When The Sun Goes Down - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Nineteen

By the time I saw Alessio again Christmas was in full swing around here. Rather than the typical lingerie choices we usually had, everyone matched.

A small red skirt with white feathers all around the bottom and a red bra with feathers around the top of the bust. To complete our outfit we all wore long red gloves up past our elbows, a choker with a jingle bell dangling from it, and a Santa hat.

"Have you seen Nicolo lately?" I asked the girl, Rita, who was behind the counter.

"Who?"

"Nicolo." She gave me a blank stare and I rolled my eyes. "Verme."

"Oh honey this is the VIP. You need to be checking other rooms, we don't let any worms through these doors."

"Yeah, you're right." I agreed and started out.

"Hey wait! You can't go now! You're on the clock!" She called after me but I ignored her.

I hadn't seen my cousin for over a week, nearly two of them. I knew he didn't go to the mattresses, I'd seen him after Alessio had left. So where could he be now?

"Excuse me Destiny." I called out to one of the girls. "Have you seen my cousin? His name is Nicolo but he goes by Verme. He's really young, really timid, if you give him so much as a dirty look he'll practically shit himself. Used to blush at an exposed ankle, stammers around pretty girls."

She shook her head and kept moving.

"Shit."

"Katherine!" I heard a sharp tone.

"Oh good! I actually wanted to see you!" This was the first time I had seen him since that night. I had expected things to be awkward with him, but now I was so worried about my cousin the memories of that night were long gone.

"What are you doing? You're supposed to be in the lounge! You can't just walk out!" Alessio said as he stomped over to me. I glanced down to his chest, covered in his perfect suit, and then back up to his angry face.

"Where has Nicolo been? I haven't seen him in almost two weeks."
The anger drained from his face abruptly. "Come on." He said taking me by the elbow.

I pulled my elbow away sharply. "You know where he is?" What a stupid question. He knew everything. Nothing got past him. Nothing.

"Come and talk to me."

"No." I said as firmly as he always did. "You know where he is. Tell me. Why isn't he down here? He wouldn't just leave me alone for this long."

"Just come talk with me. You can call it a day early."

"I've only been working for like an hour."

"Then a vacation day." He shrugged. "Come on." He grabbed my wrist and tried to pull me with him but I wouldn't budge. "Per favore."

(Please)

I glared at him but finally started with him. He dragged me back to his office and sat at his desk. I stood with crossed arms. "Well?"

"Cigar?" He offered.

I momentarily recalled fighting over a cigar in the hotel room but pushed the flustering thought aside. "You know where he is?" I reached across the desk and plucked the cigar from his mouth as he was getting ready to light it, knowing that if he did he would sit and puff on his cigar for at least half a minute before speaking to me again.