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“How did that work?” she asked, leaning forward, her eyes searching mine for answers.
I took a few minutes to explain to her the process of what Marco did for me and by the time I was finished, she sat back, digesting what I had told her.
“I still can’t believe my father was involved in all of this. He always seemed so… ordinary,” she murmured.
I reached out and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Your father did what he had to do to protect his family and support my operations. He was careful, and he believed in what we were doing. But someone found a way to expose him, and now we have to find out who and why.”
She looked at me, her eyes filled with determination. “What can I do to help?”
“Right now, you need to stay here where it’s safe,” I said firmly. “Let me and my men handle the investigation. Trust me to find out who’s behind this and to clear your father’s name.”
Sofia nodded, her grip on my hand tightening. “I trust you, Massimo. Just… promise me you’ll be careful too.”
“I promise,” I said, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “We’ll get through this together, Sofia. Your father will be free, and we’ll make sure those responsible pay for what they’ve done.”
“Good,” she replied.
For a long moment, I just enjoyed the feel of her in my arms. She was perfect, so soft, so sweet, and so utterly tempting, but I couldn’t let her distract me when it came to my business. I had an important role to play in my world and a woman couldn’t get in the way of that.
I reluctantly pulled back, looking into her eyes. “I have to take care of a few things. I need you to promise me that you’ll stay here.”
She nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. “I promise, Massimo. I’ll stay here. You don’t need to take off your belt.”
I kissed her forehead, smiling at her reminder of my earlier threat. She curled into me, and I wound my arms around her tighter before I eventually let go and she climbed out of my lap.
Reluctantly, I stood up, needing to address the pressing issues at hand. With one last glance at Sofia, I turned and made my way to my office, where Leo and Stefano were already waiting for me.
Leo had been with me since the beginning, his sharp mind and strategic thinking invaluable to our operations. He was a master negotiator, always able to defuse tense situations with a few well-chosen words. His background in law and finance made him the perfect advisor, ensuring our business dealings were both profitable and well-protected.
Stefano was a mountain of a man, his imposing presence enough to deter most threats. But it wasn’t just his size that made him effective; it was his loyalty and his unwavering dedication to me. He had been a street fighter in the underground circuits in Florence before I found him. Now he used those same skills to protect our interests and ensure our enemies thought twice about crossing us.
My office was spacious, with large windows overlooking the estate grounds and a massive mahogany desk at its center. The walls were lined with bookshelves, filled with everything from legal texts to historical accounts of the mafia that I referenced often.
Leo stood as I entered, his sharp eyes meeting mine. “Massimo, we’ve been looking into the charges against Marco. They’re solid, but there are some irregularities that suggest a setup.”
I nodded, taking a seat behind my desk. “Explain.”
Stefano handed me a folder. “We found discrepancies in the evidence, inconsistencies that point to someone tampering with the records. It’s clear that someone is trying to frame Marco, but we need more information to figure out who.”
I opened the folder and skimmed through the documents. “Have we identified any potential suspects?”
Leo crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful. “We have a few leads, but nothing concrete yet. Enzo is working on tracing the source of the evidence tampering. We should have more information soon.”
I leaned back in my chair, my mind racing. “Keep digging. We need to find out who’s behind this and why they’re targeting us.”
“Understood. We’ll keep you updated,” Leo replied with a nod.
As they left the office, I turned my attention to the documents in front of me. The intricacies of the setup were impressive, but not infallible. It was only a matter of time before we uncovered the truth.
With that resolve, I picked up the phone and made a call to Enzo.
Enzo’s background in surveillance and cyber security meant that there was little that escaped his notice. He was the eyes and ears of our organization, and I counted on him to always be one step ahead of potential threats. He never let me down.
“I need updates on the investigation. Every detail, no matter how small.”
“Yes, boss,” Enzo replied. “I’ll have a report ready for you by the end of the day.”
“Good,” I said, hanging up the phone.