Tangled in the Mafia’s Web

Episode Twelve

Leandro's expression didn't change, but Ginevra could feel the pressure in the air. She knew she had to be cautious with her words, as Leandro seem to have a keen sense of observation and could easily detect any inconsistencies in her words.

"I'm just surprised you came so quickly," she said, trying to sound casual. "It's almost like you were waiting for my call."

She probably wasn't flirting–was she?

If she did strike a nerve there... She might perhaps say it wasn't intentional since her last words came off even before she could figure out how that sounds.

Ginevra took a mental curse as Leandro leaned back in his chair, his eyes locked on hers. She couldn't help but catch a whiff of the smoke on his breath and the unmistakable scent of whiskey on his lips.

His lips? The proximity between them was enough for her to perfectly take in the way his lips curved ever so slightly as he puffs out the smoke was a work of art, and the subtle play of emotions in his eyes was simply captivating... a deep shade of green that seemed to hold secrets of their own.

Ginevra couldn't help but get lost in them, even as she tried to maintain her composure under his intense gaze.

“I was only close, that's all," Leandro eventually uttered, his voice low and casual. Ginevra’s savagery attitude flared up inside her– what a response. Not like she expected him to just dive into it but then she may have wished for a different response, one she could get around to asking more since this very one worked out like a closed conversation.

The mafia was being careful just as she thought. Ginevra kept her expression neutral, she couldn't let him see how much she was desperate to undercover the tiniest of information.

A smug smile tugged on her lips "I find that hard to get around," Ginevra said coolly, taking a drag of her cigarette. She tried to keep her expression neutral, but her desperation to learn where he was, was growing stronger

Leandro took a long drag of his own cigarette, blowing the smoke out slowly, before extinguishing it in the ashtray. He gave Ginevra a look that said it was time to go.

"Done," he said simply.

Ginevra felt a pang of disappointment. She had hoped to learn something new from Leandro, but she knew that pushing him any further would only raise suspicion.

"Of course," she said, hiding her disappointment behind a mask of indifference.

Leandro nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. He reached for his coat, but didn't bother putting it on. Instead, he hung it on his arm and turned to the door.

“I’ll have someone keep an eye on you for a while, just to be safe,” he said as he walked out.

Right! Just when she thought he already let that part go.

Ginevra watched as he walked out of her apartment, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. That was what it was–

Leandro soon settled into the plush leather seat of his car, his eyes gazing out of the tinted window, mind still mulling over his conversation with Ginevra. It was a relaxing one, to say the least. Alonzo, took a quick glance at him through the rearview mirror just before he drove out of the parking– something unusual.

Leandro's expression, usually stoic and unreadable, was now relaxed, almost at ease. It was a discrepancy to the tension and guardedness he had displayed during the fancy soiree.

They drove through the city streets, and Alonzo tried to shake off the feeling of much consideration that settled in him as he watched Leandro. In many years, Alonzo had never seen him this way. It was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, leaving behind an eerie calmness. But still... There was a whiff of a quandary– like he was holding hard to something.

A ghost smile would have tugged on Alonzo’s lips, though instead... His face remained neutral as he focused back on the road, stirring the wheel to the next turn.

Leandro's arm rested on the window sill, his hand open and fingers twitching slightly before Alonzo's phone buzzed, interrupting the silence in the car. He checked the caller ID and saw it was one of their men.

"What's the situation?" he asked, answering the call while his eyes focused on the road.

"Boss, we've hit a snag. The shipment's been delayed because of a police check. They found some of our product in one of the trucks. It's going to take us some time to sort this out" the man on the other end explained.

Alonzo's expression didn't change, eyes still focused on the road, although a delay could mean trouble for them, and if the authorities traced the product back to them, it could be catastrophic.

“How long are we talking about?"

"No idea. These people are new"

Alonzo let out a low curse under his breath. Dealing with new law enforcement officers was always a precarious situation in the world of organized crime. However, given his experience, he was confident that they could navigate this obstacle with ease– perhaps that's why he didn't seem much in a haze.

“Understood. I'll take care of it” he said, it was more like his specialists and that's why Leandro had given him the control “Ensure the rest of the shipment is secure, and no one speaks to the police. I'll send someone to manage this situation," Alonzo said with conviction, his tone commanding.

"Understood, boss." the man replied before ending the call.

As Alonzo put his phone away, he glanced at Leandro through the rearview mirror, meeting just his side face. “The shipment was delayed. Cops issues” Alonzo simply said. “I will send Fizo to take care of it."

Leandro didn't even bother turning to face Alonzo, his attention seemingly focused on the passing cityscape outside the tinted windows of the car.

“Very well," he said calmly. “And get someone to watch Ginevra”

He didn't specify the kind of watch he meant but Alonzo said nothing. Watch means watch.

Ginevra walked to her balcony with a glass of whiskey in her hand and a cigarette between her lips. As she gazed into the night, the cool breeze sent shivers down her spine, and she took a sip of the whiskey to calm her nerves.

She couldn't shake off the feeling that Leandro was onto her. Why did he choose to spend time with her all of a sudden– to her it doesn't seem to look like it was because of the false alarm, that had changed when he had turned to her in the car. Although the odd time they had spent together was strangely relaxing, his words had been cryptic. Was he testing her loyalty?

Likely she hoped she wasn't too obvious. She goes on to place her glass on the balcony rail and dialled a number on her phone. After a few rings, a voice answered.

"Hey, it's me," Ginevra said, her voice low.