NICCO
I'm still standing outside of Aria's flat. My hand hovers over the doorknob while my mind remains stuck on my conversations with Monte from earlier today.
***
It is right around lunchtime when my phone rings. After seeing the caller ID, I make sure to lock the door to my office before taking the call. "Pronto."
With the phone pressed to my ear, Monte's voice travels through the line. Wasting no time, he relays to me, "Carl's men have found a lead. They looked into the software that was used to infiltrate the security system at Balmore House. After analyzing the files' metadata, some notes were found in the coding. "
I frown. "What kind of notes?"
"It was mostly technical jargon left by the programmers, but..."
"But?"
Monte continues, "The notes were written in Spanish. Several slang words were recorded. Slang—that is popular among Colombians."
Fuck.
This probably suggests exactly what I think it suggests.
"Carl's team also managed to trace an IP address. They believe the hackers were operating from an AirBnb in Croydon around the time of the attack."
"Who is the owner of the property?"
"Reginald Manning."
"Is he related to Ted Manning?"
"Reginald is Ted's father."
***
This troubling conversation keeps replaying in my head. I do my best to push it away as I open the door.
The moment I walk inside, I am greeted with a most wondrous and jaw-dropping sight, and each and every thought that has been contributing to my distress immediately dissipates. Taking several more steps forward, I make my way into the flat. My mouth parts. There is so much to take in. I do not know what to focus on. My awestruck gaze wanders every which way around Aria's living room.
An unopened bottle of vino and two crystal-clear wine glasses sit on the coffee table, waiting for me. Tea lights have been lit. They have been arranged in the shape of a heart around the vino bottle and wine glasses. Aria's surprise for me outshines the dark cloud that Manning and the Beltráns have cast over me. But they do not disappear. Not completely.
The fuckers linger in the shadows of my mind even amid the glow of such a happy moment.
***
It appears the Mannings have opened their family properties to the Beltráns like the good little lap dogs they have become.
At this, my mood darkens considerably. I was right to suspect these bastards. At this point, their involvement seems undeniable, and I must pay them back tenfold for what they have done to Aria and me.
I struggle to contain my emotions. "Manning and the Beltráns are not even trying to hide this shit from us. They are growing bolder by the second."
"It is unacceptable," Monte growls. "These fuckers are rubbing their shit all over our faces."
Unacceptable, indeed.
We need to fuck them up before they can fuck with us again.
But... how?
Far more planning is required before I can go after the Beltráns. Alvin and his son are not the entitled delinquents I used to deal with back in boarding school. A black eye and broken nose will not send them running for the hills. This will not be an easy battle. I will have to fight dirty and use every weapon at my disposal. They are the goddamn cartel, after all.
My thoughts turn toward Manning. In comparison, he would be a far easier target.
SÌ, I decide, Manning is where I should focus my efforts. The wheels in my mind begin to turn. I start fixating on his strengths and weaknesses. By now, it is clear to me that the man has acquired a network of very talented individuals at his disposal. I will need to take them down one by one.
Discretion will be a necessity, though. My parents will not want to alert the authorities. Given their background, my father, in particular, harbors a deep distrust for government and law enforcement. In his eyes, they are as corrupt as the world mia famiglia escaped from decades ago. Not to mention, police and politicians alike tend to move at a snail's pace when it comes to righting wrongs.
Useless bastards.
I make a request, "Get me a list of names. I want to know anyone and everyone who has ever worked under Manning, on and off record, especially in regard to the Gravinski account."
"What do you plan to do with this list?"
I pause thoughtfully. "If they are the kind of individuals who are willing to work with Manning and the Beltráns, then I am sure every one of them has a skeleton or two hiding in their closets."
"Naturally."
"Illegal activities. Mistresses. Illegitimate children. Offshore accounts. Unpaid taxes. I want to uncover everything about these bastards."
"I will see what I can find." He pauses before asking, "Are you planning to blackmail them?"
"No," I murmur, "blackmail will be unnecessary."
"Unnecessary?"
Monte sounds surprised.
"I believe in the selfish, ugly parts of human nature. We simply need to sow the seeds of distrust, and let their paranoia do the work for us."
"What do you mean?"
"Once we assemble our trump cards, I want you to redistribute these skeletons to each and every one of Manning's friends. Anonymously, of course."
Catching my drift, Monte remarks, "You intend to toss a barrel of mice into a pit of hungry vipers."
"Exactly. They will not be able to resist feasting on such easy pickings."
Monte falls quiet for a moment. "Your mind works like your mother. Far more than I thought, Nicco."
I shake my head. "I am nothing like Mamma."
"No?"
A wicked smirk darkens my face. "Because, unlike my mother, I will take great pleasure in watching these fuckers self-destruct."
***
I refuse to let the noise in my head ruin my night with Aria. I force myself to focus on the here and now.
Beside the stunning arrangement atop the table, a very recognizable black gift box sits on the table as well. Heat flares between my legs once I realize what might be inside. I grow stiffer and harder than I have ever been in 0.01 seconds flat.
Is Aria going to let me use my gift tonight?
My eyes dart to the left. A trail of rose petals is scattered along the floor. They lead to a large fort, constructed from bedsheets, in the corner of the room. I blink in shock. Pillows and sleeping bags are tucked inside. Strands of string lights drape and dangle from the ceiling of the fort, casting a warm, romantic glow within.
That is when my gaze lands on the dark-haired figure inside the fort. She is wearing an old sleep shirt. Her legs are bare as she rests on one of the sleeping bags. Her eyes are closed. Her breathing sounds slow and deep. Aria must have dozed off while waiting for me. I fight the urge to rush over and gather her up in my arms. I do not know how she found the time and energy to put this together within one hour, our lives are a turbulent mess, but this little oasis she has created for us may very well be the sweetest fucking thing anyone has ever done for me.
Warmth envelops my heart even while I try to steel myself against such trifling emotions.
At my sides, my hands clench into fists. So desperately, my heart wishes to trust Aria even when my mind needs to do the very opposite.
***
Four hours later, Monte contacts me again. Closing and locking the door to my office once more, I answer his call. "Is everything alright?"
"Our men just finished looking through Signorina Senarath's flat."
"Did you find anything?"
"It was clean. But Signorina Senarath was the one who requested the search. I doubt she would invite us in to incriminate herself."
"True."
Monte coughs. "As you requested, we also started looking into Signor Senarath."
"And?"
"I have confirmed that he is still in Shanghai on his business trip. I will continue to monitor his movements overseas."
My eyes narrow. Monte would not be calling me if all was well with Aria's father. "What else do you want to tell me about him?"
Monte responds after some hesitation, "Again, as you requested, I also started looking into the network Signor Manning has created over the last ten years. It has come to my attention that, at the beginning of his career, Signor Senarath worked under Signor Manning for a period of time."
This is news to me. "At Jackson & James?"
"No, back then, Signor Senarath and Signor Manning were still employed with J.M. Weiss. I thought you should know these two have known each other for almost a decade now."
Swearing under my breath, I drag my fingers through my hair. I understand what Monte is trying to imply.
Are Mr. Senarath's ties to Manning merely a thing of coincidence between men who once worked at the same fucking bank?
Or is there a deeper, darker connection here?
If only Mr. Senarath had not given Aria the locket.
If only we had not found the tracking device in that damn locket.
Conflict wages in me. I do not know which side of the story I should cling, and the ambiguity of it all troubles me more than anything.
***
Several hard, heavy thumps thump against my chest.
Manache!
Is that the pounding of my heart?
My anxiety is getting out of control. The last thing I want is to ruin this beautiful moment that my princess has created for us.
Aria is not her father, I remind myself on repeat, do not jump to conclusions.
Regardless of everything that Monte has shared with me, she is innocent.
For now.
With quiet footsteps, I creep toward the fort and crawl inside beside her. Her nearness does something to me. My heart swells as though doubling in size.
She is so precious to me.
My angelo.
My diavola.
Anguish seizes me. Silently, I mouth to her, Do not betray me. I beg you.
Aria does not hear my plea, of course. Her breathing remains slow and even. She continues to sleep.
I am a man possessed when my hand starts moving against my better judgment. Again, I feel torn when I tug the small velvet box out of my pocket. Even with my mind brimming with reservations, I cannot seem to stop myself from claiming Aria as my own. I still want this woman too damn much.
A shaky breath fills my lungs as I open the box and remove what is inside.
Dio.
Why am I so fucking nervous?
I am Nicco fucking Vitale, for fuck's sake, and this is not even a real proposal. This ring is not a real ring. None of this is real. It is all a ruse. Aria and I will call off the engagement once the dust settles with our sex tape. I have no intention of marrying her, and she has no desire to wed me.
Gently, my hand closes around Aria's wrist, guiding her hand toward me. With my other hand, I slide the diamond onto her ring finger. It is a perfect fit. Not too tight. Not too loose. Beneath the glow from string lights, the round gray stone glimmers like the moon with a galaxy of tiny stars contained within. The gray is almost as beautiful as her eyes.
Emotions grow thick in my chest. I feel overwhelmed seeing my ring on her finger. The sight makes me come undone. Out of nowhere, a punch of possessiveness charges through me: I never want her to take it off.
The sheer, obsessive force behind this thought catches me off guard. There is nothing fake about my desire to hold on to Aria. My feelings for her are all too real.
Oh, fuck me.
Is this the curse of being a Vitale man?
I do not know what frightens me more. The idea of falling for a woman whom I cannot trust. Or the fact that I would probably still want her even if she ends up betraying me at the end of this charade.