Page 41 of A Mafia's Treasure

What the fuck!, this can’t be. No, I refuse to believe it. This cannot betheFrankie from England.

I am interrupted by the ringing of my phone and excuse myself from the table as I take the call.

“Marco, what is it?”

“You’re not gonna fucking believe this, you need to get back to the club ASAP,” he rushes out.

“Can you deal with it? I am in the middle of something.” I sigh.

“There’s a woman here, she’s in a bad way, and asked specifically for you. She said that Gabriele sent her. You need to get back.” I hear him talking in the background with someone and her telling him more details between sobs.

“Do you think she is genuine?” I ask.

“Honestly, I do, yes. She just said that she and Gabriele were being held in a basement by Brendon O’Connor.” He mutters under his breath for someone to go and fetch some clothes for the woman.

“I’m on my way. Send Tony to the location he has Frankie at, Now!,” I order.

“Got it, see you soon,” he tells me before cutting the line.

Turning, I watch as Francesca places the drink down in front of Brendon. He picks the glass up and swirls the bourbon around, ice hitting the side, and it’s all I can hear. Everything in this room has gone silent around me apart from the clink, clink of the cubes tapping gently in that glass; the glass filled with liquid that will kill him instantly if he drinks it.

Quickly, I snap out of my shocked haze and call Tony.

“Boss,” he answers straight away.

“Call off the job,” I tell him.

“What? It’s on, he has it now,” he blurts out.

“Well, take it away,” I tell him. “I am sureFrancescais capable of reversing this. It is nonnegotiable.” I hang up and head over to the table as she leaves.

I hear her phone ring, and she lets out a frustrated sigh.

She walks back over to our table. “Hey, baby.” She nibbles on her bottom lip and slides onto his lap. My temper gets hotter, and I’m sure I’ll lose my molars if I grind my teeth anymore.

I watch his hand run up her leg. “You couldn’t resist, huh?” He smiles as he buries his lips into her neck.

It’s interesting watching her face change when he isn’t looking; changing to anger. I have never seen it before, but she looks like she could truly kill this guy right now. It makes me relax to see this reaction from her.

“Oops,” she says as she knocks his drink from the table to the floor, causing people to look over at the smashing of glass. The contents splash on his expensive gray slacks, and she jumps out of his lap, her hand flying to her chest. “Oh my god.” She drops to her knees. “I’m so sorry. I’m super clumsy. I guess you just make me nervous.” She giggles as she takes the napkin from the table and starts to dab his leg, trying to dry the wet patch.

He reaches for her cheek and brushes his thumb across it gently. “Oh, darlin’, don’t worry about that, you can make it up to me later.” He winks at her before turning back to me.

“I think we both know this meeting is pointless. I came to humor you, but we have nothing to say to each other,” he tells me as he stands.

Pulling my phone out, I text Tony.

Me: She will leave with him, and you will get him to the yard.

Tony: Got it.

Me: Keep him on ice until I get there.

Tony: Sure thing.

“Come on, let's go somewhere private.” He pulls her from the floor and places his arm around her shoulder.

“Okay, I need to get my stuff.” Her eyes cast down, as if she is embarrassed, but I know she isn’t. I have seen her embarrassed before and this is not that, although she is a fucking good actress.