I step outside and sure enough, there isn't an ounce of surprise on her face. She only watches me as I walk closer.
I pull my shoulders back, not wanting her to think she's intimidating me. "Who was that?" I ask, looking at the edge of the alleyway where the man disappeared.
She takes another drag of her cigarette, her bright eyes watching me lazily. She blows a pool of smoke into my face and I swat it away. "Just an acquaintance," she says.
"An acquaintance?" I ask.
"Mhmm." She takes another drag.
"Does Giovanni know about this acquaintance?" The least I can do is put everything out in the air now that I'm out here. What is she going to do? Kill me? Because if so that will only be a relief.
She lets out a laugh, her chest moving. "You're cute, Winter. You'd make a perfect play thing if you weren't already clutched into the grasp of the Costa family." She looks me over. "Or should I say tangled up because you most certainly aren't willingly a part of whatever is going on. I could pick that up the second I met you." She waves a hand. "And you know, the rumors just weren't adding up. Neither was the bodyguard. I'm starting to think he's here to make sure you don't escape. Meaning he'll be popping up soon, so do ask me whatever it is you want to know."
I blink in shock. She's nailed everything on the head and is doing it so effortlessly that I find myself just bluntly asking her what I want to know. "Are you dealing drugs out of the club?"
Her laugh is even deeper this time. "Me selling drugs? As if I'd ever be someone's mule. No, I'm not a drug dealer, little Winter." Her amusement doesn't fade in even the slightest.
"Do you know anything about who is dealing then?"
Her eyes narrow slightly. "You're a terrible spy," she says after a moment. "Did the Costas not have anyone better who could have done this?" I don't miss the slight disgust in her voice and it brings up even more questions that I don't have time to ask. Because she's right, Enzo will be heading this way soon, looking for me. I've already been gone from the inside of the club for far too long.
"It doesn't matter," I tell her. "Just answer me. Do you know anything about who is dealing?"
"I may know a thing or two," she says far too casually. "But I don't know if I want to share it with you." She puts her cigarette out, her eyes looking me over. "You are supposed to be investigating this yourself after all."
This all feels like a game to her and I can't help my frustration. "You're right, Enzo will be heading out here any moment now and if you don't tell me what I want to know, I'll tell him you know something and then you'll have to answer to the family directly."
The amusement in her eyes seems to go up another notch. "Maybe you're the spider after all and not a measly fly," she says before leaning close. "I'll tell you this, you need to look a little further up the chain than a waitress." She pulls back, moving in the direction of the entrance. "And one last thing you should know. I'm not afraid of the Costa Family." There's something eerily truthful to her words.
The door slams shut behind her.
***
"Are we not heading to the club?" I ask Enzo as he takes a detour from our route to the front door. My frown deepens as we turn down a hall I've never been down before.
He shakes his head. "No, Giovanni wants to see you before we head out today."
My shoulders tighten and I bite down on the inside of my jaw.
Of course.
I've learned that anytime I see Giovanni outside of the dining room, it's usually so that he can look at me with that cold expression while complaining about how poor I'm doing at my job. Or he's reminding me that I signed a contract that I can't get out of, as if I could ever forget.
Enzo continues down the hall and it seems to be dimmer than the rest of the mansion. It makes my heart beat quicker in my chest until I take a deep breath. There aren't many doors on the hall. We pass by one that's open slightly and I can't help but to glance inside. It's dark and I can't quite make anything out other than a set of stairs but there seems to be something eerie about the room and I find myself quickly inching away from it.
"What's down there?" I ask Enzo.
He glances in the direction I'm pointing at and hard lines appear at the corner of his eyes. "The basement." Something about the way he says it implies that it's more than your run of the mill basement. But he doesn't offer any further information, turning back around.
I give the door one last glance and decide I'll be fine with never going down there.
Silence falls between Enzo and I.
I feel like I'm being marched to the principal's office.
Finally, we get to a door at the end of the hall and Enzo types on the keypad attached to the handle. It lights up and gives a slight beep before he pulls it open.
Giovanni is sitting at his desk, his head propped in his hand as he stares at a paper. He pulls his gaze up to me and as per usual, it gives me pause. There's just something so cold and... disconnected about his gaze that's hard to ignore. As if he wouldn't care if you fell to your death right in front of him.