Union Of Death (Secrets of The Famiglia Part 2) novel Chapter 13

“I thought he was supposed to stay behind, Aliyana’s father…”

“Doesn’t get to make those choices where Salvatore is involved.” Deno finishes Matteo's sentence.

I shoot a text to the ghost saying that it was Salvatore.

My phone beeps almost immediately after that,

Not that camera, the one on your bedroom

Ghost

I say nothing further or draw any further attention to Salvatore’s arrival.

“I need to go to the bathroom, let’s get the plans on the table and get the others in here.” I leave them and head up the stairs and straight to the bathroom where I open up my phone and punch my pin and then finger print Michael Stone set up for me, and add in the time and date into the videos search box.

The signal is fast, another thing Michael Stone added for me. The search finds my result and I watch the feed.

A tall hooded man, walks into my room and goes straight to my safety box I keep on the floor beneath a tile. He opens it and places something in it. Then seals the box and puts everything the way it was before leaving.

Following the footsteps of the hooded man, I head to my bedroom, ignoring the black bedding filled with toys and straight to the tile. I open my box and look inside to find a small USB.

I head to my computer on the right side of the room and put it in.

The video plays Jack Creston and a shorter hooded figure exchanging something, I almost close my laptop when a figure in the background catches my eye. The video ends and a message pops up to open file 227 and I do, to see Mero at the back of the restaurant kitchen, talking to a girl.

I frown as I see who she is. What were two of them talking about. I watch them exchange words and Mero gets pissed off as she starts smiling. He storms off.

I frown, because I don’t see or understand the connection.

Me: What am I missing?

I shoot the text to the Ghost hoping he'll know more.

Ghost: Ask the fucker who put it there.

Me: I thought I was?

Ghost: I'm not 6.2 but someone in your house is

Me: Got it

Ghost: You should have chosen the Queen

Me: .

I leave the room after putting everything back to how it was. Downstairs the women are sitting and discussing something, with Gabriel as he sits near Mischa, helping her build the puzzle on the wooden board.

Aliyana has her feet on the couch already comfortable, as Guilia and Camilla sit around the fire with a glass of red wine.

“You all look cozy, enjoying yourself?” I ask and for some reason Aliyana doesn’t even look at me, it is like I am not even there.

“Aliyana, and Gabriel, a word.” Camilla frowns, but says nothing, she knows better than to question me about anything in front of guests.

Aliyana unfolds herself from her position and Gabriel stands up leaving his water on the table. They both share a look I don’t like but I leave it be and walk out of the lounge and down the passageway, to the library area where I stir them to the bar area on the left wing.

“Sit,” I tell them as I round the bar counter and pull a bottle of Jack down from the top shelf.

“What is this about?” Aliyana asks me,

“You are going to want a drink for this.” I tell them as I drop 3 glasses on the counter and start pouring us all a stiff drink.

“I think I'm good for now.” Aliyana says and I give her an exasperated sigh.

“Mero ever mention he was seeing someone in the Famiglia?” I ask them both, Aliyana frowns, but Gabriel merely gives me his eyes.

His poker face is good, but I am a bit better than that, “It might prove his innocence.”

“Mero is not the killer, he loved Ren like we all did. There must be reason to whatever you think makes him a perpetrator.”

I pour another glass of brandy and swallow it, in one big gulp. The burn is nothing like the smouldering evil eyes Aliyana is so inclined on giving me.

“Maybe you should take a second to let that brandy sink in, it might give you a brain.”

“Aliyana,” Her name comes out like a whip through my lips.

“No Liya.”

Gabriel is wise to read the signs of this meeting getting bad fast.

“Many men would never talk to me like that.”

“I am not many men. Asking us to spy on some guy is one thing, expecting us to kidnap our best friend is not just another thing, this is serious and it has no grounds. Mero is not the one who killed Ren.”

“Are you trying to convince yourself of that or me?” The truth fears nothing but secrecy.

“I don’t need to convince myself, or you, I am not going to be an accessory to my friend's death.” Aliyana gets up and leaves and this time none of us stop her.

“If you want to kidnap Mero why don’t you just get it done yourself, why get us involved?” Gabriel asks me a question I normally wouldn’t answer but I do so now, because he has to learn how this life works if he is going to stay on the top once he is handed a small thrown.

“I was curious to see the extent Aliyana would go to protect her friends.”

“So, you knew she wouldn’t agree to it but you asked anyway.” I smile at the young soldier, my small cousin with so much potential.

“Yes, loyalty and duty are different in our world, sometimes one outweighs the other. The question is which one do you fall under cousin?”

He casts me a look that I’m sure one day would make men and women shake.

“I’m here aren’t I?”