Page 24 of The Mafia's Property

“Was it the mugshot that did it?” Rico’s shoulders slumped.

“And the fact that I saw him die with my own eyes. So? Why the ruse?”

Rico shook his head. “Dante thinks she could be connected to the Romanov jewel. He thinks someone sent her to steal it from us.”

For a moment, what he was saying was making little sense. I knew of the jewel. It was part of the plunder we got from the raid we did on Saccone. It was a giant sapphire and diamond monstrosity that would weigh on any poor aristocrat’s neck, and it wound up in our possession. Rico was tasked with keeping it, because he was the more responsible between the two of us. However, the notion that Freya has anything to do with it was ludicrous. I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing.

Rico scowled. “Come on, you know it’s possible. There’s a Russian guy, Volkov, who’s obsessed with it and would love nothing more than to get it into his hands. He has gone to great lengths just to get it.”

“And you think this Volkov guy sent Freya? Do you have any evidence? Any clues that might have led you to your insane conclusion?”

Rico looked like he was about to say something, but changed and said, “I’m not the only one who suspects her. Dante does as well.”

“Dante thinks everyone who isn’t his darling wife is out to get us.”

“You’re not thinking straight. You’re thinking with your dick. You never did a proper background check from what I’ve gathered from her file. God, Nico, you let someone we know almost nothing about into our lives.”

“I did a background check on her. It’s not as you’re making it sound.”

“Really? Then how come we don’t know anything about her family?”

“Because she has none?”

“Oh? Did she drop from the sky?”

“Come on. A lot of people don’t have a family. You’re forgetting we both come from none.”

“Fine, how about friends?”

“She has a few. Like any regular person.”

“Most of whom are from her job.”

“Again. Like a normal person.” How was that an issue? Most people made friends at work. And the family thing. Really? You would think an orphan boy like him would understand that not everyone, especially people in this city, come from a home. It was not as off as he was making it seem. Yes, there were gaps in her story, but most people have gaps, holes and craters in their family history. Should I have done more research? Maybe. But it’s not like she was some super connected person. “She’s not Russian if it makes you feel better.”

“How do you know? You don’t know because you never did. All you ever thought of was that whore’s--”

I got up from my seat and punched him in the face. The act was so swift I didn’t have time to think or analyze what I was doing or why. It was pure instinct. I’ve never punched him except in the ring or in the playground when we were kids. Even he was taken by surprise. He didn’t react regardless of having the quickest instincts between us.

“Don’t call her a whore.”

Rico rubbed his cheek and stretched his jaw. “Hitting me over a woman? Never thought I would see the day.”

“You deserved it.”

“Maybe. But it doesn’t change the facts. She’s not to be trusted.”

I shrugged. “Send her away then, since you’re so sure she’s a mole. Kill her for all I care.” That wasn’t true. I would care if she died. It was odd. Despite knowing little about her, I was certain that her absence would hurt me.

“I can’t. Not until we know what she knows.”

“So, you’re going to interrogate her?” The ‘interrogations’ were usually my thing, but I wasn’t going to be the one to put her into a dentist chair and electrocute her tits until she talked.

“No. We need to keep her close. Dante thinks there’s more to her and I think he’s on to something.”

“Based on what? Vibes? The turning of the tides? Mercury in retrograde?”

“Yeah. Call it vibes, call it instinct. Call it whatever you want. There’s something off about her, you know that at least, right? “

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