The Heart's Match

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Damien

2 Months Later, Fall 2017

Ivan has had me running all over town looking for Enzo Romano. It seems like each time I am about to get a moment of peace and quiet, I'm getting another call with a lead. Always dead ends.

Beto must have somehow tipped Romano off after we came to visit because Enzo didn't show up that Tuesday for collections when we tried to corner him. When I hacked into his bank account information, I saw massive deposits happening in town. Which means he's still in Chicago somewhere.

We find Enzo, we find Andres Vitali. It's as simple as that. But it's like chasing a ghost. The Vitalis are snakes. That's how they were able to betray Matteo Marino over the years so easily. I've dealt with a lot of snakes in my life. If there is one thing I've learned it's that snakes are bound to come up for food at some point or another.

I'm exhausted and running on next to no sleep when Alexei, Cal, Nessa, and I are staking out a potential haunt of Brian Carmichael's. Nessa and I have been tracking Brian's movements using various facial recognition technologies and tracking his credit card movements as of late. We narrowed his weekend hang-outs to a few places in the city. Nessa has a theory that he's been visiting the underground pleasure house on the north end.

So, here we wait.

I take a sip of my black coffee, desperate for the caffeine as I sit in the passenger seat. Alexei helms the driver's side, tapping his fingers on the wheel along with the beat of Nessa's 'stakeout' playlist.

I've made a conscious effort to not be alone with the viper since we started this mission together two months ago. She makes it easy, because she's decided we're fighting again this week. She still thinks we could have found Carmichael without her brothers' knowledge.

I don't mind secret side missions, but when it comes to her safety, I'm sick of fucking around.

"You ever paid for sex, Cal?" Nessa asks suddenly.

I roll my eyes to the heavens.

Cal chuckles, "I don't need to."

She snorts. "Oh, please. Get over yourself."

"You ever paid for sex, Nessie?" he teases back.

I feel my shoulders tense. Alexei shoots me a knowing look. My fingers itch to reach for a cigarette, but I gulp down my coffee instead.

"Don't need to," she says in a mocking, gruff voice. "Not that there's anything wrong with it. I think it's hot."

"Please stop talking," Cal sighs. "I don't want to know about your perverse habits."

"I bet Vivian thinks it's hot too. She reads all those sexy romance books..."

"Why are you bringing Viv into this?" Cal mutters.

"No reason," Nessa replies. I can hear the grin in her voice. I check the rearview and shoot her a look. Her hazel eyes burn into mine, a daring smile in them. She has a cherry lollipop in her mouth, making her lips a glossy red color. I've never had the desire to kiss someone before, but in this instant, I do.

"I have," Alexei admits happily. I blink, looking away from Nessa as the subject is changed away from Cal's pathetic crush on Vivian Chang.