Chasing Stars - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Eleven

You're hiding something 'cause it's burning through your eyes I try to get it out but all I hear from you are lies." - Newfound Glory

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My heart was practically beating out of my chest when I arrived to the restaurant. Alessio's car was already there. We'd agreed to meeting here. We had both had work to attend to. I suspected only one of our jobs had been within the limits of the law.

I stayed holed up in my car, just me and the folders full of people Alessio had ruined. I checked myself out in the vanity mirror of the car a few more times until I saw Nash pull in across the street. I brushed a few strands of hair away, forced a smile and got out of the car.

I didn't have to tell the woman at the desk who I was here for. They all knew me. She smiled when I entered and it seemed genuine making me feel even worse.

Despite the fact that I had been spending time with Nash as he plotted, I loved Alessio. I really loved Alessio. And up until this very moment I had made no move against him, not one. Unless you count the act of agreeing to work against him a move, I sure felt guilty enough. I hadn't told Nash anything about Alessio. Not that I really had a ton to tell him to begin with. Alessio kept that side of his life away from me for the most part. I could have told Nash how I met Alessio, I could have told him about the times he had come home with knuckles raw and cut open, I could have told him about the men I met in the casino before it was raided. But I didn't.

But I had to stand up for all those people. I had to do write by everyone. Dad and Uncle Sam would be so disappointed if I did anything less. So I would do this. Not for Nash, and not against Alessio, but for the men and women and children in those folders and the family they left behind. So I would not tell Nash anything, but I would help him collect his information through the wire. It was wrong on both counts, and right on both counts.

Basically...I was torn, and I had no fucking clue what I was doing.

The files I had gone through time and time again were burned into my mind. When I closed my eyes I saw haunting images, the images of the badly beaten, bruised, traumatized, and killed. I knew I was doing the right thing, but that didn't help me sleep any better at night.

"Ah, Miss Santoro, Alessio has been waiting for you."

"Not long I hope." I said with a smile and followed her.

Alessio was on his cell phone until he saw me walking towards him. I couldn't remember ever feeling more nervous than this. He hung up the phone quickly and stood. "Katherine." He said and it sounded almost dreamy. He'd been out of town, we hadn't seen each other for the last four days, which was perfect for Nash and I to plot, but not so perfect for my heart. He was genuinely happy to see me, he kissed my cheek and pulled my seat out for me.

"Hi." I smiled.

"That dress." He said and let his eyes leisurely run over my body. I had to fight to keep from putting my hand over my chest as if he could see straight through it and to the necklace. "It fits you well."

"It does." I agreed. "And how much did you pay for it?"

He chuckled. "It was within our agreed budget."

"Barely I'm sure." I half teased and he smiled. I shifted awkwardly after a few moments of silence. "Stacey was hoping to set up another double date. I wasn't sure what exactly to tell her." Oh yeah, we'd gone on not one, not two, but three double dates since I'd agreed to bring Alessio down. Normal things like movies as I had complained we didn't go to and dinner. It was as though he knew I was plotting against him and was determined to make it that much harder for me.