Rome, Italy.
Alliana's pov:
I woke up to find Souline nearly falling out of bed, her phone lying on the floor. I yawned and rubbed my eyes before reaching over to gently shake her awake. She groaned, glancing at me with a look that clearly said, What do you want? I've gotten pretty good at reading Souline's facial expressions.
"What happened while I was sleeping? Last night, I overheard you talking to someone," I asked. Souline scratched her neck, yawning as she sat up on the bed. "Kai called me and apologized for Carlos's behavior yesterday. He also asked if you could call him back because it's urgent," she explained.
I furrowed my brows, puzzled as to why Kai wanted to speak with me. "Do you still have his phone number?" I asked. "Mhm," Souline said. "Give it to me," I said. Souline grabbed her phone, pulled up Kai's contact, and handed it to me before drifting back to sleep.
I copied down his number and got up to take a shower. I spent about forty minutes in there, the last ten focused on plucking my brows. Tomorrow was our last day in Rome, but I was frustrated. I'd flown eight hours and spent both money and energy to help someone who was egotistical and unappreciative. Still, I wasn't done with Kai or Carlos. Apparently, Kai wanted to talk for reasons I didn't fully understand, but something told me it was worth it.
I stepped outside and dialed Kai's number, waiting for a response. After a few seconds, the phone picked up. "Hello? Kai?" I asked. "Is this Alliana?" he said. "You wanted to talk to me, right?" I asked. "Yeah," Kai said, sounding a little hesitant. "As Souline probably told you, I'm really sorry for Carlos' behavior. I don't know why he acted like that, but I swear it wasn't intentional." I rolled my eyes, but I wasn't the type to hold grudges. "I appreciate your apology," I said, "but what else did you want to discuss?"
"Well..." Kai hesitated, then continued. "The cops came and arrested Carlos after you and Souline left." My brows furrowed in confusion. "Excuse me?" I asked. "Yeah," he explained. "The cops arrested Carlos because the feds told him two days ago that if he didn't find a lawyer, he'd be arrested." I sighed in frustration. "He would've had me as a lawyer if he wasn't such an asshole!"
On the phone, Kai sighed deeply. "I know, and I apologize for his behavior," he said. "All I want is for us to make things right and for you to help us." His words sent a surge of frustration through me. How dare he ask me to help them again after the way his scumbag bodyguards and Carlos treated Souline and me? If he thought for even a second that I was going to help him, he was delusional. He could shove a book up his ass and find another lawyer.
"I'm sorry, Kai," I said, my voice firm. "But I've decided not to help you again. I'd rather work for the shittiest, filthiest client than work with Carlos again." I didn't want to hear another word. "Bye," I said, hanging up the phone, making it clear I meant every word I said and was sticking to my decision.
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Rome, Italy.
Kai's pov:
Alliana hung up the phone before I could get another word in. I let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed my temples, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. This whole situation was so fucking stressful, especially with Carlos locked up. And now, I had to break the news to him that Alliana had decided not to work with us on the case anymore. I had no idea how he'd react, but I knew he couldn't do much since he had no freedom.
I was tempted to call her back and try to work out some kind of deal, but her tone was clear: she wanted nothing to do with us. I stood up and stretched before running downstairs, heading straight for the police station. After about forty minutes, I finally arrived and told the chauffeur to park out back while I handled things with Carlos.
I'd already arranged with the head chief to meet with Carlos in private, and he knew exactly who we were. I entered the room to find Carlos sitting there in his uniform, handcuffed, and looking as deflated as I felt. I took the chair across from him, and the cops left the room, standing guard outside, leaving us alone to talk.
"Hey," I said. "Hey," Carlos said. "How does it feel to be back inside?" I asked. "Not bad, considering I've been here before," he said. "Did you ever contact Alliana?" Carlos asked, his voice laced with a hint of hope. "Yes, but don't get your hopes up. She said she's no longer working for us," I said, my tone flat.
"Are you serious?" Carlos asked, his voice thick with disbelief. "I mean, you deadass insulted her," I said. "I know, but I had the money ready for her and everything," Carlos explained, frustration seeping into his voice. "What can we do?" I asked, feeling helpless. Carlos leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply. "What the fuck are we going to do?" he muttered.
"I have no idea. When's your trial?" I asked. "I don't know," Carlos answered, sounding defeated. "Are you worried?" I asked. "Of course. Do you know how many years I could be in jail for?" he shot back. I sighed; he was right. The penalty for murder was no small thing. "Have you talked to the hitman?" I asked, trying to think of other options.
"Haven't seen him," Carlos replied with a shrug. "Fuck," I cursed under my breath, rubbing my forehead. "I need Alliana's help right away, even if I have to grab her and force her," Carlos said, a dark edge to his words. "By coercion?" I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, by force. She must have forgotten that I'm a mafia, and like a mafia, I get whatever the fuck I want," Carlos said. "How are you going to do that if you're locked up?" I asked.
"I'll leave it to you," Carlos said, leaning back in his chair. I furrowed my brows. "What are you talking about?" I asked. "You're going to Alliana's house with AJ, Vex, and Denzel, and you're going to force her to get me out of prison and resolve my legal issues," Carlos explained. I blink in surprise. "How?" I asked, feeling the weight of the situation. "Blackmail her. Look her up, see if she has any dirt on herself, and we'll blackmail her with that information," Carlos said.
I rubbed my chin, a bit skeptical. "What if she has nothing bad on her?" I asked. "Then just bring her back here," Carlos said. "What do I do with her if I abduct her?" I asked. "If she asks why you abducted her, tell her I told you to do it so she could get me out of jail," Carlos said. "Where would I keep her?" I asked. "We have spare bedrooms; just lock her in there with some extra clothes," he explained without hesitation. "But what about Souline?" I asked. "I don't think we need Souline," Carlos said.
It'd be fun to mess with Souline as well, but she's too smart for me to pull anything off on her right now, so I'll save that for another time. "Once you have Alliana, bring her in, and we'll have a quick chat," Carlos said. "All right," I said. "I'll see you soon," Carlos said. "Likewise, take care," I said, walking out of the room. As I left the station, my mind started racing.
This plan had to be carried out quickly and efficiently, or Carlos would be stuck behind bars until hell freezes over. I couldn't afford to fail. I was going to start brainstorming, figure out how to get to Alliana, and hopefully find something, anything, to make this work.