Secrets That Bind | Book I

2 // the missing tattoo

𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘺𝘢

It's completely silent in the interrogation room as Dom and I have a tense stare off with our criminal friend – well, he's actually just glaring at Dom and his name is Emilio De Costa – but those are just minor details.

I flip through Emilio's file that Ryan, our intelligence analyst, was able to pull up. There's nothing that stands out. Just a couple of speeding tickets, a suspended license from a year ago, and one DUI. Other than that, there's nothing that screams "hey, I'm part of a gang!"

"What was in the bag?" Dom asks finally.

I look up from the file to closely observe Emilio. His hood is down, revealing his black hair neatly styled into a fade. The sides are cleanly shaved while the top of his head is sleeked back with gel with some loose strands falling on his forehead. His tan skin stands out from under the fluorescent lights, his blue eyes swimming with hostility as he continues to stare daggers at Dom. His arms are clasped in front of him, the sleeves of his black hoodie pushed up to his elbows displaying the various tattoos that decorate them.

I know I shouldn't be admiring them, but there's something about the way each separate tattoo flows into one another to create a larger tattoo that I find mesmerizing. If it were under any other situation, I would've asked him about them.

I bring my gaze back to Emilio's face and internally groan when I see no sign of him answering. His jaw is tight, his nostrils slightly flaring causing his nose ring to reflect the light.

With a sigh, I throw the manila folder on the table and stand up, planting both my hands on the metal table. This is enough to grab Emilio's attention and he turns his hostile gaze to me. We stare at each other for a few seconds before I walk around the table so that I'm standing right next to him. I lean against the table, both my arms placed behind me for support as I slightly lean back to get a better look at Emilio.

"What was in the bag, Emilio?" I ask, my voice having a slight edge to it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replies smoothly. He leans back in his seat as he pushes the loose strands of hair back. He tilts his head back and watches me with the corner of his mouth slightly raised.

We both know that he's lying.

"What were you doing at the warehouse?" I ask, deciding to ditch the bag for the time being.

"I was curious, so I snuck in."

I raise my brow in disbelief at his words. There's no way that is true.

"Hmm," I hum, nodding my head as I shift my gaze to the faded blue walls in front of me. "So you just happened to waltz into a warehouse full of gangsters without anyone noticing you?"

"Yup," Emilio replies, popping the 'p.'

"And what did you see?" I ask, folding my arms over my chest as I look into his piercing blue eyes.

"I don't know. I wasn't close enough to see anything."

"Then why'd you run out?" I ask immediately, now standing right next to him. I place one hand on the back of his chair, while the other is firmly planted on the table and lean down a bit. He doesn't answer immediately, the hostility in his gaze slowly returning.

"I saw a bunch of feds storm the warehouse waving their guns around so I did what any logical person would do," Emilio replies, turning to look at me. "I ran."

I tilt my head to the right as I scrutinize him silently. His gaze doesn't waver even for a second, the rest of his face remaining completely devoid of any emotion. It's like he was trained in the art of lying. Either that or this isn't his first time being questioned by the feds.