“When can we talk?”
Still nothing.
It takes me much too long to realize he’s gone.
11
Antonio
What the fuck?
I toss the phone back to Cristiano.
How dare she demand to talk to me. How dare she demand anything of me. In front of the staff, no less.
She grew up in this world. She’s not some innocent who doesn’t understand the dangers of challenging me publicly. She’s a grown woman who knows damn well it weakens me every time someone,anyone, questions my authority and I don’t act. It invites other people to test me, too, with more than a sassy mouth.
Damn woman.
I should go to the house and teach theprincesaa lesson she won’t forget.
“Antonio,” Lucas calls, yanking me out of my head, but not out of my foul mood.
“What?” I snap.
He glances at me from across the table, but he knows better than to call me out on my temper. Although his expression says plenty.
“The maid, Isabel, is in a panic about Daniela staying longer than planned.”
“I care about this why?”
I know why I should care about it, but I’m aggravated, and I want to take it out on Daniela’s ass. But she’s not here, so Lucas is bearing the brunt of my ire.
“Why?” He raises his brow. “Because panicky people do rash things. What if she goes to the police? We have people on the ground in Fall River who could get caught up in an investigation. I don’t like it.”
He’s right, of course. But I’ll be goddamned before I tell the insolent bastard.
I draw a deep breath. “What exactly did you say when you contacted the maid?”
“I sent a text as Daniela and explained there had been a small delay with the paperwork. I also told her that between the poor reception and the time difference, speaking by phone would be difficult.”
“So what’s the fucking problem?”
“She texted back that she’s nervous for the kid, and she’s worried about Daniela’s safety. I have a dozen texts from her since then.”
“Pull our people out. Then if she goes to the police, there are no issues.” I glare at Lucas. “But she’s not going to the police. She has forged documents. She’s too afraid of the INS tossing her in jail.”
“They’ll be out by the end of the day,” he mutters, banging on the keyboard.
“Keep one or two people behind to watch the house,” I add, “in case someone comes looking for Daniela. Everyone else is done.”
“We should be absolutely sure,” Cristiano says, staring straight ahead, elbows on the table and hands steepled near his chin. “That team was carefully curated. If we let them loose, we might not be able to pull them together quickly, if something happens.”
“I’m absolutely sure. Daniela’s here. We have no reason to keep tabs on the maid or the kid. I’m certainly not going to risk our people to protect them. They’re not my responsibility.”
“Do you care who we leave behind?” Lucas asks.
Someone with a fucking brain.“Use your judgment. But make it someone with a strong stomach. Isabel has a young daughter, but if she becomes too big of a problem and we have to get rid of her, we will. The kid too.”