Chapter 10

Marco Out of all the people around the table I thought would be late for dinner; it didn't cross my mind to put Aliyana on the list. The food is almost cold by the time she arrives, and because she is the guest none of us have eaten. Aside from Mischa of course. "Sorry I'm late," Her cheeks are flushed, and her eyes are still swollen from sleep. But her muzzled hair and half-mast eyes that are way too dangerous to belong to a woman like her, is not what has us all staring. Everyone seated around the table is wearing evening clothes, dressed to take pictures and have wine in the informal lounge after dinner. It is an Italian tradition when someone is getting married. The women gossip and compare dresses and the men talk business. In our case, Aliyana, will join in on our discussion. "Why aren't you dressed," Guilia whisper yells from her seat looking as embarrassed as Aliyana should feel but she is comfortable in her skin. I'm not sure why my eyes are more drawn to her, the most underdressed person in the room. Maybe it is the power she will soon possess. Or maybe it is her ability to be herself no matter how much the world seems to change around her. "No one said dress up, Se mi dicessi di vestirmi, mi vestirei." If you told me to dress up, I would dress up. She frowns and looks around the table, decked with food I am sure is cold by now. Camilla is livid, and my patience is wearing thin just looking at her. She is dressed in track pants, and a cream jersey that has holes and paint on it. What on earth was she doing in her room for 5 hours. Surely not just sleeping. My eyes filter across the room to Deno, who is smiling. There is nothing amusing about it. "Sit down, so we can eat," I say because I have a feeling she will go upstairs to dress up. She takes her seat next to Guilia and starts dishing up. "Where is Mero and Michel, I thought you said they were here?" she asks openly "They had to leave, Mero will be back later tonight and Michel will come over tomorrow," Xander responds. And I bite my tongue wanting to say that it was not her business where they were. Everyone begins to dish up. The table remains quiet and dinner is not as joyous as I hoped it would be with an angry fiancé, but we get through the meal. The staff come to take the dishes and Aliyana gets up and starts helping them. I say nothing and Camilla blinks a few times before I see her first smile. My chest eases and I place my hand on her knee under the table. She holds my hand in return smiling brighter. "I can see why Xander has it bad for her," Camilla whispers. I frown, but straighten my face before she sees it. "He hasn't mentioned it." I respond wanting to know more. Xander hasn't seen Aliyana for years, I have made certain of that. But obviously that was about to change. "Of course not, he's Xander. Let's chat about it later." I smile at her but don't respond. We won't be chatting later, about anything, because tonight I am going to be plotting a murder. "Gabriel come and help me with the dishes." Aliyana says not looking at the man who has kept a close watchful eye on Aliyana since she arrived. He gets up and does just as she asks, without question. The two of them walk side by side and I clench my jaw recalling his uncle saying what a good couple the two would make. For some reason he doesn't deserve her. "You squeezing my leg too hard," Camilla moans. I drop my hold on her leg and get up, "I think the men need some alone time. We'll be in the library." I kiss Camilla on her head and leave the room as a text comes in. Check your security footage between 2pm and 2.09 Ghost I walk faster to the library and head straight to the book shelf, and twist the lion statue on the shelf until the door clicks open. I open the secret door shooting a quick text to Deno so he knows what I'm doing and head down the staircase. The room is bright with cameras, and Matteo sits by the main set of cameras eating cake. "Bring up the cameras between 2 and 2 09 this afternoon. Did you guys manage to get the plan I wanted?" I ask him all business. "Yes, also we found a possible location for Amariya, that hacker of yours is going to get us a smaller region to look." The video starts playing and I see nothing out of the ordinary. I wait, and don't move my attention from the screen even as Deno and Filippo enter. "There, is that a jet?" "Yes, Salvatore is here." "Where is he?" "Probably around somewhere." Deno sounds calm and collective. "I don't suppose you know where." "If you must know he was with Aliyana in her room." "What the fuck?" Filippo swears as his face turns murderous. "Calm the fuck down. He is celibate and as hot as your sister is, Salvatore will never touch her unless he was saving her." I say, which is the truth and the only reason I told Deno to give him to her. Now I am starting to question my own logic to my reasoning of giving her a loyal protector. "I thought he was supposed to stay behind, Aliyana's father…" "Doesn't get to make those choices where Salvatore is involved." Deno finishes Matteo's sentence. I shoot a text to the ghost saying that it was Salvatore. My phone beeps almost immediately after that, Not that camera, the one on your bedroom Ghost I say nothing further or draw any further attention to Salvatore's arrival. "I need to go to the bathroom, let's get the plans on the table and get the others in here." I leave them and head up the stairs and straight to the bathroom where I open up my phone and punch my pin and then finger print Michael Stone set up for me, and add in the time and date into the videos search box. The signal is fast, another thing Michael Stone added for me. The search finds my result and I watch the feed. A tall hooded man, walks into my room and goes straight to my safety box I keep on the floor beneath a tile. He opens it and places something in it. Then seals the box and puts everything the way it was before leaving. Following the footsteps of the hooded man, I head to my bedroom, ignoring the black bedding filled with toys and straight to the tile. I open my box and look inside to find a small USB. I head to my computer on the right side of the room and put it in. The video plays Jack Creston and a shorter hooded figure exchanging something, I almost close my laptop when a figure in the background catches my eye. The video ends and a message pops up to open file 227 and I do, to see Mero at the back of the restaurant kitchen, talking to a girl. I frown as I see who she is. What were two of them talking about. I watch them exchange words and Mero gets pissed off as she starts smiling. He storms off. I frown, because I don't see or understand the connection. Me: What am I missing? I shoot the text to the Ghost hoping he'll know more. Ghost: Ask the fucker who put it there. Me: I thought I was? Ghost: I'm not 6.2 but someone in your house is Me: Got it Ghost: You should have chosen the Queen Me: . I leave the room after putting everything back to how it was. Downstairs the women are sitting and discussing something, with Gabriel as he sits near Mischa, helping her build the puzzle on the wooden board. Aliyana has her feet on the couch already comfortable, as Guilia and Camilla sit around the fire with a glass of red wine. "You all look cozy, enjoying yourself?" I ask and for some reason Aliyana doesn't even look at me, it is like I am not even there. "Aliyana, and Gabriel, a word." Camilla frowns, but says nothing, she knows better than to question me about anything in front of guests. Aliyana unfolds herself from her position and Gabriel stands up leaving his water on the table. They both share a look I don't like but I leave it be and walk out of the lounge and down the passageway, to the library area where I stir them to the bar area on the left wing. "Sit," I tell them as I round the bar counter and pull a bottle of Jack down from the top shelf. "What is this about?" Aliyana asks me, "You are going to want a drink for this." I tell them as I drop 3 glasses on the counter and start pouring us all a stiff drink. "I think I'm good for now." Aliyana says and I give her an exasperated sigh. "Mero ever mention he was seeing someone in the Famiglia?" I ask them both, Aliyana frowns, but Gabriel merely gives me his eyes. His poker face is good, but I am a bit better than that, "It might prove his innocence." "Wait, Gabriel knows?" Aliyana asks, "Yes, you told me, just now when you were taking the dinner plates to the kitchen." She rolls her eyes, "you were eavesdropping." "No. When the two of you arrived today you were both separated. While Gabriel watched you, you contemplated whether you would trust him and tell him the truth behind why you have not hung out with him alone in his home. And then your hedge man Salvatore arrives and whatever the two of you discuss for hours in a locked room, you come to a decision. The question is, Aliyana came clean to you, why don't you come clean to her, and tell her who put that Usb in my safe."