Celaena - The Lost Princess

18. Roses

Matteo's pov

"Boss your father has been trying to contact you. He says it's important" Michael says with blank expression. I exhale a long breath, dismissing him.

I skim through the contacts, dialing his number and patiently wait for him to answer. Today my mood is lot better cause PI involved in Calypso's search has gathered more information and is on his way to drop off the file. Thats the reason for the hike in patience level.

"Matteo" gruff voice answers after two rings.
"Father"
"Too busy to even answer a phone call now, boy?" Questions my father.
"I have an empire to run, which you might know takes up all my time. Now get to the point"
"Always straightforward" pause "I want you to help someone"
"You seem to forget I'm running mafia not charity"
"Look Matteo, I owe this person and since I'm the one who gave you this whole empire you will help me when I ask you to. It's because of this person we struck deal with Russians, making them our allies"
"So you are saying that this person you are referring to, is the reason I'm engaged to the Russian heir?"
"In a way, yes"
"And you want me to help this person?"
"Yes"
"What makes you think I would help?"

The grip on the phone tightens as he continues to talk "Don't forget if I could give you an entire empire, I could take it back as well"
"You can't" I growl.
"Don't forget about your brother Matteo"
"Half-brother and he left this life PAPÀ, he won't COME BACK" I shout frustrated.
"I can make him come back if I want to"
I sigh knowing he would do as he pleases and arguing with him isn't worth losing everything I worked hard for "okay you win, tell me what do you want me to do?"
"I want you to help Mrs. Gracia"
"You mean the Mexican mafia?"
"Yes"
What the f*ck is wrong with him? Is he high on something? "Why would you want me to help them? They are troubling us since we took their position in mafia and now they are at the bottom, hanging by a very thin thread. Government is keeping a close eyes on them since last three years. Helping them would put us on radar"

He sighs and continues "that's exactly why she needs your help. Since last 3 years they are having trouble because someone.. more specifically a hacker has been ratting them out to government and messing up all their deals. That's the reason they are losing all business"
"You are saying all those losses are caused by a pesky hacker? They can't even handle a petty hacker?"
"It's not that simple, they've tried everything but this hacker is too good and manages to escape every time"
"So you are asking me to find this hacker?"
"Yes"
"What am I? Do I look like private investigator? Other day Russians came asking me to find their missing heir, I'm already searching for a fighter and now I gotta search for a hacker? Really?"
"Matteo I want you to call Stacy Gracia and help her. If you won't, I'll ask your brother, who happens to be the best hacker mafia ever had and then I'll get him back to take his rightful place in this empire"
I clench my fist hearing his words "Fine. I'll do it"
"Good" says before I disconnect the call.

I run my hands hair frustrated, I have another person on -to find list. F*cking hell. I take out the whiskey bottle from shelf and take long sip thinking about father's warning. Mexican mafia is very sketchy one specially since Stacy Gracia took over. Now her son's getting ready to take over. I wouldn't trust them in hundred years. If I have to compare them then I would pick snake, deceiving, cunning and backstabbing. Now it seems someone is trying very hard to bring them down.

Let's just get this over with, with a huff I press call button. After few rings a female voice answers.
"Hello"
"Mrs. Gracia, how are you doing?"
"Ohh.. I suppose I'm talking to Matteo Denaro?"
"Yeah, you guessed right. I hope your business is doing well"
"Huh Matteo.. mocking me are you? That's not very nice"
"My apologies Mrs. Gracia. I'm not trying to mock you rather the opposite since we don't do business together I have no idea how you are doing" I said trying to sound innocent, knowing exactly what she's going through but she doesn't need to know that. That two faced bitch could kill me if she gets an opportunity.
"Hmmm.. very well then" pause "I'm assuming your father informed you of our ordeal?"
"Not really. He told me you are having a slight difficulty in locating a person, more specifically a hacker, who is leaking sensitive information to the government" I said smugly.
"Right. We are facing this problem since last 3 years and it's getting a lot tiresome. We need to find this hacker before he destroys us completely and move on to other mafia" she said implying that we would be next.
"Okay Mrs. Gracia, I'll see what I can do. Now if can give us some information about this hacker, it would help us finding him"
"We couldn't find much but everytime he attacks he leaves behind a sign. The sign might be initial of this person's name, its C and M, between these there's a rose"
"C and M you say. Do you happen to know anyone by these initials? May be some distant relative?"
"No, I don't think so. This person doesn't just makes cyber attacks, he also physically ruined our business deal when we opted for complete offline deals" pause "one time we almost got him. My son Logan was on this deal. This CM person tipped Fed's and kept them updating about the deal, while also stealing data from our business partner. Fed's raided the spot and we lost our deal along with shipment. That time Logan shot him but he somehow escaped"