1.2 | The Prince of Thieves

Chapter 12

'He asked you to meet him alone,' Dom stated. His usually grave expression appeared troubled as he studied Leon's face. Val had left as hurriedly as he had arrived, leaving behind him a wake of confused vors, their hunger to vent their anger dissipating when the gates to the warehouse shut behind him.

'Sounds suspicious,' Mickey added. 'Should we stake out?'

'No, that would make us suspicious instead.' He stopped the tapping of his finger and uncrossed his legs. What was all this about? Being who he was, he was naturally curious about Val's sudden visit and invitation. Was there really substance behind his words? Then again, it could be a joke or a ploy, methods that Leon himself had used to get at people who stepped on him. Abruptly, he got to his feet. 'We'll ignore him.'

Dom and Mickey were still stuck in place as Leon strode to the door and wrenched the handle down. They shared a glance just as he turned back to them, a genial smile spreading slowly over his features.

'Worrying won't do you good. Lunch?'

~

The days passed slowly. The fact that Valentino Udinov had visited him in his office days ago was slowly pushed to the back of his mind. What a joke, he thought. Despite the calm features, the gentlemanly manners, the compulsion for morality, Valentino Udinov was one force to be reckoned with. 

Not so much the Udinov's though. Although they had a good track record in fulfilling deals, they were prone to quick, regrettable actions resulting from their even quicker tempers. Val was an exception. He never got angry. Even when he did, he would laugh it off and say it wasn't that big of a deal. This made Leon think that he couldn't trust him when he stood against him. Valentino Udinov is loyal when he is with you. But who knows what he can become when he is not?

As such, there was no way he would step into The Belnord on the appointed day and at the appointed time. However, he did find himself in an inconspicuous car on Thursday afternoon, across the road from the appointed hotel with Dom in the driver's seat. Leon sat patiently in the back, balancing a bag containing one croissant on his lap while nursing a cup of coffee. He sniffed at the aroma, took a sip, then ran his tongue over his lips.

They waited for a good ten minutes, watching the entire street, the cars that stopped at the hotel's entrance, and the various people who entered and left, yet none raised suspicions. He had fallen into traps before. He had let himself fall into traps before. Now, trap or not, there was no way he would let himself fall.

'Let's go,' he said, giving his watch a glance. The digits read 14:01. His croissant was getting cold. He was considering taking a bite out of it, then remembered that Dom hated having food in the car, especially since he always took care to clean the car out regularly.

'Are you sure?' Dom had his hands reluctantly on the steering wheel as he glanced back at him. His eyes went down to the croissant for a moment before flicking back to Leon's face.

'Mickey just texted me.' He glanced at the message that had popped up on the screen of his phone. 'He has news about those small gangs. Besides, you haven't seen anyone familiar, have you?' he muttered with his face to the window again. 'Whoever I'm suppose to meet is already in a room up there. I'm not stepping in without preparation.'

'I don't think Val would hurt you or anyone of us...' Dom tried. He looked incredibly naive as he said it, with his white blonde hair falling into his blue eyes, very much the boy he had looked when Leon took him in just a few years ago.

Leon let out a small smile.

'He may not. But the Udinov's will.'

~