And how right she was. His was located in a small city in Tuscany in some family-related bank.
Smart girl.
Removing the lid, the folders came into the view, and I started to read them.
By the time I finished, the chair and the table were destroyed.
But I had names.
All the names, but one.
But I would make it my mission to find out who held all the cards to begin with, because Alfonso was just a pawn on the chessboard.
I would find a King and punish him for taking away my Queen.
Let the game begin.
New York, New York
October 2016
Not bothering to knock on the door, I walked inside while Melissa drank her coffee and scrolled something on her phone. Without raising her head, she said, “I’m not in the mood for another apology, Connor. Can you drop it?” her voice sounded exhausted. I noticed various candy wrappers scattered around with folders on the table where she was busy.
Her office was a round room with a square wooden desk that held a desktop computer and various paper organizers, along with pens and a tissue box. The spinning leather chair was too big for the tiny woman, and the bookshelf behind her was dusty and full of law books she probably used as references for her cases. Her working space seemed as dull and uninteresting as I found Melissa to be. Harsh, but true. I didn’t find anything interesting in her private file or during the few interactions we had shared.
“I’m afraid you will have to make time for me.” My harsh, loud voice startled her.
With a deer-caught-in-headlights look, she jumped in her seat, straightened, and adjusted the glasses on her nose. “Dominic, hi,” she greeted, and then motioned to the seat opposite her. “Please sit.” She moved a strand of her hair behind her ear. And I wondered when this whole situation with Connor would resolve.
Based on the information I had on them, he slept with her about two years ago and then never bothered to call back. He was the love-them and leave-them type, and Melissa was dumb enough to fall in love with him. Shortly after, he fell for Honey and it created tension between them.
Melissa had brown hair, blue eyes, and a fit body. Not that I paid attention to females around me, but she hid herself in all those masculine suits, which didn't do her justice. Harsh as it might sound, I honestly wondered why the hell Connor even had sex with her. It was clear as fucking day she wasn't a one-night-stand kind of woman.
Without much explanation, I threw the folders on the table, and she picked them up. The minute she started reading, she frowned while her jaw almost hit the floor from the shock. “How did you get this?”
Shrugging, I replied, “It doesn’t matter.”
Her eyes narrowed, displeasure written all over her face. “Illegally?”
I chuckled and leaned forward. “I’m the pakhan of the Bratva. Be thankful I allowed you to hold it in your hands.”
Folding her arms, she studied me for a second, and finally asked, “What do you want, Dominic?”
“Your help. You will have the case, but I will have my fun with them first.”
“As in kill them first, you mean?”
Shaking my head, I concluded the woman might have led her department in the FBI, but she wasn't as smart as I assumed. “Torture more like it. I need to reach the final link in the chain. You will help me get access and leave no trails. When the time comes, I want justice for my woman.” A beat passed, while I gave her the time to think, and then I extended my hand to her. “Do we have a deal?”
She laughed, even though it lacked humor. “With no clue what you intend to do with it, it would be stupid for me to make a deal with you.” This conversation bored me, and I had no time for stupid chitchat when the clock was ticking. Those traces wouldn't be fresh for long, so I had to track them down right away.
I stood up, resting my palms on the corner of the desk, and stated, “There will be no second chance for this proposition, Melissa.”
She huffed in annoyance, while her eyes kept sending daggers my way, but she nodded. “Fine.”
“I knew you’d make a good choice.”
“You gave me no choice,” she spat, but I was already out of her office. I had important calls to make.
