19
Eric
Alejandro looks over the paperwork on my desk then balls his hands into tight fists. His entire face hardens when he scans over it.
We’re in my office at Markov Tech and I’ve just given him the rundown of the shit Borya unearthed.
This is the first time we’ve met where it’s just been the two of us and this is going to be one interesting meeting because I’m going to demand information he might not want to tell me.
“Jesus Christ,” he mutters. “You got this today?”
“Yes. My men tracked Micah’s guys down early this morning.”
Christ.It’s not even midday yet but it feels like a whole week has passed.
There’s no way it’s still the same day, or that mere hours have passed since I left Summer in my bed.
After I spoke to Borya I checked in with Aiden. Now it’s barely eleven and I’m here with another million things going through my mind.
“This all shows they’re up to something more than just selling the device,” Alejandro states. “They would be human trafficking for that kind of money.”
“I agree. It looks like there’s more going on in Brazil though.”
I eye him with a little more seriousness and drag in a breath. I’m always respectful of guys like him because they’ve been in the game for a lot of years. He’s forty-seven and has this empire of wealth and power. I have my wealth and I’m part of the elite in the Voirik, but I’m a newbie and small fry compared to him. At the same time, if we’re in this mission together I need to be told everything.
“I need to know what’s happening in Brazil, Alejandro,” I state, and he sighs. “Because Micah and friends are really playing you.”
“I know, amigo. I just didn’t know the extent of it and it looks like my people have been bought to betray me. That’s why I’m here,” he answers.
“And here by yourself again,” I observe with raised brows. This is the second time I’ve seen him and he’s had no men from his cartel with him. A man like him doesn’t travel without his most trusted. “You don’t have any men with you.”
He gives me a curt nod. “I haven’t spoken much to anyone besides the D’Agostino brothers, but the answer you’re looking for is my men aren’t with me because I don’t trust them. My heart tells me one or more of them betrayed me and helped Micah kill my brother. This evidence you’ve found shows I was right to think so.”
If his men betrayed him it means Micah got to them and made certain promises.
“What does Micah want from you? A man from the Camorra wouldn’t just suddenly have an interest in something out of the blue.”
“It’s not out of the blue, but I wanted to keep that information on a need to know basis.”
“Don Alejandro, I believe the time has come where I need to know, so talk,” I inform him.
From the uncertain look on his face, I’m sure under normal circumstances he would tell me to go fuck myself. But since we aren’t under normal circumstances and our paths have interwoven he’s going to have to trust me.
“This isn’t a simple matter of catch the fucker who’s screwing with you,” I add and the tension loosens in his face.
He nods again. “What I’m about to tell you is a secret I’ve been hanging on to since before my brother died.”
Instantly, my interest piques. “What is it?”
“The largest producer of petroleum in Brazil was solely government owned until January this year,” he begins and temples his fingers together. “Up until then the government owned fifty-four percent of shares and the rest were privately owned. After the death of the C.E.O of one of the private agencies, my brother and I received all his shares and we bought out the others. When one of the governors got into a bit of trouble of the scandalous variety we demanded more shares and it tipped the balance.”
“So you own it?” My eyes widen. That’s serious wealth and fuck knows how they managed to obtain it.
“Yes, but nobody is supposed to know that. All we wanted was the ownership value and wealth it would garner us,” he explains. “With my brother gone, I currently co-own the company with my niece.”
My lips part. “Your niece?”
“Yes. Unknown to our enemies, my brother left everything to his wife and his daughter. That was why they were all supposed to die that night. The only person left to be rid of should be me. My brother was killed a month after we signed papers. People have tried to take our territory many times in the past so being at war is no stranger to us. My brother’s death was just the first time anybody succeeded, and in such an easy way.”