“Just my wallet, but I had the black book in there until I put it in the safe at your condo with my other documents you wanted locked up after the break in.”
I sigh, someone is dedicated to finding the book. They didn’t find it inside her condo, so they figured she had it on her person. Maybe I should look at the book again.
“Okay, well let’s get in and get home quickly,” I suggest, checking behind us, as she unlocks the door to the shop a few blocks away.
Could Besnik be behind this attack? He’s the one who’s supposed to be retrieving the book for the Albanians, and now I’m concerned. Maybe I should make the trade myself just to be sure.
I need to rethink Prende giving it to her uncle. This is becoming too important to leave to a middleman. We’re going to have to meet the head of the Albanian mafia.
Fuck me, this is not how I saw this going.
While Prende bends over to gather the belongings to her purse that were spilled, on the ground, she straightens up, knocks the dirt off her coat and pants and seems to have forgotten about Angelica-- silver lining and all that jazz. I seize the opportunity to call Dante to fill him in.
Once we are on the street, heading to my place, Prende murmurs, “And don’t think for one minute I forgot about Angelica.”
Fuck.
The fact is, neither of us can trust anyone other than each other. Now my family is suspect as well until the black book is delivered to its rightful owner. Until then, we’re stuck in this mess.
Back at my condo, I offer to share my dinner with her, but she bristles at the mere mention of it, so I don’t press her. She takes a shower she said will help her clear her mind.
It’s going to be a long night with her back to me on her side of the bed and me lying next to her with a woody I can’t rub out. She’s close enough to smell her scent of freesia flowers and it takes all my self-control to keep from pulling her towards me.
I stare at the ceiling and remember her saying she enjoyed cultivating things at the university, and she’d like to have a garden one day. She’s never lived with grass outside her front door, and I want to change that. I need to show her she’s the one for me and that we have a future together even if it started out of necessity, a bargain with her uncle, and the dubious dealings of her father.
Unable to sleep, I remember wanting to look at the black book and get up to open the floor safe. The book looks the same as before, but this time, I run my fingers over the leather cover and the back cover seems thicker, not much, but my bookkeeper’s fingers pick up on it.
I grab a shape knife that’s not serrated and carefully make a vertical slice in the leather.
Inside is a minuscule piece of paper and on it there are twenty-four words, the handwriting has to be her father’s and it hits me.
It’s the key to a bitcoin wallet!
After a call to Dante without details, I put the book back in the floor safe, flipping the area rug over it.
My mind mulls over the book and the fact that I’ve got the code to the Albanian mafia’s cyber currency account, an account worth millions if not billions.
I’ll never know Argon’s official role in the Albanian organization but it’s safe to assume he was not your average Joe, or boss. No, he must have been some kind of financial wizard to avoid detection from his foes and the police, as well.
Okay, so I have the code and the book. How do we get it back to them and ensure our own safety?
Dante talks to the head of the Albanian mafia and agrees to give him the book after our wedding. This is stressful because I’m not used to playing such a big role in a family operation. Being on the front line is gonna make for one long, nerve-wracking week.
Prende is still not happy about Angelica, but she did thank me for being there the night her purse was almost stolen. It’s time she accepts the fact that she’s mine and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always be there to protect her, even when she’s pissed at me.
I can’t think of a better trust building exercise, so it’s a win in my opinion because no one got hurt, thankfully.
To replace her purse that is broken, I buy her a Chanel one and have the salesperson wrap it in a fancy box with a large bow on top. I don’t think she has any idea what’s inside and when she lifts the lid, she lets out a squeal. It earns me a hug and a real kiss. Do I dare think all is forgiven?
Hell, I might even get lucky tonight.
This may be a stressful week for me, but the same cannot be said for the girls. Prende’s maid of honor, Mila, threw her a small impromptu bridal outing at a nightclub. The next day, Mama and the girls had a great time finding a dress, a dress I’m not allowed to see until the wedding.
I think it’s best if we keep it private and simple, so we’re getting married by the magistrate at my condo. I buy simple gold bands for us, as it is customary, and Prende makes her own bouquet. I’m at a loss as to what I can do to surprise her on her special day.
When Prende moved in, I noticed she doesn’t have many personal heirlooms, besides a few designer handbags. Her mother wasn’t the type of woman to collect much jewelry, so I asked Mama for a favor. Saturday, Prende works a half day so we can prepare the house for the wedding.
Mila helped decorate with silver balloons, we ordered a cannoli cake from the neighborhood bakery and dinner is being catered by my favorite restaurant. They even loaned us tables for cake and champagne. All we had to do was cover them with decorative tablecloths.