My searches have found nothing. No information on her. All I have is her name. Anatonia Lupo. An Italian woman who needs to be removed because of past sins. Her file says she is suspected in the murder of several people, including a former KGB agent who worked for Pakhan. No other names. No affiliations. Just straight up murders.
Making my way to the courthouse entrance, I slip on my sunglasses to cover my eyes. Security scrutinizes my visible ink at the checkpoint, but I ignore them. It’s just like back at home—don’t give them a reason and they won’t question you. I’ve had enough run-ins with authorities to know how to handle them. My past is littered with visits to prison. It was the only bone of contention between Grigori and me. My temper gets away from me at times.
When the scanner doesn’t indicate I’m packing, I start to walk away. A guard steps up to me and puts out his hand to hold me back. I bite back the curse before I draw more attention to me. I hold my body tight ready to escape or fight if I need to.
“Where are you heading?” The guard pushes his hand into me as if he’s got an issue with his cock being too small.
I look down my nose at him and smile. The guy is shorter than me. “Courtroom.” My accent makes it hard to cover the rolling R.
“Which one?”
I turn to look and see a board with papers.
“Not sure.” I point at the board.
“What’s the case?”
“Personal,” I bite out. There is no woman worth this headache, but something tells me I need to find her.
He nods and lets me pass. I walk to the board as he watches me. Searching, I don’t see her name, but then I see the Morello name. As I make my way to the room, my mark walks out.
She turns to look at me. Her eyes are bluer then I thought, and I watch as they flare wide while she takes me in. I know what women see when they look at me. I know my honed body and bad boy looks attract them. Her tongue peeks out to lick her lips as she takes me in. She’s dressed in another pair of black slacks with a black jacket and a jade green top. Her long hair is up in a tight bun at the back of her head. I want to pull it down and mess it up. The Monroe piercing on her lip and tiny diamond in her nose glint in the overhead lights. She visibly shakes herself and turns to head into the lady’s room. The vulnerableness is back in her eyes. There is more to this little Italian than the fact she’s a murderer. I want to follow her. To taste those lips and tongue, but I know I can’t go there with her. She’s a mark. “Never get involved with a mark.” Rule number three of Grigori’s rules. Right below “Don’t take a mark you aren’t willing to fulfill.”
I continue past the courtroom she came out of and wait in a dark corner. She exits the restroom. Her eyes don’t see me again, but they are tight, and I can almost feel the palpable anger coming off her body. She steps back into the courtroom, and as I’m about to walk over and enter, the family all comes out. She is leading them again with another guard at the back. I wait until they are closer to the lobby before I follow, keeping my distance. I try to blend in with the crowds outside, but she stops and turns to look at me as the family splits up. She gets back in the limo while the future capo takes the fragile woman in his car away from the courthouse. I’ll follow my mark. I make my way across the street as they start to pull away from the curb.
I follow them back to the mansion. Again, I park down the road, making sure I’m out of any camera views, and I watch the house again. I need to get this job done and soon before my boss gets upset.
* * *
It’s been over a week now, and I follow them back and forth to the school. My mark is now attending the high school with Morello and the girl. She doesn’t leave her side. Each day I watch as her eyes get more shadowed. The dark circles forming beneath them show she’s not sleeping well.
I’ve contacted a hacker I know to do further research and try to find out who she really is. A deeper background check into her. Everyone can be found on the internet, but not her. The family even has a small bit online, but again not her. Nothing. It’s as if she just appeared and never had a credit card or license anywhere. I need to follow her until I can get close enough to either end this or question her.