Page 23 of Curse

When I don’t say anything, she continues. “You also don’t want to make an enemy of the FBIandAurelio. When there’s an active federal investigation, even if we had a valid case, anything we try could backfire, snuffed out on the back end without any reason given. I’m guessing your sister or her husband were aware of that and were planning on using this as leverage. I don’t need to remind you how that ended. Aurelio doesn’t tolerate attacks.”

I shake my head. “My sister isn’t involved in that world. No way would she—”

“Her husband was,” Alexandra interrupts, her brows knitting together sternly.

I stare at her blankly. Mikey? Connected to a monster like Aurelio?

Alexandra leans down and opens a drawer in her desk. She rifles through it for a moment, then pulls out a file, placing it on the desk and opening it.

“Michael Anthony Briarone. Married to Emily Bellamorte Briarone. Known Demonio family soldier, made guy. Works on the crew of Vincenzo Demonio, a capo in the Demonio family and Aurelio’s son.”

My blood runs cold as she turns the folder around so I can see the photos in the file. There are multiple shots, one of Mikey walking on the street wearing sunglasses while talking to the guy that was with Matti. Another of him and Emily dressed up and smiling at the camera, standing next to a man in a tux that I now know to be Aurelio Demonio.

Another of Mikey at that same event chatting with someone I don’t recognize. My blood runs cold when I see Matti in the background, a beautiful blonde on his arm wearing a skintightgreen dress that barely contains her cleavage and looking up at him laughing.

I want to vomit as her words sink in and my thoughts spiral. Demonio family soldier. Using the video as leverage. My sister, married to the mob. Then memories start to flood in: Mikey’s vague “business trips,” his lavish parties, Emily’s nonchalant deflections whenever I would ask what they did when they went out or what he was doing for work.

“You didn’t know,” Alexandra says quietly.

I shake my head, my throat tightening. What else was Emily keeping from me?

More and more people are filtering into the office. Alexandra nods at them and smiles as they come in. Other lawyers dressed professionally find their desks. A couple of people waiting for appointments sit by the front door in the waiting area, cluttered with padded metal chairs.

Alexandra’s voice pulls me back. She hands me the flash drive. “Go grab a coffee. Take a minute to process. There’s a food truck out back—amazing cold brew. It’ll help.”

Numb, I nod and make my way out the back door of the office to the food truck in the court yard, shoving the flash drive into my jacket pocket. The line snakes down the alley, and I fall in at the back, my mind racing.

Mikey worked for Aurelio. Matti’s friend is Aurelio’s son. I cringe and shake my head, remembering landing a punch on that Vincenzo guy’s jaw, the son of a mafia boss. Oh, Jesus. I’m lucky to be alive.

Then Matti. My stomach churns, again feeling his hands roaming over my body, his stare penetrating my soul. A murderer for the mob. Potentially my sister’s murderer.

I get to the head of the line and order, barely able to noda thank you as I pay and take the coffee. Heading back to Alexandra’s office, a cold chill shoots through me. If Matti killed Emily for the flash drive, he’ll kill me, too.

As I step through the back door of Alexandra’s office, everything goes black.

14

Siena

At first, I can’t hear a thing. Blinking a few times, I try to rub away my blurred vision and realize that my arms are tied behind my back. My ankles are tied as well and connected to my bound wrists behind me. I’m on the floor, laying on my side, looking out into Alexandra’s office through the space underneath a desk.

A wall is behind me and the carpet beneath me rubs my skin raw as I maneuver onto my stomach and try to see more of what’s happening. My head is throbbing, and my stomach twists. It’s pandemonium.

The coffee I bought is spilled on the floor, the lid a foot or so away, the liquid darkening the carpet like a Rorschach inkblot.

There are papers scattered everywhere. A computer keyboard and an upside down box of tissues partially block my view. My head pounds, each throb drowning out all other sounds. Gritting my teeth, I twist my neck gingerly, trying to piece together where I am in the office.

Then I see her.

Alexandra.

She’s sprawled on the floor just beyond the desk, her body limp in the walkway. Her eyes are closed, and I can’t tell if she’s breathing.

Guilt strikes like a lightning bolt. This is my fault. Matti’s words ring in my ears:I’ve killed men for less than this.

This is because of me. The flash drive. Punishment for not bringing the drive to Bennett, for showing it to someone else.

How did Matti know I was here? How did he find me? The same way he knew to look for me at One Pearl Park yesterday? Is he here? My thoughts spiral, clashing with the searing pain in my head and the numbing ache creeping through my bound limbs as I jerk my head around looking for him.

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