Page 39 of Never Say Never

I shook my head. "I looked, there wasn't anything. Her file is full of misdemeanors but most are sealed due to her being a minor when she committed the crimes." I stared at my brother. "Marianna?"

Benito shook his head, but I could see it on his face he wasn't certain. He could deny it all he wanted but the truth was he wasn't a hundred percent sure.

"She's worked for me for years. Why now?"

"Why does anyone rat? You’re not paying her enough? Her morals shifted? Who the hell knows."

"I pay her more than she's worth, especially after the incident with Harlow."

"Should I even ask?"

Benito waved his hand. "He thought I was cheating and nearly killed her." He said it as if it wasn't a big deal that his husband was murder happy. Benito in the past would have called Harlow a liability and killed him. "Who the fuck is Teresa?"

"She works at the auction house. Hired within the past two years or so. I wouldn't have looked her way, but I know Gin recently bought someone there."

"That idiot." Benito sighed. "Yes, he bought Ash."

I wasn't shocked, in fact it was probably the best thing for my twin to have a boyfriend. Gin was the clingy one out of us.

"We're down to two. With so many eyes on me, I don't know if I can get to both." Benito had his phone out, thumbs working over the screen. "Gin will handle Teresa and as for Marianna?" Benito looked torn.

"I'll go."

"Paolo, you can't blow your cover."

"No, but if she is the mole, I want her dealt with as well. It takes one slip up and they’ll find out that you have an inside man. I can't have my boss finding out." I fixed my ball cap over my head. "Take Harlow out on a date or something."

We stared at one another. If my brother expected me to cave, I wouldn’t. It was too big of a risk sending him to Marianna's place. There was no doubt someone was watching out for her if she was the mole and if she wasn't, no hard feelings. My brother would be able to keep his trusted house cleaner.

"Don't get messy," Benito warned.

"Now you're taking all the fun out of it."

"Lunatic." He headed for the exit. "I forget that you and Gin are similar in ways. You’re both fucking weirdos."

I laughed. "Weird or entertaining? You weren't exactly sane either as a kid."

Benito ignored my remark entirely. "Anyway, I can get some free time from your FBI friends soon?"

"There is a tidbit about the Aceto's I'm working on. York isn't just gunning for you guys but all three."

"He just has a hard-on for us," Benito pointed out.

Well, for one of us.

Benito's demeanor shifted, his gaze darkening as he stopped short of leaving the abandoned warehouse. "If she's the mole, I know you will take care of it. She's given me good years. I don’t know that I would be able to do it, so thanks."

I pulled up a few blocks away from Marianna’s house. The quiet suburban neighborhood was straight out of an eighties movie. A stark difference from where I lived now. A sense of rightness settled over me and seeped into my bones as I shed Paul the FBI agent and fully allowed myself to be Gianpaolo. It was like taking a hit off a cigarette after going cold turkey for six months. There was nothing like it.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, giving me pause. A smile instantly tugged at my lips as I looked at the screen. The girls had asked for my number and I was a sucker for their doe eyes and mischievous grins. I was in a group chat with ten-year-olds who used more emoticons than I knew were on the phone. If they made me feel old, York had to feel ancient when talking to his daughters.

Navy: Paul r u busy ????

Nyra: Want to come over for ????

Nyra: If you don’t know that means: games

Paul: Hi, girls. Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?