve got you,” his reply crackled in my headset. “Your and Leona’s helmet cameras are operational, and I’m tracking you on the street cams. Stay alert; you’re headed into Russian territory now.”
“Eyes open, Leona,” I warned through the mic. Nobody could see who we were, but that didn’t mean we weren’t exposing ourselves to danger just by being out here. Part of me wished I could have left Leona behind in the safety of the penthouse, but this was a two-person job, and we’d get it done much faster with both of us. “Tell me if you see anything unexpected or concerning.”
“Got it,” she replied. I could feel her adjusting behind me, twisting her head from side to side.
This was a stealth mission as much as it was an information-gathering mission. We couldn’t be seen installing cameras inanycriminal organization’s territory. The blowback would be intense. At best, if we were found out, the trust in our organization would plummet. At worst, we’d accidentally start another war. Staying off everyone’s radar for this was ideal.
We quickly and efficiently followed Ciel’s mapped route, doing our best to avoid any tech trained on us. Ciel could wipe anything obvious, but it was better no one was the wiser. Once we reached a marker, I’d park the bike, Leona would keep watch, and I’d follow Ciel’s instruction to mount the cameras. With a quick test ping back to Ciel’s mainframe in our apartment, we’d confirm the camera was operational and then move on to the next.
“Wynn.” Leona’s voice came through my helmet mic as we placed the last camera in Russian territory.
My head whirled, automatically reaching for the gun in my hip holster. “What is it?”
“Three men walking this way.” From her position as the lookout, she jerked her head down the sidewalk of the partially lit street. The group sang loudly in Russian, arms linked together as they stumbled every other step. They each carried a forty, taking occasional swigs in between words of their song.
“They’re drunk,” I said as I ensured the camera’s battery pack was installed and the light on the back blinked to confirm full battery life. “Stay away from them. I’m almost done.”
I fiddled with the camera, double-checking all the settings and confirming with Ciel that he could see the live feed.
“Alright, it’s good to go.” I hopped down from my perch on a fire escape.
“Ciel, do you have eyes on those guys?” Leona asked into her helmet mic.
“Confirmed. Scanning them for facial recognition now,” he replied. I could barely make out his keyboard’s faint click, click, click.
“Hey! What are you doing here?” One of the men slurred as he finally caught sight of us, two strangers conspicuously standing on a street corner. “Who are you!?”
