Mafia's Redemption: Terzo - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

TERZO
“What did you find out?” I told Katie last night to dig deeper into Deckard Humphries’s life. She was convinced to do it when I told her what happened to Dani. I didn’t tell her the details, but she understood it pretty well.
“I should get paid for this,” Katie complained, but still threw the file at me. I knew her well, she wouldn’t take my money because she knew I would do the same thing for her. I would even take a bullet for her. “You can’t kill this man, T. He’s literally untouchable. His father is a big fish.”
“No one is untouchable, Katie, even the POTUS. I’m not gonna kill him. I know he has dirt. That’s all I want to know. Everyone has secrets. I wanna dig into his bedroom kinks right to his deepest darkest secrets.”
“And then what?”
“I wanna invest in his business.”
“Oh, God.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re playing with fire. That’s not all. You’re planning on something.”
“Maybe, but I can’t tell you right now.”
“How’s the girl, by the way?”
I smiled. “She called you a sexy lady friend.”
“Hmm.” She smiled meaningfully. “If I don’t know you’re unlikable, I think she must be jealous.”
“Unlikable? You like me just fine, but I let her go.”
“What the fuck do you mean by that?” She stood up from her chair, sat on her desk, and crossed her arms over her chest. “She just got harassed by her asshole ex and you let her go? She needs someone whom she can trust, who can protect her, and you let her go? Dick move, T. Dick move.”
“I know she will come back if she doesn’t have a place to crash. She just told me that that asshole has been sleeping with her roommate.”
“Fucking loser.” She grunted, shaking her head. “I suppose you let your two incompetent boys watch her?”
“Yup. They’re not incompetent. I would have been dead by now if it weren’t for them. They know how I feel about women in my life.”
“That sounds mushy. Women in your life. Does that include me?”
I smiled genuinely. “You know you are, Katie.”
“I understand Gio and Marco, and they’re scary for someone like your girl, but she’s also tough if she made it to Ilya and got out alive. Trust me, Bratva is not someone you should be playing games with. You know that.”
“Yup.” I looked at the file in my hand. “Thanks for this.”
“Anytime. The next time you call me, make sure it’s an invitation to your grand wedding.”
“My father will skin me alive if he knows I let Dani go.”
“Sure thing. I’ll take your skin and dry it for you. Take care, T.”
I read the file in my car. Deckard had a legit nightclub, one of the crowded in the city. His bank account was acceptable for a business owner. I couldn’t find any discrepancies with purchases, payments, or even his taxes, he paid on time. What about inside his nightclub? There was always some monkey and dirty business going on.
I typed a text to Katie.
T: Can you keep tabs on his weekend whereabouts?
Katie: I thought you’d never ask.
T: I owe you.
I closed the file when my phone rang. It was Marco.
“What is it?”
“She left her mother’s house. She looked angry. We’re following her. Do you want us to break our cover?”
“No. Send me your current location. I’m on my way.” I ended the call and revved my car engine to the main street. I didn’t know what her plan was. The moment she found out the identity of her father, she knew her peaceful life was over.
It wasn’t easy. It never would, that was why when Lake started asking about Maverick’s father, I wanted to slit his throat.
Maverick had a better life without her knowing who we were, but at the same time, she had a support system. Her husband was a good man. Some people could protect her, unlike Dani.
For about two and a half hours, I met Marco and Gio at the parking area at the motel.
“Where’s she?” I looked at the motel. What should I expect? It was a motel, not even safe for her.
“Room 202.”
“Stay right here.” I always carried my handgun with me. My handler, Kelsey Adams, did not confiscate my ID. I had a strong feeling she knew I was still alive. That woman was sneaky and great at her job. It was only a matter of time before she tracked me down and gave me another assignment.
I knocked on the door. She immediately asked from inside.
“Dani, it’s me.”
The door slightly opened. Her beautiful eyes were wide, surprised to see me.
“Can I come in?”
“If I say no, would you still come in?”
“Yes.” I pushed the door open. The room was smaller with one queen-sized bed. The floral wallpaper was old and torn. “What the fuck are you doing in a filthy motel, Danielle?”
“It’s Dani. It’s only temporary. How did you find me? Did you put some tracker in my clothes?”
“That’s good to know that you’re very careful, but to answer your question, no. I didn’t.” I remained standing when she seemed uncomfortable around me. “What happened? Did you see your mother?”
“My mother is a bitch. She cares about what her fake friends have to say about having a rebellious daughter than about my well-being. Suffice it to say, she didn’t want me around. She even shoved some bills into my face and pushed me away.”
“You can’t go back to your apartment because your roommate is a bitch too.”
She smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. “Yes. I’m surrounded by bitches. I don’t have true friends. God.” She sighed exasperatingly before looking me right in the eye. “My life is a mess.”
“Come back with me. You can stay at my apartment for a few days or until you want to leave.”
“I can’t marry you, Mr. Siciliano.”
“Just Terzo, Dani.”
“Fine. Terzo it is. Maybe I’ll take a rain check on that new identity. How are you going to get me a new identity? Can I choose my new name?”
“Let’s go home. We’ll talk about it over dinner.”
“Gosh.” She quickly stood up and picked up her suitcase. “I can’t cook.”
“Not a problem.”
We arrived back at my apartment, and she went silent for a while.
“You can take the bed. I don’t sleep here often.”
Thankfully, she didn’t resist. “What about your sexy lady friend?”
I texted Marco to buy us some dinner at an Italian restaurant. “Her name is Katie Miller. We used to—”
“Date?”
“Nope. Friends with benefits. She’s a good person. I can trust her with my life. You can trust her, too.”
She smiled and nodded. “It’s good to know that there’s someone out there that you can trust, Terzo, because I don’t think I have one.”
“You can trust me. I promise to keep you safe if you allow me. Just don’t shoot me again.”
“Then I wanna see my father, but in a neutral place.”
“That can be arranged.”