Page 56 of Empire of Temptation

“No. The background noise was too loud. He was definitely outside.”

“An airport, maybe. A bus station.”

“Maybe.”

We were both silent for a long second. I said, “Sounds like he’s on the run, which means the police don’t have him. Just like Gabi said.”

“That’s good news,” my brother said. “But why call to apologize? Why not come to Catanzaro, where we can hide him?”

“I don’t know, but we need to find him. Get CCTV footage from every airport in the EU. Have the boys check around this time for any sign of Niccolò.”

“That will take forever. We need a way to search quickly.”

I considered this. I knew someone who could help expedite the process. “Call our friend in Napoli. Ask him to get his computer guys on it. They can find answers faster than we can.”

Enzo D’Agostino was the head of the Napoli ’ndrina and hemade most of his money through computer fraud. We’d traded favors over the years and he was currently in my debt. His hackers should be able to find Niccolò; after all, they successfully hid D’Agostino from the world for four years.

Sergio hummed his approval. “D’Agostino? Good idea. I’ll ring you back with his answer.” My brother ended the call.

I tossed Aldo’s mobile back to him, then dragged a hand through my hair and stared at the wall.

“I told you Niccolò wouldn’t turn on the family,” Gabriele exclaimed. “Where did it sound like he was calling from?”

“I’m not sure. But if he’s on the run, then he’ll likely pass through an airport.”

My son shook his head. “Niccolò gets sick on airplanes. He’ll go by bus or car.”

Ah. This was helpful. “Go with Aldo. Make a shopping list of what you want and I’ll have it delivered. I need to ring Sergio again.”

The two of them left the entry and I returned to my office, where I sat behind my desk. Instantly, my mobile buzzed. It was Sergio. “Pronto.”

“He wants a face-to-face,” my brother said.

“Fuck that. I don’t have time to fly to Napoli.”

“He’s in New York. His woman has a show at Fashion Week tomorrow. He said you can come there to talk.”

I rubbed my bottom lip between my thumb and forefinger. New York was two hours away. “Cristo, he’s a pain in the ass.”

“He said he wouldn’t do it without talking to you first.”

A negotiation, then. I needed his help, so I would have to find out what he wanted. “Fine, I’ll go. By the way, Gabriele said Niccolò gets airsick, so he won’t travel by plane. We need to have D’Agostino’s people check bus terminals and car rentals.”

“Okay, but D’Agostino has another condition. And you’re not going to like it.”

I sighed. What now? “Spit it out.”

“He said this can’t look like business. His woman will be pissed if he’s working during her show.”

“What does that mean?”

“He said you should bring a date. Make it look like you’re coming to Fashion Week. He’ll meet with you after.”

My eyes instantly went to the office door where I ate Valentina’s pussy not even thirty minutes ago. Would she come with me to Manhattan? I sure as fuck didn’t want to take anyone else.

If she agreed, I would have her all to myself for one night, maybe two. My groin grew thick again as images of the filthy things I wanted to do to her gorgeous body flipped through my brain. Her tits, her pussy . . . her ass. Madre di dio, I wanted to bite and lick and slap that ass.

I wouldn’t accept a refusal.

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