Page 28 of Maid For The Mafia Informant

“Sorry about that,” I murmur as we both follow Enrico inside, but her hand in mine as she whispers “You were amazing” makes me stand taller, a little swagger in my step.

I’d do it all again too.

Nobody’s ever gonna let anyone talk about Sophie like that, not ever again.Chapter FifteenSophieSeeing Ben get so mad, watching him totally destroy someone for just looking at me? A lot of girls might walk away, but with Ben, I know it’s only because he loves me.

He’d never hurt me and I can see now he’d only ever hurt someone who was trying to hurt or disrespect me.

When Enrico looks at me and then Ben, he has a different point of view than his big ugly friend outside just now.

“I’m glad to see you again, Ben. I really am. And happily in love to I see!” he exclaims, his eyes shining with the understanding of a passionate man.

Ben and I both blush, and it’s Ben who steers the conversation back to business.

“You on the straight and narrow, Enrico? That favor you once told me you owed me, I’m calling it in and it’s a big one,” he says seriously.

Enrico shifts in his seat then gets up and closes the door, his workshop is vast, but not looking too busy today.

He lowers his voice. “What D’you need?” is all he says, his eyes telling Ben and me everything.

If the man outback was the welcome committee, I don’t think Mr. Velez is running a charity workshop here.

Ben lays out everything, not hesitating to tell him every detail, even about the mafia involvement, the suspected DA, my own dad… everything.

Enrico only nods and listens attentively, he pinches his lower lip with his teeth for a minute before his nod slowly returns.

“I’ll have a car ready for you in five minutes,” he promises.

I start to feel my anxiety rise again, worrying about my dad’s pride and joy, but Enrico sets my mind at ease.

“It’ll be in a crate, on its way to anywhere you want within the hour, once it’s safely stored, we’ll re-connect the tracer, wipe it down and all he has to do is have it collected.”

I feel myself breathe for what feels like the first time in a few hours.

“As for a place to stay?” Enrico says louder, his eyes getting mischievous with romance again. “I have a villa, nothing special. But it is secure and it’s private, on the coast.”

He opens a drawer and hands, Ben, a passkey, and whispers something in his ear.

“The combination to the gate,” Ben says, shrugging to me.

“You can stay as long as you need to, only…”

“Only what?” Ben asks, and we both sense the catch in what sounds like an otherwise flawless plan.

“Only… I need you to water my plants. I’ll be away for a few days myself,” he adds, blushing slightly.

“Plants,” Ben says in a monotone voice.

Ben and I stare at each other, a little dumbstruck as Enrico goes to the door and within a few seconds of giving a shrill whistle, he whispers instructions to another man in neat overalls, jerking his head back to us a couple of time as he murmurs before taking his seat again.

“It’s bad out there now,” Enrico reflects, confiding in Ben.

“The De Falco’s and all the other families, they’re bleeding business dry, turning their usual stand over scams into arson and murder now… They’re getting scared, desperate”

“Now?” Ben asks, leaning forward.

“The feds are putting the squeeze on all of them, it’s going national too. Don’t you watch the news, man?” he asks, a puzzled look on his face.

“That’s why I’m going away my friend, to find a new place, maybe south of the border… too risky here now, too much dirt’s been turned up.”

I can see Ben’s face harden, I know he thinks it’s all his fault.

“I’m working on a case to put them away,” he finally says, sounding optimistic, but Enrico only laughs.

“Put who away? The whole mafia?” Enrico laughs louder, harder, but it’s not making fun of Ben or his efforts, it’s just the truth.

“Alright,” Ben says. “Maybe not the whole mafia, but at least the ones who’ve put a price on my head. The ones I know will come for me and those I love,” he adds firmly, putting his hand on mine and looking into my eyes as he says the last part which makes my heart swell, and something else need his attention real soon too.

“I hear ya,” Enrico says, standing slowly, which we both know is our cue to leave.

“Just remember, Ben. Not every bad guy is in the mafia, and not every honest one wears a badge,” he adds ominously.

Holding the door open for us, I gasp suddenly.

It fills with the huge shape of the man Ben just tossed into the parking lot outback. He looks sheepish, staring down at his feet as he apologizes for everything he said.

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