Envy by Eve Marian

9

Natacha

The next day, Giancarlo sat at the kitchen table sipping his coffee and reading on his phone. I’d begun cutting up pieces of muffins, croissants, and bagels for him to pick at and he just popped a sesame seed bagel bite into his mouth without even looking up.

Despite my years of schooling and the countless cases I’d solved, this small act of progress at a job I had no intention of applying for a month ago, made me unreasonably happy.

Grabbing the flour, I began a pizza dough recipe I found online last night. I watched the entire video this time and it looked simple enough. I just had to give myself enough time to let the yeast rise and then the dough. It would take a couple of hours, at least.

“Do you have many friends, Natacha?” Giancarlo’s question came out of nowhere, catching me off guard. Was he just making casual conversation or was there a reason for his question?

“I have several acquaintances, but I only consider one person my friend.”

He pursed his lips and put down his white coffee mug. “Me too.” He turned to look at me. “What’s your friend’s name?”

“Charlotte. She’s a personal trainer.” I smiled, thinking of my friend. “We’re complete opposites, but she can make me laugh and confront me with truths that others don’t have the guts to say.”

He leaned back in his chair. “Most people are afraid to tell me the truth. I usually just expect everyone to lie to me.”

“That’s quite a pessimistic outlook.” In my line of work, I actually agreed with him, but right now, my palms felt clammy because I was the one deceiving him.

“Maybe I am. But I can only be pleasantly surprised if I’m wrong and prepared if I’m right.”

“Are you ever wrong?”

At that moment, Nicky walked into the room and Giancarlo’s face turned rigid. A coldness crossed his eyes and I shivered from the change in his mood. “Unfortunately, not very often.”

Nicky, however, was completely unfazed. “Good morning, Mr. Rossi. Mornin’, Natacha.” He walked straight to the kitchen table and grabbed a chunk of croissant and shoved it in his mouth.

“Would you like a coffee, Nicky?” I asked, watching Giancarlo, but he was staring at the young man.

“I would love one. You’re the best, Nat.” The nickname caught me off guard, but I didn’t hate it coming from him. He had this surfer boy, easy spirit attitude that I couldn’t be upset with. He would flash those pearly whites, and I would laugh at him. But today, Nicky’s face was drawn, and he had dark circles under his eyes.

“Nicky, I need to speak with you in my office.” Giancarlo rose from the table, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“Sure thing, boss. I’ll be right there after I finish my breakfast.”

I cringed as soon as the words left Nicky’s mouth. There weren’t many bosses you could speak to like that. The man was obviously inexperienced.

I wasn’t surprised when Giancarlo crossed his arms and said, “Now.”

Nicky’s head snapped up and he stared at Giancarlo like a schoolboy in front of an angry principal. “Um… sure thing. He rubbed his hand over his mouth and then checked his pockets. Let me just grab my phone.” He turned to leave.

“No,” Giancarlo said in a steady voice, and Nicky froze. “When I say now, that doesn’t mean in five minutes. It doesn’t mean you can grab your phone. It means you move your ass to my office before you take your next breath. Do you understand?”

Giancarlo’s voice was low, but there was no mistaking his annoyance. He walked around the table and stood directly in front of Nicky. “Where were you last night?”

Nicky rubbed his hands along the side of his jeans. He didn’t respond right away, looking up at the ceiling first, then at me. I didn’t know how to help the guy. Giancarlo had asked a simple question.

“I was here,” he said.

“You’re lying.” Giancarlo curled a fist at his side. I thought about leaving, but my body couldn’t move. My feet felt like they were cemented to the ground.

Nicky was just a kid. And he lied like one, too. His hands shook and sweat drenched his gray T-shirt underneath his arms. He looked like a scared little boy and I wanted to save him somehow, but I wouldn’t get involved. I had my own neck to worry about.

“I’m not lying,” he said. “I was here all night. I—”

Giancarlo moved quickly, pinning Nicky to the cabinets. I jumped from the sound of the impact and clutched the counter. I hadn’t expected him to move that fast.

“I checked the surveillance tapes this morning. You went out last night. And I want to know where.” He gripped Nicky’s T-shirt, pulling up his short sleeves. “And don’t fucking lie to me this time.”

I gasped. I couldn’t help it. The green and red image caught my eyes and my breath whooshed out of my chest.

Medusa. Nicky had a Medusa tattoo, just like the one described in the missing kid case I was researching before taking on this job. This had to be him. And if it was, his parents wanted him home badly. I had to do something before Giancarlo… well; I wasn’t exactly sure what Giancarlo was capable of, but I didn’t think it would be good.

“He was with me,” I shouted. My heart hammered in my chest. I steadied my breathing, trying to appear calm.

Giancarlo turned those hard brown eyes on me, and my throat tightened.

I’m an idiot. What the hell am I thinking?

That was the thing. I wasn’t thinking at all. I’d just reacted. I needed to help my client and solve their case, and this was the only thing that came to mind.

“You?” Giancarlo’s eyes narrowed.

I nodded; afraid my voice might crack.

Nicky’s eyes grew large and I prayed he’d pull it together before Giancarlo turned his face back to his.

I continued talking to ensure just that. “He came to my place last night. I didn’t think that would be a problem.”

His gaze dropped to my neck, and then lower. His frown straightened as he assessed me. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but his stare made it difficult for me to breathe.

“No, it’s not a problem. If that is the truth.”

I nodded again.

Shit.

Why was I feeling bad about lying to a mafia boss? He’d done a lot worse than lie, I was sure.

Nicky swallowed when Giancarlo turned his head back to him.

“Is this true?”

He nodded emphatically.

Keep it together, Nicky.

Letting go of Nicky’s shirt, Giancarlo took a step back. He didn’t look relieved. His face was still rigid and his fists still curled at his sides. I wasn’t sure if he bought the story, but he couldn’t disprove it either. It was our word against his. It would be enough for now.

“I want my car brought around to the front in fifteen minutes. Is that clear?”

Nicky straightened his shirt and cleared his throat. “Absolutely. Fifteen minutes.”

Giancarlo brushed the wrinkles from his white shirt and walked past Nicky.

“Why did you—” Nicky began, but I slammed my index finger against my lips, shushing him.

I tiptoed to the kitchen entrance and watched Giancarlo close his office door. I closed my eyes and exhaled the largest breath I’d ever held in my life.

“Shit.” I knew I’d put myself on Giancarlo’s radar. He may watch me more closely now if he thought I was sneaking around with a staff member he found suspicious. But there was nothing I could do about that now.

I turned to Nicky and spoke slowly and clearly. “I know who you are.”

He leaned back. “What do you mean?”

“I know your name’s Nicholas DeMarco and you disappeared last month.”

“How—”

I needed to get this out before Giancarlo came back.

“Your parents are looking for you and I caught wind of that. Don’t ask me how because I won’t tell you. I could get several people in big trouble.” That wasn’t necessarily true, it would just get me into trouble, but I wouldn’t tell Nicky that.

He rubbed his face, and his voice was soft. “I can’t go back to them. I’ve done too much. I can’t face them.”

“Of course you can. Your parents care about you and just want you back home.”

“Is that why you lied for me?”

“Yes. Giancarlo looked angry and I wasn’t sure what he would do to you. So now I need you to tell me the truth. I need to know what I’ve risked my neck for. Where did you go last night?”

He sighed and fell into a kitchen chair. “I was stupid and got drunk at a bar. The one thing I’m not allowed to do is drink and drive on the job. I knew if I came home drunk or if Giancarlo found out, he’d fire me. So, I crashed at a friend’s place until I sobered up.”

I fell into the chair next to him. “Nicky, that was really stupid. Giancarlo isn’t just a regular employer. You know that, right? How the hell did you even get mixed up with him?”

He shrugged. “A friend of a friend said he had a job that would pay cash, as long as I didn’t ask too many questions. I didn’t even know who Giancarlo was. I just thought he was some rich dude. But after he got shot, I started asking questions. Now, I think I’ve gotten in over my head.”

“Yeah,” I nodded and ran my fingers through my hair. “You can’t quit now. It will look too suspicious. You’ve got to stick through this for a little longer. I’m going to send a message to your parents though and let them know you’re all right.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And for the love of God, don’t mess up again. It may be both of us getting fired next time.”

Or worse.