MATTEO (book 2)

54. XENA

Hamada dismisses everybody and I take a deep breath as I leave the conference room.

I told him I never want to go undercover again. Not after what happened. I thought he was going to fire me but he was actually very understanding and said we'd need to find a budget for hiring more undercover offered then.

My dad helped with that, he's funding it.

I hug my dad. "Thank you."

"No problem, Xena. Anything."

The doors push open and Matteo walks in. "Where's Hamada?" He asks.

I point to the conference room and he walks in. "You said you had this under control." He shouts.

I look at dad and every other person that was in the meeting quietens down to listen.

But the door closes.

"What's that about?" Dad asks.

"I don't know." I walk to the door.

"You said he was in hiding because he knows the cops are after him-"

"Are you scared, Matteo?"

"You know full rightly I can handle myself." Matteo scathes. "He gets next to Neves or Xena or the boys again and I will kill you myself, Hamada. He should not be trying to contact her. Sending cryptic messages."

"Neves is fully protected 24/7."

I push the doors open. "What's happening?"

Matteo sighs. "Go away, Xena."

"No. Why are you arguing about Neves?"

Matteo looks to Hamada. "You wanna tell her?"

Hamada clears his throat. "Oleg has been sending stuff to Neves for a week now."

"What!" Dad says.

Matteo glares at Hamada. "Sort it out or I will." He pushes past me, walking away.

"Matteo!" I call after him.

He keeps walking, making everyone step out of his way.

Hamada won't tell me the full truth.

I run after him, waiting until he's in the parking lot to grab his hand. "Matteo." I pull his hand. "Tell me everything."

He looks around my eyes before opening his car door for me.

I get in, pulling the belt over my body.

Jealousy fills me when I see some high heels in on the floor, right by my feet.

He starts to drive. "Neves called me a week ago to tell me someone had been sending her stuff." He starts. "I got some of my men to look into it, they found it was sent from Russia. Oleg managed to escape the night of the big circle. I know it's Oleg sending her these notes and pictures-"

"What are the pictures?"

"They're of her. When he was... doing stuff to her." He rubs lips together. "She's received them every day for this week and they're all different pictures with Russian on the back with messages like... I'll get you again... I'll kill your babies." He clears his throat.

Why didn't she tell me?

"I've done extensive research on all of the officers that take shifts at her place and one of them is from Russian descent but he seems to be completely normal. Every time he's on shift. I get my men to watch too."

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"She probably didn't want to worry you. She knows you've been stressed with this meeting coming up."