Page 67 of Sin and Deception

Xander squeezed my fingers. “Your Originals are with them. They won’t let you down.”

“I want to kill everyone involved in this mess. Not a single one of those fuckers deserves to live.”

“We understand. You’ll have your revenge, but first, we need to bring Fiona back.” Theo placed my hand on his thigh and leaned forward with his elbows resting on the table. “You still haven’t updated us on your search for Fiona. You mentioned a lead. Can I assume it didn’t work out?”

“The first one wasn’t as fruitful as we had hoped," replied Davenport’s assistant, Agent Deluca. “However, my team is pursuing a few other leads.”

The two agents sat side by side, embodying complete opposites in build and demeanor. Agent Davenport reminded me of a tall, graceful ballerina poised for performance. Everything about her was meticulously arranged,from her dark blonde hair styled in a no-nonsense bun to the crisp, wrinkle-free fatigues draping her frame. Her expression remained neutral throughout each interaction. Yet, her delicate, petite stature and features seemed to overshadow her serious personality. No one would ever suspect she posed a threat to anyone.

On the other hand, Agent Deluca smiled warmly, disarming everyone around him. He was a large, rugged man with dark brown eyes and a thick, gray goatee. His voice was low and soothing, cutting through the seriousness of the situation, much like an uncle aiming to reassure those near him.

As I reflected on it more, I realized he was such a nice person that no one would consider him a threat. The fact that I knew they were both deadly assassins, despite their underestimated appearances, made them the perfect sleeper agents.

Suddenly, my thoughts returned to the information about Mama’s house. “Please tell me you swept the house before Aetos’s people entered.”

“No, we never had the chance to finish that part of the plan.” His brow furrowed with concern. “We discovered the break-in when the operatives arrived to carry out their footprint elimination protocol. We have already spoken with your mother. She confirmed our suspicions. They took personal documents, family memorabilia, photos, and other identifying information. Since Fiona’s apartment was in the same condition, we assume the same happened there.”

I swallowed the acid bubbling in the back of my throat. “The Aetoses want to clarify that they know about our boys.”

“It appears so, Ms. Angelos.”

“I see,” I said, my head spinning.

Despite receiving this information from the Solon agents and the fact that they had saved my mother and the boys before anyone else could arrive, something felt off.

What were they holding back?

My gut screamed I was missing a large piece of the puzzle.

I knew that someone involved in this operation was currently working with Aetos. However, the Angelos soldiers here provided an extra layer of protection for my babies. Yes, they were all assassins, but many of my people had the same skills.

Aside from Devani and me, only a few agents knew of my family’s presence in Phoenix. I recognized just one or two of the agents present today. What happened to the others? I couldn’t afford to trust any of these unfamiliar faces. Solon’s training focused on turning recruits into master manipulators and deceivers. This was how they blended in and integrated seamlessly into any group worldwide.

For now, they seemed to be on my side. But all I had to rely on was their word. At this point, I had no idea whom to trust, which was unsettling.

Theo, Xander, and Mama were the only people I could count on.

At this point, my faith in Devani wavered.

“There’s more,” Davenport said, placing a tablet before us. “You need to take a look at this.”

“What is it?” Theo asked.

“Surveillance photos," she said, tapping the screen. “This first one shows the Stratos estate in Chicago. Do you recognize this gentleman? That driver is a long-time employee of the Aetos family."

I examined the image. Parked in front of the stunning mansion was a massive armored SUV. Outside stood an older man in a dark suit, his salt-and-pepper hair contrasting with the very visible sidearm tucked beneath his jacket.

He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him.

Then, from my side, Xander said, “That’s Jayco Pakos, Gusto Aetos’s driver. He’s worked directly for him since he was a kid.”

The agent flicked her finger across the screen to show another picture.

I immediately recognized the place from a blueprint tucked away in Papa’s desk years ago.

“That’s the Aetos estate."

Next to my ear, Xander whispered, “How do you know this? You’ve never been there."

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