Hot Set

by Ivy Blake

  So I had stayed away from the computer all these years, immersing myself in bringing up Sofia instead. But today, I made my way to Papa’s office in the house. In three years, this was the first time I went on the internet. I could still hear Leo’s voice in my head. He wanted me to see for myself, to do my own investigation and find out if what he was saying about Papa was true or not.

  I tried my best to look for anything on Papa and our family that I could. Since we moved to America, there were hardly any reports on Marco Aducci in the news in Italy, and there was no trace of him in America. I remembered, growing up, Papa was always in the news. Journalists were always writing about him and trying to force the Italian government’s hands to make an arrest, to make Papa answerable for the innumerable crimes our family was committing on a daily basis. Now, there was nothing. It was as though Italy had breathed a sigh of relief that Marco Aducci had left the country.

  I tried researching a different angle after that. The trafficking numbers in Italy had gone down significantly in the past four years since we left. And that raised alarm bells in my head. Even though I couldn’t find a direct connection between human trafficking and Papa, I couldn’t deny the fact that there was something suspicious.

  I turned off the computer, my heart racing in my chest. I had spent the last day since I spoke to Leo trying hard to deny what he’d told me. I couldn’t believe Papa would be involved in something so gruesome and inhumane. I wanted to find proof that would prove Leo wrong.

  I searched around his office, hopeful for clues. I didn’t know when Papa would be back from the meeting he said he had gone to, but I was willing to take my chances.

  I searched every drawer and every file and folder for evidence. In the bookshelves, I shook out the books and looked in every corner. I must have spent close to an hour looking before I saw the black leather bound folder at the back of a row of books. It had clearly been placed there to keep it hidden from the naked eye. I slipped it out and lifting my blouse, I stuck it into my pants. That was when I heard the door creak open.

  “Bella, what are you doing in here?” I heard Papa’s voice and froze.

  I could hear his footsteps approaching me and I whipped around to him, afraid of what he might do if he found me with the folder that he had clearly gone to lengths to keep hidden.

  “Oh, Papa, you’re back!” I exclaimed, forcing myself to smile.

  His brows were furrowed; I could see he was suspicious. He was searching my face for signs.

  “I’m looking for a pair of earrings. Sofia’s got into this habit of hiding my things around the house,” I said, as calmly and casually as possible. Papa’s eyes were dark and I could sense that he was trying to decide whether he should believe me or not. He looked me up and down and then around the office. I had made sure to not make a mess or leave a trace that I was looking for anything of his. He clenched his jaw and stepped away from me, walking over to his desk.

  “You won’t find it here, she doesn’t come into this room. In fact, I’m thinking of keeping my office locked from now on,” he said, sitting down on his chair.

  I felt too nervous to speak, too afraid of what the consequences would be if he thought I was suspicious of him.

  “Yeah, that’s a good idea,” I said and he looked up at me sharply.

  “You remember about the charity ball on Saturday, don’t you? Adam’s organized it and he wants you to be there,” he continued. I gulped. Just the thought of exchanging fake pleasantries with that man sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t stand him and his sleazy ways. I knew that he’d been trying hard to get me to sleep with him, and the thought made me sick. My only hope was that Papa would be against the idea, although in the past few years, Papa had become reliant on him.

  “Yeah, I remember. I’ll go…I’ll make sure one of the maids is there to babysit Sofia,” I said, smiling weakly at Papa.

  “Good. Now, off you go. I don’t want you coming into this room again, Bella. There’s some important stuff here which I don’t want you messing with,” Papa warned as I rushed out of the room.

  “Yeah, you’re right. See you later,” I said and I closed the door behind me, breathing a sigh of relief. I didn’t want to look too anxious since Matteo and Francis were hanging around the hallway, keeping a watchful eye on Papa.

  I rushed past them with the ledger digging into my skin. It was still tucked into my pants. Luckily I had a big comfy sweater on so nothing was noticeable. I made my way up to Sofia’s room, where I’d left her playing with her toys. I locked the door behind me before I sat down cross-legged on the floor with her and slipped the ledger out.

  Just from the first page, as my eyes flitted over the words and numbers, I knew exactly what this was. These were records of the old human trafficking business Papa had abandoned in Naples.

  Chapter 15

  Leo

  I had received a late night call from Isabella the previous night, and she had spoken in whispers and asked to meet me at a cafe. I could sense that she was trying to keep the meeting hidden from Marco.

  The next day, I was anxious to see her again. I arrived early at the cafe, sitting at a table, sipping on an espresso. When she arrived, I jumped out of my seat, glad to see her again. I was hopeful and excited as she weaved around the tables towards me.

  “Thank you for meeting me, Leo,” she said, in a formal tone. I wished that we could just fall into each other’s arms again and kiss and be together. I knew that wasn’t possible, not right now. I would have to work hard at gaining her trust again. Marco had spent a lot of time breaking it.

  “Of course, Isabella, I’ve been waiting to hear back from you,” I said and sat down after she was sitting across from me.

  She was in a dark dress, with dark sunglasses covering her face. It was like she had tried very hard to keep herself from being recognized.

  “Do you want anything to drink?” I asked her and she shook her head.

  “I don’t have much time. I want to be back before Papa starts suspecting anything,” she told me, and she was speaking in a conspiratorial whisper.

  “Okay, you can tell me why we’re here then,” I began. Isabella jerked her head up to look at me, and then slowly started dragging the glasses off her face. I saw her green eyes sparkling now, not with excitement, but with a sort of dejection.

  “I found a ledger in Papa’s office. It was the proof I needed to know that you’re not lying. He was involved in trafficking children and women in Naples. I know that now,” she said and her voice seemed choky as she spoke.

  My hands itched with the need to reach for her, to stroke her hair and hold her again. But Isabella was averting her gaze as I looked at her. I could sense that she wanted to keep her distance from me.

  “I’m sorry that I pointed a gun at you, that I didn’t believe you,” she continued and her voice became thin, like it was about to crack.

  “You don’t have to apologize to me, Isabella, you were just trying to protect your daughter…our daughter,” I said and she met my eyes again. I could see fear in those eyes.

  “I want to do something, I want to help in any way that I can. I don’t want Papa to rule our lives anymore. I want him destroyed!” she hissed and I could see her nostrils flaring. She was angry. She was a mother who was trying to keep her child safe, and the person she had to protect her child from was her own father.

  “We have a plan,” I said and she crossed her brows.

  “We?” she asked.

  I shifted in my seat and held her gaze.

  “I’m working with Gino Cavallini. I’ve been working with him since your father left Naples. He showed me mercy and opened my eyes to the atrocities that Marco had been involved in,” I explained. I could see that Isabella was uncomfortable. After all, Gino was still the son of the man who had killed her mother. She gulped and looked away from me, I could sense her thinking…trying to make a decision.

  “What plan?” she asked.

  “It involves Adam
Wright and if you are willing to help, this could really be beneficial to our mission,” I told her.

  Isabella looked even more confused now.

  “What are you talking about, Leo? How do you know about Adam Wright? He’s just Papa’s lawyer,” she exclaimed.

  “He is also Marco’s confidant and business partner. He could lead us to the people they are holding here,” I replied and Isabella’s breasts heaved frantically.

  “He’s doing it here too? Trafficking?” she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.

  “We have reason to believe that he’s building the same business here. He’s got a taste of the kind of money it generates and he wants more,” I told her. Isabella was gritting her teeth; I could see that she was enraged. She’d thought that Marco had stopped it in Naples.

  “What can I do? I’ll do anything!” she declared.

  “Our sources tell us that Adam wants you. So, you might be our best bet. If you can isolate him, make him think that he…he can have you…then we could plant a tracking chip on him. He could lead us to the people they’re holding. We could save those people!” I explained, watching her closely. It was difficult for me to explain the plan to her because it made me sick.

  Isabella’s nostrils were flared, she was looking away from me, out of the cafe windows and at the people walking past.

  “Okay, I’ll do it,” she replied, after some moments of silence had passed between us. I clenched my jaw. A part of me was hoping that she would refuse to do it. Then Gino would be forced to come up with a different plan.

  Isabella looked at me again, her green eyes piercing into my face.

  “Will I have to do anything with him?” she asked with her lips trembling.

  “No! I will be there, I’ll make sure he’s not able to do anything. I promise you, Isabella,” I said and reached for her hand that was on the table.

  “Saturday night, he’s organized a charity ball at the Marquis Hotel. We will all be there, I’ll get him alone then. I have to go now,” she spoke like she was giving orders, and she yanked her hand away from me before I could hold it.

  I watched her leaving the cafe in a rush. At least our plan to destroy Marco was working out, but I wondered if things would ever be fine between Isabella and I.

  I wondered if I would ever get to know my daughter.

  Chapter 16

  Isabella

  Two days later, it was the evening of the charity ball and I was dressed in a sexy new dress I’d bought the previous day with money Papa had handed me in cash.

  I felt sick to my stomach as I entered the room on Papa’s arm. I caught Adam’s eye immediately. He was standing, talking, and shaking hands with a group of men, but his eyes trailed over me. I’d picked out this dress with its long slit on the side and the endless bare back for a reason. I wanted Adam to find me irresistible tonight and it was working.

  I wandered away from Papa; he wanted me to go to the bar and get started on the drinks while he mingled with the people at the event. As I walked towards the bar, I could sense heads turning and Adam’s eyes on me. I knew I would attract a lot of attention in that silver sparkly dress. Papa had already praised my choice in the car, telling me how proud he was of his beautiful daughter. I felt anger when I heard those words; he’d never told me how proud he was of the person I was, or of Sofia, or the fact that I had stuck with him through all the madness. He was just proud because I looked pretty.

  I sat at the bar, with my heart racing in my chest. The bartender turned and I saw it was Leo. He was in a black tuxedo, looking handsome enough to take my breath away. I hadn’t had any contact with him since that day in the cafe and now he was here, posing as a bartender at the charity event. I nearly jumped off the bar stool and into his arms, I was so relieved to see him.

  “What can I get you, miss?” he asked, in his heavily accented English. There were some people around us and I could sense that he was trying not to arouse their suspicion.

  “A dirty martini,” I told him, watching him closely as he moved around, making my drink. I couldn’t take my eyes off the way his muscles moved under his jacket, his strong jaw, his dark slicked back thick hair. In the past three years, Leo had grown more handsome, he looked stronger and more confident. He was the father of my daughter, and I blushed at the thought of that.

  When he placed my martini glass in front of me, our eyes met and he smiled softly.

  “You look beautiful and you’re doing very well. That bastard can’t stop looking at you,” Leo said, in a low voice but casually. I could feel my cheeks growing hot. Why was it that when he complimented me, my heart started racing in my chest?

  “What should I do now?” I asked.

  Leo was wiping some glasses, continuing to work while he talked to me casually.

  “There’s a room upstairs, on the second floor, 209. We’ve already booked it in your name. Take him up there, and give him this drink. It takes about fifteen minutes to kick in,” he replied and produced a glass from under the bar counter. He also slipped across a key for the room he was talking about. I put it in my purse quickly. The drink looked like whiskey, like the one I’d seen in Adam’s hand already.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be there, trust me,” Leo said and swiftly moved away. I opened my mouth to say something to him, to get his attention again, but he was already taking the drink order from someone else.

  “Isabella…you look like a million bucks!” I heard Adam’s voice behind me. It was all happening so fast I didn’t even have the time to prepare myself. I turned in the stool to look at him, trying to smile.

  “I’m glad you noticed,” I replied and picked up the glass of whiskey Leo had left. Adam’s blue eyes narrowed on me, admiring me, his gaze sweeping up and down and fixing eventually on my heaving breasts, at the cleavage spilling from my dress.

  “What do you have there?” he asked and I handed him the glass of whiskey.

  “A drink for you. I was hoping you’d come over soon and talk to me,” I replied and Adam’s thin lips stretched in a smile. He took a sip from the glass with his eyes still focused on my body.

  “This must be my lucky night,” he said in a low husky voice. I could sense that he’d had some drinks already, his guards had been lowered…he did not suspect me of anything.

  “It could be, depending on what you consider lucky,” I told him, biting down on my lip. Adam grinned and took another sip.

  “You know, Isabella, I didn’t think you liked me very much,” he said and stepped closer to me, close enough for me to smell his whiskey-laden breath.

  “Clearly you don’t know me very well. Do you know that I’m very lonely? Locked up in that big house in Queens. All I want is a strong man like you to make me feel alive,” I replied, making my voice as seductive as possible. I had to force myself because I couldn’t even stand to keep looking at him.

  Adam’s breathing became harsh; he took another sip.

  “Your father will be so happy to hear that. He looks up to me, you know?” Adam stated and a light chuckle escaped his lips.

  “I have an idea of what we can do to make him even happier,” I said and slipped off my stool. I grabbed Adam’s hand and started leading him out of the room. His bodyguard, who always stuck with him just like Papa’s did, was following us. Adam allowed me to lead him away and when I looked over my shoulder at the bar, I saw that Leo was already gone.

  ***

  “Stay out here!” Adam growled at his bodyguard outside the hotel room. I giggled and opened the door and Adam stumbled in behind me.

  I couldn’t tell if it was the sedative that Leo had mixed in the drink which was beginning to take effect, or if it was just the alcohol, but Adam was definitely more misbalanced now.

  I locked the door behind us and he walked to the bed, wobbly on his feet. He sat down at the edge of the bed with a thump, then patted the spot beside him.

  “Come here, let me undress you,” he hissed, narrowing his blue eyes at me. I could feel a wa
ve of nausea rising in me. Leo was nowhere in sight. I didn’t want to have to take this any further.

  I walked slowly to the bed, shying away from looking at Adam. Maybe some women might have considered him to be a handsome man, but I didn’t. He was too thin, his face looked too pinched, and he was at least a decade older than me. He had a sly smile and a glint in his blue eyes, like he was a hungry wolf salivating at the thought of devouring me.

  “Sit down!” he growled and I had no choice but to do as I was told. He stared at me from my face and all the way down to my cleavage.

  “I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you,” he declared and he reached a hand out to cup my breasts. I gasped when he touched me, feeling the coldness of his skin seeping through me. I resisted every urge to lash out, to push him away. Because now, I could see Adam’s eyelids drooping, growing heavy. I could sense him about to pass out.

  “You are such a sexy little pixie.” He slurred his words and swayed towards me. I smiled at him, and the next second, he fell forward, crashing down on me and laying me flat on the bed. I’d squealed from the suddenness of his crash, and I felt trapped under him.

  I tried to push him, but he wouldn’t budge. He was passed out cold on top of me, and that was when the bathroom door opened.

  “Shhh…” Leo said, stepping out. “I heard him fall,” he said and rushed to my side.

  Gripping me by my shoulders, he smoothly slid me out from under Adam.

  “What if he wakes up and sees you here?” I asked, jerking away from the bed. I wanted to get as far away from Adam as possible.

  “He won’t, not for another two hours. You have to stay in the room until he wakes up,” Leo said and I gulped as I saw him take out a device, which looked like a small flashlight.