Aldo sneered. “I don’t believe you.”
Sergio shrugged. “I’ll bring her dead body to you before the night is over. How about that?”
Aldo narrowed his eyes, as if he trying to figure out what Sergio’s real plan was.
“Sounds reasonable. Do it,” Victor told him. “I have more important matters I want to discuss. I assumed you spoke with Bonino at the Lusty Maiden?”
Sergio pretended to act normal as he took the comfy armchair opposite the desk. He relayed to Victor about his visit to the strip club. His mind, however, was elsewhere. Sergio didn’t give two shits about the problems Bonino, the lieutenant in charge of the strip club, had with the Bratva. His mind returned to Jessie.
Was Gibson right? Was Jessie still holed up in her apartment? Maybe she’d climbed out of the window and Gibson hadn’t notice. A laughable thought. She lived on the seventh floor and as far as Sergio knew, she was clumsy. That had always been one of her adorable traits. She’d never risk making an exit that way. Besides, she wouldn’t know Sergio paid Gibson to keep a close eye on her. Why would she? Sergio couldn’t wait to get to her. To see and talk to her again. He could ask her why she didn’t try to run.
“Then it’s decided,” Victor said in the present. “Aldo, assist Bonino with his problems.”
“Do you need me to gather some men and pay the Russians a visit?” He offered out of courtesy, but he knew what Victor’s response would be. Sergio still needed Victor and Aldo to believe that the organization was his first priority.
“No, not tonight. You fix the small problem from this morning,” Victor said.
That sounded like a dismissal. Sergio rose to his feet. Victor didn’t ask Sergio how he’d track Jessie down or how he’d get rid of her body afterward. He didn’t need to. Sergio was a professional, and Victor had no reason to doubt him. Aldo and he bumped shoulders on their way out the door.
“I don’t know what you’re planning, but I don’t like it,” Aldo hissed once they were out of Victor’s earshot.
“Me?” Sergio gave him a confused look. “I’m just doing my job. You should pay attention to yours. From what Bonino told me, you really have to watch your back. Maxim’s men are getting restless.”
Aldo gave him the finger and walked away.
“Real mature,” Sergio called after him. Let the Bratva occupy Aldo’s and Victor’s thoughts. He had more important matters to tend to. Sergio lingered in the restaurant a little longer. He hunted down Tony. Sergio found the manager in the kitchen, speaking with the chef. When Tony spotted him, he turned pale.
“We need to talk,” Sergio said. “Outside.”
The bald spot in Tony’s hair gleamed with sweat under the kitchen lights. Tony swallowed and followed him to the alleyway. It seemed so long ago he chatted with Jessie here. In reality, it had only been last night. Who knew things had suddenly taken a turn for the worse?
“One of your waitresses, Jessie McDowell, will no longer be coming in for work,” he said.
Tony widened his eyes. “What has Jessie done? She’s a good kid, Sergio. She’s been through a lot and she’s a really hard worker.”
Tony’s unexpected defense of Jessie made him reevaluate his opinion of the restaurant manager. They vetted all the men and women who worked for their legal businesses. The Family made sure the people they hired knew when to keep their mouths shut. Tony looked like he had plenty more to say. Sergio raised his hand, silencing him immediately.
“Jessie is no longer your concern. It’s better if you don’t ask any more questions.”
This time, Tony let out an audible gulp.
“Nodif you understand,” he said.
Tony did. Sergio started to walk out of the alleyway, but Tony grabbed his arm. A bold move. His first reaction was to pry his gun from his belt. Tony stared at the weapon in his hand and quickly let him go.
“Just … just do it quickly, okay? Please,” Tony added.
Sergio tucked his gun away and didn’t answer him. He started for his car, then he got in and drove for Jessie’s apartment. He parked his car two streets away, just in case she would suddenly look out the window and spot him. That might trigger her to run.
Sergio exited the car and checked for his weapons. He had his favorite guns and knife with him. The blade was only for emergencies.
He entered Jessie’s building through the back door and didn’t use the elevator. There was a video camera in there. Sergio didn’t need to do any surveillance. He knew the exits, the blueprint of Jessie’s apartment building, like the back of his hand. He’d been that obsessed with her.
Maybe a part of him knew things would eventually come down to this. With him breaking and entering her apartment, and then stealing her away. Sergio hoped he’d be able to convince her to leave with him. If she adamantly refused, he would have to use force. It was necessary, for her own safety.
Once Victor found out he failed his job, his loyalty would come into question. Victor or Aldo would send more men to finish Jessie off. Sergio didn’t think they’d kill him right away. Thanks to his years of service to the Family, they’d probably want to question him first, or try to reform him. After all, Sergio still had his uses. He was still Victor’s favorite weapon.
Sergio found himself in front of Jessie’s door. Was waltzing in so boldly like this the right choice? He began to knock, but he tried the knob first. It turned, much to his amazement. Jessie had been expecting him. He opened the door and closed it behind him. The lights were on in the tiny studio apartment.
Sergio came face-to-face with Jessie. He didn’t expect her to be standing, much less taking a shooting stance. Both her legs were wide apart, and she held a gun steadily with both hands.
“Stay where you are, or I’ll shoot you,” she said through gritted teeth.