Page 46 of The Veiling

Noah roamed the downstairs with a device, ensuring there were no audio bugs or cameras. Joseph and William searched the rest of the house. I watched Marco as he texted Hayden a coded message so he would know we had made it.

Digging my phone from my pocket, I sent Isabelle three messages.

Made it safely.

Will call you as soon as I can but I’m turning my phone off for a bit.

I love you.

After powering it down, I slid it back into my pocket and waited for Marco to give me the update on Hayden.

“Anything?”

He shook his head.

I crossed my arms. “I hope you know I’m not performing a rescue mission for your friend while we’re here, if they’ve got him locked away somewhere.”

“I know.” He laid his phone on the round, black coffee table with the screen facing up.

“I also don’t trust anyone Jesse’s related to.”

“Trust me,” he sighed, “he’s not a problem.”

“I don’t trust you either.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but his phone vibrated on the table’s surface. He bent over, snatching it up. “Okay, he wants to meet me somewhere alone.”

“Absolutely not.” It was less about a lack of trust and more about not wanting him to walk into a trap without protection.

Lowering the phone to his side, he glared at me. “V, we don’t have a choice in the matter. I’ve been tracking Felipe for a long time now.”

“You’ll take Noah,” I ordered.

“Take me where?” He entered the room again.

I spun around. “You’re going with Marco to meet with Hayden.”

“I have a better idea.” He threw himself back on the black, L-shaped sofa and ran his fingers through his hair. “Why don’t we bring him here?”

“Why?” I lifted a hand to my chin.

“The place is secure and if he fucks up, we can keep him locked up downstairs.”

“Is there a basement? I’ve never seen it.”

He nodded. “There is. I just went down there. Looks like a fucking torture chamber down there.”

“Okay.” I twisted to Marco. “Have him come here. Warn him that if he’s followed, we will take them all out.” I focused my gaze on his. “Including him.”

With a single nod, he tapped on his phone screen for a moment.

“Valentino,” William called out from the doorway as he and Joseph entered, “the rest of the house is secure. There are cameras everywhere, but Joe deactivated them.”

“I already texted Miguel that we were cutting them,” Joseph chimed in. “He understands.”

My gaze returned back to Marco. “Did he reply yet?”

“Yeppp, just now.” He put his phone away. “He’s on the way. He said to give him thirty minutes.”

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