Page 91 of Deception

“Where did I leave them…” I scour the other room, checking cautiously under the sheet covered furniture.

There!

I slip them out from under the old fabric and tuck them under my shirt without a second glance.

My heart is pounding as I ease the door back closed behind me and tip toe across the foyer toward my room.

All the while praying to every saint that no one sees me sneaking around.

I wait until I've caught my breath to look the pages over.

Numbers, numbers. Positives, negatives.

Could be payments or debts…

As I scan the list, I do recognize a few names, other known bosses, criminals I’ve heard of. Others I’ve stumbled across in my research of the Diamantes, but they’re all faceless members of a ghostlike organization.

It might mean something to my contact at Interpol, though.

Another name jumps out, a rumor, a legend.

Lysi.

The alleged family of Greek assassins. Mostly, they’ve served as an idle threat, a bedtime story told to kids in the Mediterranean area.

Go to sleep, or the Lysis will carry you away in the night.

That gives the context I needed. These are all payments to members or hired contracts within the organization.

Thumbing through the roster I tally how many times my brother’s name appears. He must have been on their payroll to receive the sums he did.

My brother.

Giorgio.

A corrupt cop. Bile fills my mouth at the thought, a betrayal of everything I knew about him.

The last time I spoke with him, he promised me he had good news. A surprise. Was it this money? A pay out?

Or was he working undercover inside the Diamante family and got caught?

The pressure to get out of here doubles, cementing my resolve. Tonight, I’m gone. And the police can take this info and do as they please. I’m done with trying to play hero.

Still, there’s the matter of Alessandro.

My chest aches, torn ten ways about what to do.

I love him. Yes.

But I need to get away, clear my head. Make sure I’m safe. Then I can decide what to do with the information I gathered.

Besides, he’s engrossed in some major conflict.

He won’t have time for me once we leave, anyway.

The day drags on and I avoid the brothers. When night falls, Alessandro knocks on my door, but I pretend to be asleep.

It’s tempting, to seek comfort in his arms, but I can’t bring myself to answer. To see him.

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