12. Henry

12

HENRY

I arrive at the restaurant early, my nerves on edge. This dinner with Lana is a bad idea all around. I need information, but I can't let my guard down again. The call with Lana told me she feels the same, so I don't have to worry about her flirting. That doesn't make me feel better. I'm just as complicit in our ill-advised tryst last night, and my libido wants nothing more than to do it again.

I fidget with my tie, scanning the entrance. When Lana walks in, my breath catches. She's stunning in a form-fitting black dress, her dark hair cascading over one shoulder. For a moment, I forget why I'm here.

Lana spots me and saunters over, a hesitant smile playing on her lips. "Detective."

I stand to greet her. "Ms. D'Amato. Thank you for joining me."

She nods and sits in the chair I hold out for her, noticing that she hasn't asked me to call her Lana. It feels like a punch to the gut.

I settle back into my seat, hyper-aware of her presence. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of ordering some wine."

She studies me for a moment. "Hoping it will loosen my tongue?"

The memory of her licking the precum off my dick last night flashes in my mind. Fucking hell.

"I thought it might relax us both."

"So, not angling for a repeat of last night? I must say, you have an interesting way of interrogating women."

She's bantering, but it doesn't have the humor of before. I'm not sure whether she's wary or embarrassed.

"I think we've agreed that last night was… unprofessional of me. It won't happen again."

She sighs, settling back in her chair as the wine arrives. The server pours us each a glass. We both sip as if we need the moment.

"So is tonight about making sure I'm not somewhere in the city making trouble? Or is your partner raiding another business?" The lightness is back in her voice, and it's unsettling how glad I am about it.

I smile. "Someone's got to keep an eye on you D'Amatos."

She laughs, a rich, melodious sound that sends a shiver down my spine. "Ah, of course. And you've volunteered for the job, I see." Lana's eyes sparkle with mischief. "How dedicated of you."

I shrug, feigning nonchalance. "It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it."

"And tell me, Henry, does this 'job' of yours typically involve intimate dinners and… nocturnal activities?"

I nearly choke on my wine. Is she just poking at me or testing me? "Apparently, only where you're involved."

"I'm a special case, then?"

"You could say that." Inside, I want to take this woman away to a place where we can talk and laugh and fuck. What is it about her that draws me in like the proverbial moth to a flame?

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. It's time to steer this conversation in a more productive direction.

"Lana," I begin, my tone shifting to something more serious. "I've been thinking about your brother's disappearance. Did Lazaro have any enemies who might have wanted him gone?"

Lana's laughter catches me off guard. It's not the reaction I expected.

"Oh, Henry." She shakes her head. "The better question would be who wasn't Lazaro's enemy. My brother had a unique talent for rubbing people the wrong way."

I lean forward. "Care to elaborate?"

"Let's just say Lazaro wasn't known for his tact or diplomacy. He was more of a 'shoot first, ask questions never' kind of guy. I'm being hyperbolic, of course."

"Of course."

"The point is, except for family, Lazaro didn't exactly endear himself to people."

"I see." I nod, encouraging her to continue.

Lana takes a sip of her wine. "After Lazaro disappeared, Elio spent months looking into every person my brother had ever crossed. It was an extensive list, as you might imagine."

"Did anything come of Elio's investigation?"

She shrugs. "Not really. Elio questioned a lot of people, made some threats, but ultimately came up empty-handed. It's part of why he believes Lazaro is dead. He figures if someone had taken him, they would have made demands or gloated about it by now."

"They wouldn't gloat about killing him?" I've read all I could about how the Mafia works, including FBI profile reports, but it is definitely a world I don't completely understand.

"To meet Elio now, you'd think he was a cupcake. But he's not a man to fuck with. I'll just leave it at that."

I furrow my brow, processing this information. "You don't agree with him that Lazaro is deceased?"

She lets out a long sigh. "I can't explain it. I just know he's out there somewhere. I can feel it."

I study her, intrigued. "Feel it?"

She sips her wine. "It's a twin thing, I guess. I mean, we're fraternal twins, but I guess nine months in the womb together gave us a special connection."

I nod and think about my next question. "So, Elio didn't learn anything but you did?"

"We were working together. He was the one who said I was wasting my time taking what we learned to the cops. But as you know, the police weren't exactly falling over themselves to help find Lazaro."

Deciding to change tack, I ask about the other case that could be related. "Four years ago, a cop was killed not far from one of your family's properties. Ring any bells?"

The change in Lana's demeanor is immediate and stark. Her playful flirtation vanishes, replaced by a cool, impassive mask. She fixes me with a deadpan stare that could freeze hell over. It definitely made my balls shrivel.

"You think a few orgasms and expensive wine will have me betray my family?"

"I—"

"I mean, the orgasms were good, I'll give you that, Henry, but?—"

I hold up my hand to stop her, but she keeps going.

"I thought we were past this game of cat and mouse."

"It's not a game." I don't like the disappointment in her eyes. Like I've let her down. Like I'm not the man she thought I was. As crazy as it sounds, it guts me.

"You proposed a scratch my back and I'll scratch your back sort of deal, but in the end it's just physical, is that it? Because you haven't shared shit. I thought you were different."

And there it is. She believed I was a man of honor, but now she thinks I'm just using her for a good fuck.

She tosses her napkin on the table. "Do you work for Rinella? Or maybe someone else?" Her gaze is scathing as she takes in my suit. "A guy who can afford this nice wine and fancy suit must be on the take."

I understand why she's pissed, and so I hold back my offense at her attack on my character.

"Do you look down on the cops who work for your brother?" I ask out of genuine curiosity.

"No, but they don't try to fuck me over, either." Her lips press shut as if she said too much. She stands. "This was a mistake."

I reach out and take her wrist, knowing she'll either slap me or one of her men might kill me. "Lana. Please. I'm sorry."

For a moment, I think she's going to pull away. I need to give her something. "There was some chatter that Lazaro might have been involved in that officer's death. But that's not why I'm asking, not really."

She arches a brow at me, clearly not wanting to believe me, but she's not leaving. "Then why are you asking?"

"Please. Sit."

She looks toward the door of the restaurant, but if there's one thing I know about Lana, she wants to find her brother. She sits, but she crosses her arms.

I lean in, lowering my voice. "I think there might be a connection between that incident and Lazaro's disappearance."

Her eyes narrow. "What do you mean?"

"An officer is killed near one of your properties. Then Lazaro vanishes without a trace. It's possible these events are related."

Lana's brow furrows as she processes this information. "You're saying Lazaro killed him. And if that was the case, it could mean a cop took Lazaro in retaliation."

It's a theory I reluctantly have to consider. "I have no evidence that Lazaro killed him. It's possible he saw or knew something. The person who killed the cop could be the one who kill—took Lazaro. It's just a theory. But it's one avenue we haven't explored yet. I was hoping you might have some insight."

Lana leans back, her gaze distant as she considers this new possibility. "You said the cop was killed four years ago?"

I nod, noting that she doesn't seem to know about Peter's father's murder. It's a relief. The idea that she knows about it, was a part of it, would make me sick. She's a Mafia princess , I remind myself.

"Lazaro disappeared three years ago. That's a year apart." She dismisses the idea.

"Someone could have bided their time."

She scoffs. "Not in my world."

I wonder if she realizes she's given me information about the inner workings of the Mafia. They're not patient.

"And why kidnap him? Why not just kill him outright?"

I shrug, trying to appear casual. "Maybe they wanted information. Or maybe they wanted him to suffer, to feel the same loss they did."

Lana's eyes flash with something… anger? Fear? But then her mask of composure slips back into place. "It's an interesting theory, but it's all speculation, isn't it?"

"Yes, but that's how this works. We have to come up with theories based on what we know and look for answers that confirm or disprove."

"And you think I have information about this?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking."

She bites her lip and looks into her wine. "If we do find Lazaro, what then? Are you going to arrest my brother?"

I meet her eyes. "First, I have no reason to arrest him as I have no proof he's committed a crime. Right now, I'm more interested in the truth. One step at a time."

Lana sits back, considering my words, conflict playing out behind her amber eyes. She wants to find Lazaro more than anything. I admire her dedication to him. It's proof that even those who engage in criminal activities have hearts. I'm curious what they tell themselves to justify their illegal acts. It also has me wondering just how involved Lana is in the family business. She works in the office where they run legitimate businesses, but is it just a cover? Is she actively involved in the illegal activities or just on the periphery?

As I wait for Lana's response to my inquiry about what she might know about Lazaro's involvement with Peter's father's death, I have an urge to take her away from all this. To save her from what her family involvement can lead her to, prison or death. Oh, who am I kidding? I want her away from her family because it's the one complication that makes my attraction to her wrong. But her devotion to her missing brother tells me that I don't stand a chance.