Page 65 of Sweet Deception

When we're outside, I toss the keys to Rafael and climb into the passenger seat. "Tell me."

"It's the new bartender. He came up clean—a little too clean. So I looked into the previous bartender that he replaced. His dead body was discovered a week later in the river. The police report claims he was drunk, fell in, and drowned." Rafael looks pointedly at me.

I nod. It's a plausible explanation that wouldn't have the already overworked Chicago police itching to investigate further.

"Did this guy only place bugs in my office?"

When Rafael set up that fake scene, I asked him to mention Kylie so that I can dismiss her importance to me. If they had any plans to kidnap her, I needed them to think I was already done with her. It was the only way I could think to dissuadethem from trying. I'm still battling to control my anger over implying I would share her. Like that would ever fucking happen.

"No. There's also a bug under the reservation booth. Probably to catch anything they can blackmail you with." Rafael turns at the light.

"Fuck." I run my hand through my hair in frustration. "You're sure they weren't there last night when you swiped the place?"

"I'm sure. The cameras caught a man from the cleaning crew placing the bugs. He was good." Rafael taps the steering wheel as he pauses. "My guys are following him. He's not a concern for now. I think they just paid him to plant the devices in the club."

Rafael adjusts the rearview mirror, looks at me, and nods. We're being followed. Good.

We're meeting Rome at a disposable location. We want these assholes to follow us, so that they'll see Gio bringing in "Betty" for her interrogation. The real Betty is already on her way to an all-inclusive paid vacation in Hawaii. We needed to get her out of the picture to make the enemy think we believe it's her and we've taken care of it.

"That was smart, suggesting Betty. No one knows about how I created a fake inheritance to help her through college. The timing couldn't have been more perfect to use her as the fake plant." I owe a lot to Rafael and Gio for helping to come up with the plan, and this is a prime example of why I need to bring them in as partners.

Rafael chuckles. "It really was perfect. These idiots won't look any further into it and are probably already stroking their ego's that they fooled us."

As we pull up to the warehouse, I nod at Rome's guard standing sentinel. He nods back and opens the gate to let us through.

Rome's waiting, arms crossed, outside the warehouse as we pull in. He knows we found the plant, but nothing else. He showed patience in loaning us a female guard without having the full story yet. Not that he won't demand it by the end of the night.

"Cousin." Rome nods.

I should hate that he forces acknowledgement of our blood connections, but after what Kylie said this afternoon, I can admit she may be right. I still don't want any involvement in Rome's business, but that doesn't mean I have to cut him and the others completely off. Rome's already proved he's honorable. Well, as honorable as a mafia boss can be—not that I have room to talk. Iamoperating an illegal sugar baby business.

"Cousin." I respond without the denial he would expect. Rome shifts his head slightly, the only tell that he's surprised by my greeting.

"Let's go inside. I'm eager to find out what you've learned."

Rafael and I follow Rome into the warehouse and to the back office where we settle in. Rafael recaps what he found and the cover story to throw the other syndicate off our trail.

"Damn, that's brilliant." Rome sits back in his chair and eyes Rafael with a glint in his eyes. "Never should have let you go."

"I wouldn't have allowed you to keep him." I remind Rome, who grins at me in response.

"My loyalty is and always will be with Luca." Rafael leans back and clasps his hands on his stomach as if he didn't just openly refuse a mob boss.

Rome sighs. "What's your plan? I know you have to have one, otherwise you would've just told me to grab this Smith guy and take care of him."

"Like you said, we have to tie him to this syndicate. You might have been able to beat a confession out of him, but I want this done right, so we don't have to go through another attempt."

He scratches his beard as he considers things. "I agree. As much as I would like to take this guy tonight, I want to end this once and for all."

"Good. Now that we've fooled them into thinking our attention is somewhere else, let's put several men on this guy. Get the proof of his connection with video and audio feed. Then you'll have permission to take down the whole outfit," I advise.

"This Smith guy will break into the Sweet Connection's office since we led him on that path. Cameras are already installed to catch him, and I've already plantedthe fake files. This should satisfy the dirt they're looking for to bring us all down. Then your guys follow him to his boss. It'll be your job to get the footage of his meeting with him," Rafael explains.

Rome nods his approval. "I like it. With the video proof of both the break in, the possession of the files, and his meeting connecting him to the boss, that will be enough evidence for the head of the family to approve my official take down."

"That's the plan." Rafael confirms. "This guy could attempt to break in as early as tonight after hearing our conversation, but I doubt he'll get the approval that quickly." Rafael turns to me. "We need to monitor the feed from this point on, since we can't predict when they'll make their move."

I nod, letting him know I heard him. The sooner we catch this guy, the better, but he's right, it may take a week or two.

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