“Seriously, this guy?” I narrow my eyes at the photograph. “He looks like a pretty boy. What would a guy like him know about stealing, anyway?”
“Enough to make enough money for an extravagant wedding for him and his new bride,” my father grunts. “He just got married. But that won’t last long, not now that I found out what he did to us.” Over the next half hour, he guides me through Rochetti’s various crimes. He’s been doing some accounting for us, and it seems he’s been siphoning money on the side to make sure he has enough for his brand new bride. I tighten my lips at the thought of some bitchy, class-climbing gold digger who’s been living the big life on Bernardi's account.
“So what’s the plan?” I ask gruffly. “We going in for an attack?”
“Yes,” Bruno nods when another coughing fit takes over him. When he pulls the handkerchief from his mouth, I don’t miss the fact that it’s dotted with blood.
“I’ll go instead of you.”
“No.” Another coughing fit takes over him and he wheezes to get oxygen back into his lungs. “I have to go. It’s my business.”
“Father.”
Our eyes meet. There’s so much pain in his gaze it makes my heart fucking hurt. I’m not the type of person to pry and demand answers from my father, but I know just from his pain-filled eyes alone that he’s sick. But I’m not ready to broach the subject just yet. I can’t tell him I know what’s going on, even though there seems to be a silent understanding between us that makes it clear we both know what’s going on here.
“I’ll go,” I repeat. “Give me the address.”
He hesitates for another moment, filling me with hope. When he finally nods, I realize just how bad his situation really is. He won’t come with me.
“Here’s the address.” He slides a piece of paper in front of me, pointing to a handwritten note.
“Here’s some more information on Rochetti and his wife.”
I pick up the papers and begin filing through them. There are some photos as well, but I read the files first, making sure I’m familiar with the situation I’m about to walk into.
Finally, when I've read everything, I pull up the rest of the photos. Most of them are surveillance shots. I see the shape of a woman in some of them. She's petite.
I keep going through the data forcing myself to detach myself from the situation. I know Piero Rochetti will die tonight. I will show him no mercy for betraying my family. But then I come across a photo of a woman, redheaded, with bright green eyes that stand out even in the shitty surveillance shot.
"Who is she?" I ask in a low growl, pointing to the offending photo on father's desk.
"That's Lavinia," he coughs. "Rochetti's new wife."
I stare at the photograph some more. Already, the girl's features are being committed to my memory.
She's beautiful. Not even in an understated way you could ignore. Her beauty hits me out of left field, reminding me just how long it's been since I've formed a meaningful connection. This girl... she's different.
I have to forcibly remind myself she's married, a taken woman. And yet I can't help but fantasize about her in my arms.
That flaming red hair, those innocent eyes turned up to me as she comes from the first time. That Piero guy looks fucking clueless. She'd have so much more fun with me. She will have so much more fun with me.
"You need to get going," Bruno reminds me.
I quickly put the rest of the files on his table, but I slip the photo of the girl inside my pocket. It doesn't escape my father, and he watches me closely as I get up.
"Wish me luck," I mutter with a smirk.
"You don't need luck," my father replies. "You're a Bernardi."