Chapter 19

"You know I've seen you complete plenty of missions without sleeping with the target." He spoke his words with hatred and bitterness. "You know, you keep saying this is for the mission, but I feel like there's more to this. You're lying to me and yourself."

"This is exactly what I meant when I said 'your games'. I'm a grown woman, Antonio. I don't owe you an explanation."

Antonio put the car in park and in the midst of all of our back and forth, he'd driven me to his safehouse. I looked around at the surroundings and it felt familiar, but I know I'd never been here before.

"Let me get that for you." Antonio ran around the car and opened my car door.

"Thank you."

Antonio was all smiles and happier than I'd seen him in a while. If he thinks my neck is something, I hope he doesn't plan on seeing me naked because my ass is definitely different shades of purple and red. Just as we made it to the door, my phone began vibrating. Giovanni.

"I need to take this, it's work."

"Come inside and take it."

"No. It's best I take it out here."

"Alright, I'll be inside."

Antonio walked away and I could see the irritation on his face, but I had to answer this call.

"Giov-"

"Where the fuck are you!"

"I had something very important to take care of. It's a private, family matter."

"I'm coming to get you. Where are you?"

"That's not a good idea."

"That wasn't a request."

"Gio, now is not the time."

"You think you make the rules? I showed you last night who makes the rules."

"This doesn't concern you. I have to go."

"You'll pay for this, gatita."

I nearly combusted when he spoke the pet name he'd given me. My eyes shut and my mouth parted as if he was standing in front of me, but I quickly realized what was happening and shook him out of my head.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," I said before hanging up the phone and placing my hand on Antonio's doorknob, but my phone began ringing a second time. I rolled my eyes, thinking I was going to see Giovanni's name, but it was Griffin.

"Scar, where are you?"

"I'm at Antonio's. What's wrong?" I said, releasing the doorknob.

"I went back to the lab and Jess has something you need to hear."

"I'll have Antonio bring me over now."

"You need to come alone."

"Griff, you need to tell me what the hell is going on."

"You're not safe."

Griffin spoke the words that my mother's apparition spoke to me, not even an hour ago causing chills to run up my spine. I felt a presence behind me and I slowly turned around to find Antonio standing in his doorway with drinks in hand.

"I'll be in tomorrow for sure and thanks for understanding," I said, still looking at Antonio. I heard the fear in Griffin's voice, but before I hung up, I sent my location.

I walked to Antonio, taking the drink he held in his hand. Antonio stepped aside to allow me to enter his home and the deep blues and greys were much like him, hard to figure out.

"So, everything is ok with work?"

"Yeah, but I know Giovanni will not be happy with me."

"I have a way to get rid of him."

"Oh yeah, what's your plan?" I said taking a sip of my drink.

"We need to get you to his safe house and then," Antonio sat his drink down and pulled a vial from his back pocket. "You just need to slip this in his drink and he'll slip into a catatonic state."

"Why would I do that?" I said taking another sip of my drink. "I want him to feel pain, not be euthanized."

"Scar, you amaze me," He said letting out a chuckle and then he rubbed his chin. "But there's something I need to know."

"Yeah, what?" I said while taking a third sip of my drink as I walked over to his mantle to admire the pictures above the fireplace.

"Were you and Griffin at the lab before you saw the news about Santiago?"

I felt Antonio's gaze on me as he was waiting for me to answer, but I was completely frozen in place as I stared at the picture on the mantle. Three men stood in a brotherly position, but that wasn't the only thing that had me frozen, something else was working on me. I tried to move, but it was virtually impossible for me to move anything other than my eyes. Although I could move them, they remained fixated on the picture of Lorenzo, Antonio, and an unknown man.