Tangled in the Mafia’s Web

Episode Four

The door shut behind Alonzo with a soft click and the man took a few steps forward, his eyes scanning the vast, opulent table at the centre of the room. Leandro sat behind it, his fingers tapping impatiently on the surface.

"A cop?" Alonzo's voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Leandro leaned back in his chair and tossed a file aside, his face giving away nothing. "Yes, Alonzo. With Callen out of the game, we need someone to fill his shoes. She seems rather ideal for the role."

Alonzo's expression remained stoic. He had expected a different offering or perhaps a few more checks before his decision. This was a risky move, and they both knew it. Ginevra was just a name on a file, a lady the mafia had decided to send into the academy to keep tabs on their enemies. But one wrong move, one slip-up, and everything could come crashing down.

"Do you have a problem with this arrangement? Unless you wanted me to keep her as my personal advisor and not you?" Leandro's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. It wasn't a threat, more like his way of saying there wasn't any other role Ginevra could play better at and Alonzo knows that too.

Alonzo hesitated before answering. "No, I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page. We can't afford to make any mistakes"

Leandro's face was a mask, revealing nothing as he listened to Alonzo's concerns. "Agreed," he replied coolly, but Alonzo sensed something was off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew Leandro well enough to recognize when something wasn't right.

Alonzo nodded in agreement, but as he spoke again, a hint of uncertainty crept into his voice– "Mind if I may say," he paused briefly, giving Leandro a quick but assessing glance before continuing. "You seem to trust her so fast. It's unlike you to do."

Leandro's smirk faded as he leaned forward, his eyes drilling into Alonzo's. Alonzo's words struck a nerve, but Leandro knew he had a point. It wasn't in his nature to take someone in without scrutinizing them first. Ginevra had passed the background check, but her demeanour was unassuming, making it hard to tell if she had any ulterior motives.

"I don't trust her," the mafia finally said, his voice low and icy calm. "But there is a lot of time before that."

Alonzo nodded again, the boss seemed to have thought things through and it was clear that Leandro had already made up his mind. "I'll make sure she's up to speed on the necessary arrangement," he said, his tone unwavering, and Leandro stood up, signalling the end of the conversation. He deftly slipped his hands into his coat as he made his way across the room toward the door.

His voice was stern as he spoke with his back turned to Alonzo. "Leave that to Bianca," he said, his eyes focused on the door ahead. "She would take care of that. You make preparation." He pushed the door open and started walking briskly, with Alonzo trailing closely behind him. "I need to be in Mexico"

"When?" Alonzo ask walking behind him as they took a route.

"Now," Leandro replied without breaking stride.

Alonzo didn't flinch at the news. He was used to these kinds of abrupt departures. "Understood," he replied, his voice steady and with that, they went separate ways, with Leandro headed to Bianca's office.

Leandro spoke to Bianca with a stern tone, his piercing gaze fixed on her. "Everything should be set by the time I return," he said, his words leaving no room for argument.

Bianca nodded, her face betraying no emotion. She knew better than to question Leandro's orders, especially when he comes to give the order himself. She had worked with him for long enough to understand the consequences of any slip-up.

"Yes, sir" Bianca replied confidently before Alonzo came in.

"It all set," He told Leandro.

Leandro turned to Alonzo and nod and then turned back to Bianca, who stood tall with her sleek hair pushed backwards, making her face appear even more striking.

"I'm counting on you, Bianca," Leandro said, his voice firm but also respectful. "Make sure everything runs smoothly in my absence."

"I will do just so, sir," Bianca replied with a small smile, her confidence evident in her posture.

Leandro gave a small nod before turning to leave. As he walked out, Bianca exchanged a brief look with Alonzo, except not much could be said about the look.

They made their way through the passage to the hall with intricately designed pillars and elegant art pieces. But just as they were about to make their way down, Leandro caught a glimpse of someone he thought he recognized. It was just a brief moment before the figure disappeared around the bend, but it was enough to make him pause– Ginevra it was.

It was just a brief glimpse that he was certain Alonzo may not have seen her. Without a word, he gave Alonzo a quick signal to continue before he stealthily went after her. But stopped just as he was about to take the turn, for a passing seconds, he silently question himself of his very motive– but ended up slowly walking into the space.

His eyes slowly scanned the not-too-bright hallway which held no sign of her and then Leandro began walking down the route. Although he tried not to show it earlier, he was drawn to her, maybe he was being punished or something because he knew he shouldn't be where he is at the moment. With each step, he felt his pulse quicken and his breath caught in his throat.

He stopped in front of a bathroom with the woman's sign on the front and swung it open. Leandro's polished Italian leather shoes stepped silently into the bathroom, the soles hardly making a sound on the smooth marble floor. He looked calm, but unexplainable and felt inexplicably drawn to Ginevra as if he was being pulled towards her against his will.

The space was layout so that the counter sink and the mirrors are the first thing you will see upon entering, and there was Ginevra's elegant figure hunched over the counter and her long hair was now swept up in a messy bun.

Despite her dishevelled appearance, she looked absolutely stunning, and Leandro watched as she immediately turned at the sound of the door closing behind him.

Ginevra looked at him with surprise and a hint of fear and confusion in her eyes. Why would she be afraid? The thought crossed the mafia's mind but he swept that away. He just watched her and neither of them spoke for a moment, the only sound in the room was the soft hum of the fluorescent lights.

Leandro couldn't help but feel guilty for being here, for wanting to be near her when he knew he shouldn't. But he couldn't help it - there was something about Ginevra that drew him in, that made him forget everything else.

His eyes ran along her body and a part of him wondered what she would look like in a gown. A grand dress and not this bunch of colours she had on that made him sick to the stomach. He swallowed as he looked up at her face, and this time he was able to take in the shade of her eyes, a deep emerald green that seemed to pierce right through him. That's different, he thought.

The sound of his Italian leather shoes echoed off the marble as he slowly stepped towards her. Ginevra's eyes followed him, fear and confusion still evident in her gaze. She seemed to be sizing him up, trying to figure out what he wanted.

Leandro stopped just a few feet away from her, his eyes locked onto hers. He could see the fear in them, but he could also see something else - something that made him want to reach out and touch her– but then he spoke.

"I won't be available for a few days" he finally said, his tone firm "Bianca would assist you"

Ginevra's eyes were still fixed on his as he spoke. His voice was calm, but there was an underlying rigidness there that was hard to miss.

"Um- Yes, sir" Ginevra nodded quickly in response, her eyes still fixed on his. The pressure was like a storm brewing just below the surface and Leandro immediately knew he had to leave, to get out of there before things got any more complicated and without another word to her. He turned and left.

Leandro finally emerged from the grand entrance of the Vinci Tower, flanked by his loyal henchman Alonzo, who had the car door already open and waiting for him. As he slid into the back seat of the sleek black SUV, he flicked open a gold lighter and lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply and blowing out a cloud of smoke.

Alonzo swiftly shut the door with a satisfying thud and made his way to the passenger seat. Two other black SUVs flanked the SUV Leandro was in as they pulled away from the curb. The city's towering skyscrapers blurred by as they made their way through the bustling streets.

Leandro exhaled another plume of smoke as he gazed out the tinted window, his mind already turning to the business deals and turf wars that awaited him.

As the car sped down the street, Leandro's phone buzzed with a message from one of his lieutenants. He read it quickly, his expression inscrutable behind the thick veil of smoke. Then, he typed out a response with a few swift taps of his finger, sending the message off with a beep.

Just as three vehicles arrived at the airport, they pulled up next to the private jet reserved for Leandro. The door to the SUV was opened and out stepped Leandro, who adjusted his coat before making his way towards the stairs leading up to the plane.