Page 85 of Shark Bait

“I hope that’s a rhetorical question.”

She narrows her eyes. “Take him in. Room four.”

The polizia manhandle me and try to rush me out of the room, but Denver finally comes to senses and stands in the way. “Where’s my sister?”

I open my mouth to answer, but he cocks his fist and punches me in the nose. My head bounces like a small boxing bag while blood spatters all over his neck and shirt. Blood coats my mouth, and I make sucking noises as I lap it up. “Lean in and I’ll tell you.”

He’s reluctant.

“Don’t be scared. I won’t bite your ear. Or cheek. Or any part of you.” I smile at the memory of an old popular heavyweight boxing match where one of the competitors bit off the other’s ear.

“Sir, you must move,” the cop on my left says to Denver.

When he doesn’t, they go around him and pull me toward the exit.

I’m halfway down the hallway when Denver catches up and stops them. They’re trying to get him away from me, pulling him off, but he hugs me like a bear and puts his ear near my mouth.

“Make sure she gets her guitar.”

THIRTY

BETRAYAL

TROY

The evening dragged on.

After Shark departed, I paced Alessio’s office, demanding answers. Shockingly, and very much on a need-to-know basis, Alessio answered.

Shark went on a mission where he would meet my brother Denver and prevent La Falena from killing him and taking the ransom money.

This terrified me enough to sit down for a while and pat my belly, at which point, I saw my gigantic engagement ring. Seeing it prompted me to ask Alessio what we’d do when Denver found out about Shark and me. The whole point of me marrying Shark was so he could bring me into his family, which is clearly run by Alessio. But now my brother will meet Shark and ask about me.

Alessio assured me that Denver and Shark will never meet. Shark will slip in and out of the hotel room without being noticed like he’s done a hundred times over. This mission is a walk in the park for him. No big deal.

Alessio told me to relax. I told him to go fuck himself.

We’ve made nice since then.

He brought me a blanket and a pillow so I can lounge in his oversized reading chair while he stands at the window anddrinks his third whiskey. Valerina’s sitting at his desk, twirling in the chair, angry with Shark for not allowing her to “tap into the feed.” I think that means he blocked her from seeing what he was doing. It sounds like something he would normally allow her to see, so I’m left wondering why he hasn’t.

As time passes, Alessio checks his watch more often, which makes me nervous. I imagine even if he was worried, he wouldn’t show distress. We wait.

The old clock chimes at three in the morning, and I can feel the nervous energy Alessio is now projecting. The meeting with Denver was at eleven. I’m no expert, but I’m not stupid either. If Shark is slipping in and out before the meeting, shouldn’t he have already returned home? It’s been five hours since.

Alessio’s phone rings. He retrieves it immediately, and I jump out of the chair and rush at him. I stand in front of him, trying to hear what the person on the other line is saying, and when I can’t make out what what’s going on, I try to read Alessio’s expression. But it’s like standing in front of a wall waiting for it to crack open and reveal an alternate universe where Shark’s riding rainbow-farting ponies and that’s why he’s late.

Alessio slides the phone back into his pocket. His blue-eyed gaze tells me nothing, his expression still and passive. It’s like the man is a statue.

“Who was it? What did they say? Is he alive?” Oh God. Is he dead?

“That was Miro’s brother,” Alessio says.

“Shark has a brother?”

Alessio nods. “From the orphanage.”

Ah. Not a blood relative, but someone he bonded with when he was young. I wonder why he never mentioned him. “Well, what did his brother call about at this hour?”

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