Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
I grin at Dad as I press the button, and when Enzo finally walks into the control room, I ask, “You were here on Monday. Why are you back so soon?”
“Stop complaining. If it weren’t for me, you’d be buried alive beneath candy wrappers and dirty dishes,” he grumbles before smiling at Dad. “Hi, Uncle Dario.”
“Hey, son.”
Just to get a rise out of Enzo, I wait for him to clear the wrappers off my desk before I drop the one from the chocolate I’m currently devouring.
I’m given another dark scowl while he swipes it into a small trash can that’s already full.
Grinning from ear to ear, I reach for the bag again and take out a can of Fanta. Opening it, I swallow a couple of sips.
“All the sugar is going to kill you,” Enzo grumbles.
“Aww, will you miss me when I’m six feet under?”
Not impressed with my comment, he shakes his head at me.
“Liar.” I chuckle while getting up so I can put the heating pad in the microwave.
When I shuffle in the direction of the small kitchen, Enzo’s voice is filled with worry as he asks, “Are you okay?”
“Yep.”
As I disappear down a short hallway, Enzo’s voice is soft, but I can still make out as he asks, “Uncle Dario, can you do a quick search for me?”
“Sure.”
“Check who was in room seven at Paradiso last night. Nine-thirty. I asked them last night, but they couldn’t find anything.”
Shock hits me so hard, I stop dead in my tracks, the heating pad dropping to the floor.
No.
Because we’re already connected to all the businesses in the Cosa Nostra, Dad is able to check in seconds before replying, “No one. It only shows your details.”
“That’s impossible,” Enzo mutters, his tone tense. “There was a woman with a short blond bob and a red dragon tattoo on her back. Check the security cameras.”
Oh. My. God.
Utterly stumped, I listen as Dad says, “There’s nothing from eight until twenty past nine. Why do you want this woman’s info?”
“I’m fucking pissed off. She was a virgin. I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
“Sorry, son. There’s nothing. Not even crumbs of code for me to follow.”
“You don’t think that’s weird?”
“The system probably glitched at Paradiso. It happens.” Dad lets out a sigh. “Wait for Rosie. If there’s any trace of the woman, she’ll be able to find her.”
“No. Don’t mention this to her.”
“Want to talk about it?” Dad asks, sounding concerned.
“It just pisses me off that I was paired with a virgin. The woman should’ve divulged the information.”
I lean against the wall while covering my mouth with my hand.
The man from last night was Enzo?
Shit!
Struggling to process that I had sex with Enzo, I just stare at the floor for a few minutes.
The next instant, the sound of an alarm yanks me out of my shocked daze, and I run back to my desk.
“It’s Riccardo and Gianna’s panic buttons!” Dad shouts.
Taking a seat, I grab my phone and dial Gianna’s number, but it’s engaged. I bring up everything about their location and their devices and see she’s on a call with her father.
“What’s going on?” Enzo asks, his tone strained.
“I don’t know. It could be an accident. Gianna is on a call with your dad.”
“Riccardo isn’t answering his phone,” Enzo informs me.
Seeing our friends are at a club in Tokyo, I use every damn skill I possess as I begin the process of hacking into the security cameras. Knowing it will take time, I check Gianna’s phone, and the instant it shows no call is in progress, I press dial, but there’s no answer.
As Enzo’s phone begins to ring, impatience hits me hard because I can’t hack fast enough into the club’s cameras.
“What happened, Dad?” Enzo asks.
I can hear Uncle Damiano roaring over the line but can’t make out what he says. When Enzo’s face sets into grim lines, my stomach sinks to my feet.
“I’m on my way.” He ends the call and locks eyes with me. “The Yakuza attacked them. Find out everything you can and get the info to me.”
Chills sweep through me like a tsunami. “Okay.”
“I’m going to Tokyo. Get everything ready so we can take off ASAP.”
“On it,” Dad replies, getting to work on one of the other keyboards.
I keep trying Gianna’s number while focusing on breaching the cameras. I also start hacking into the CCTV systems of the surrounding area.
Losing count of how many times I try calling Gianna, I’m worried out of my mind when she finally answers.
“Rosie!” She sobs hysterically, and it feels like someone plunges a knife through my heart.
“I’m here. Tell me what’s going on.”
“Riccardo has been shot. There was a fight. The Yakuza.”
I identify the camera vendor and start looking for a remote management portal so I can slip into the system.
“I’m minutes away from getting into the security feeds so I can see what’s happening. Are you still at the club?”