Page 52 of His Playground

“I’ll be in my bedroom,” I say, closing my laptop and putting it on the coffee table in front of me.

I find Antonia in the bathroom. She’s rubbing at her face with a washcloth.

“How was lunch?” I hate the fact that she went to meet with her father without me, but I also can’t risk taking Jazzy out of this penthouse yet.

“It was…” Antonia takes a deep breath before putting the washcloth down and turning around. “What do you have on my father?”

“What do you mean?” I’m going to need her to be more specific.

“I mean, my father just asked me to find something in your possession. A thumb drive. What’s on it? And why does he want it?” she questions me.

My eyes widen.Her father asked her to steal from me? And she’s telling me about it?

There could only be one thing Joey Marciano wants.

“I’ll show you.” I spin on my heel, make a beeline for my office, and unlock my safe. Retrieving the little metal drive before I sit at my desk and power on my computer. I watch as Antonia makes her way around to stand beside me. “I am curious, though. Why are you asking me and not attempting to do what he wants?”

“I thought about it. But we agreed to give this a real go. That means no lies, no betrayals, no cheating,” she tells me.

“Okay, this drive has all the information I’ve dug up on him over the years. Evidence. This single file in the wrong hands… Let’s just say it wouldn’t end too well for your old man,” I explain.

“What evidence?”

“Trafficking, racketeering, narcotics.” I list off any number of her father’s crimes.

“Trafficking? What is he trafficking, Carlo?” Antonia asks.

“Women,” I tell her. “There is also all the information I found about your mother on here. If he’s looking for that, well, then he knows she’s alive somewhere.”

“How has she managed to stay hidden this long?”

“Luck?” I suggest. “If you could, would you want to meet her?”

“No.” Antonia shakes her head. “She left me. With him. She knew what he was and she left me with him.”

“I know.” I reach over and pull her onto my lap. “Thank you,” I say, kissing her forehead.

“For what?”

“For trusting me.”

“What are we going to do about this?” She sighs.

“Give it to him. After we delete everything on your mother. Wait a couple of days and tell him you found it.”

“Why?”

I shrug. “Because I don’t need it. I have the only thing your father ever had that I wanted.”

“What’s that?” She smiles.

“You.” My lips press against hers.

And then I hear Jazzy screech out, “Tío E!”

“For the love of God… Does he know he lives in Mexico, not here?” I groan.

“He’s supposed to be your friend.” Antonia stands at the same time Emmanuel walks through my office door, holding a silver serving platter with a lid.