I’d do it. It didn’t matter what my mom and dad did, they’d brought me into this world. I couldn’t betray that, no matter what they did.
So I took a step off the sidewalk, crossed the street, and headed straight to the Mercedes sitting loud and proud between two other cars. The fob was smooth against my fingers, one button carved into the backside. I clicked it when I was a couple of feet away and the trunk popped open.
My pulse quickened, the fear and adrenaline pushing me forward. I had to be fast, I’d already counted to forty-five in my head which meant I only had three minutes left until they’d be back.
I scanned the parking lot, not seeing a single person. My hand trailed over the top of the trunk and I jerked it up. A light inside illuminated several backpacks. They each had different numbers on them. Shit. What number did he say would be on the bag? I racked my brain, panicking the longer I stared. One, three…shit, shit, shit. What was the last number? One, three…nine! I rummaged for it, and as soon as I spotted the three numbers in the right order, I grabbed it, slammed the trunk shut, and ran back to the sidewalk just in time to see them speeding around the corner.
Their tires squealed as they stopped directly beside me. Stan grinned and held his arms out of the window. I handed him the bag, relief washing through me.
“You did goo—” His eyes widened, his head whipping around to the driver. “Go!” He slammed his hand on the dash and pushed the bag between his legs.
“What the fuck?” I whispered, staring at the license plate as they sped away. The fob was still in my hand, and I turned to look back at the Mercedes, but I didn’t get the chance to take stock of anything because a man was two feet away, heading for me, his hand raised.
Something hard connected with my temple, and even though I was aware of falling, I couldn’t stop myself.
“Call the boss,” a deep voice grunted, right as I was hit in the same spot again, turning everything black.
MATEO
I lifted the satellite phone off the desk in the command center, cursing silently when I saw Romeo’s name flash across the screen. He knew we were in the middle of a meeting, but what he didn’t know was that Dante had requested it and was currently talking through the speakerphone set in the middle of the table.
“He’s planted devices in my place and in all of the cars,” Dante said as I denied the call from Romeo. I focused back on Lorenzo and Christian who were sitting around the table, listening intently to him. “Mr. Blue said he could hack the devices back and listen in on them.”
“Good.” Lorenzo glanced at me. I was the main contact for Mr. Blue. “Make sure it gets done, Mateo.”
“On it,” I said, gritting my teeth as the satellite phone rang again. “I’ll call him as soon as we finish up here.”
Lorenzo nodded. “Anything else to report?” he asked Dante.
“Nope.” There was shuffling on the line. “I gotta head to a meeting.”
Lorenzo didn’t say another word as he ended the call. Him and his brother hadn’t been on the best of terms since Lorenzo had become boss, but now that Dante was in another state, expanding the business, they seemed to be building bridges. “Christian, get in touch with our contact on the inside here, see if they can find anything else.” He paused as Christian stood. “But be discreet.”
“Goes without saying,” Christian replied, his voice rough. He’d been quiet lately, and I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on with him. He was usually more opinionated, telling it how it was, especially to Lorenzo. Maybe it was because of all of the changes happening lately. He’d been made the underboss, but we all knew it was only a matter of time until Dante came home and claimed his rightful place next to Lorenzo.
I frowned at Christian as he sauntered around the table and toward the door, staring at his cell as he went. He paused in front of the door, cursing quietly then shoved his cell into his pocket. He fisted his hands at his sides, his body strung tight. Maybe there was something else going on with him? We’d never been close, and it wasn’t my place to ask if he was good. I didn’t go poking