Chased By Suits #Wattys2016- Book I

Gaspari

^model Nico D'Ambrosio as Gaspari leader

***

No sooner had I sat down that Dante's phone started ringing.

He looked at me uneasily first and I just nodded, curious.

Dante noticed that and put the phone on speaker, so that I can hear everything.

"Any news Leo?"

"I've got the Gaspari head on the phone. Shall I put him through?"

"...put him through" Dante finally answered, after a long look my way.

"Oh, if it isn't my dear old friend Damiano! How have you been?"

"Pretty good thank you, but I don't think you've called just to ask me how I am, did you?" The normally innocent words sound harsh, on edge and this Gaspari guy seems to have noticed as well.

"No need for hostilities, you just need to loan 5 million to me for life and I'll leave you alone" he casually said, my face falling in shock and disbelief, looking at Dante for confirmation.

"And why would I do that?" Dante tried him, a little bit thrown off.

"Because I have your little lady in here with me and I don't think you'd want such a pretty face to be ruined." He laughed darkly, making us look at each other completely lost.

"What do you mean you have her?"Dante probed, putting the phone on the glass table between us.

" She stuck around the hotel after you've left yesterday and I took the chance to... Have a little chat with her. But I must say, I didn't think you liked blondes."

Realisation washed over me like a bucket of ice.

They think Sarah Cesar is... Oh my God...

I scrambled for a pen and started writing on my hand, not seeing any paper around.

'Tell him you'll give him the money'

Dante looked at me like I told him dragons are real and they hold bake offs every Saturday evening.

I stuck my arm further, insisting.

***

I am now inside the car, parked on the other side of the road, across from an outdoor restaurant, staring at a very relaxed man, with a maintained beard, probably in his late thirties, sitting with a fidgety Sarah.

Sarah didn't seem frightened, just... Slightly nervous, if I need to name it. You would never guess she's being kidnapped.

The restaurant was oddly empty, but Gaspari dude must've had everything arranged so that they wouldn't be disturbed.

Our plan was to have Leo discuss with Mr Gaspari for a period of time long enough to let Dante's other men deal with his bodyguards placed all around the venue.

Leo has a microphone stitched into the collar of his shirt, so that we can hear the exchange between the two.

I follow Leo with my gaze, who is now being patted down all over by a couple of dudes, being searched for weapons, I guess.

After he went through, he sat across the two, clearing his throat.

"I see you and I don't see you carrying a nice bag full of money." The man said, putting an arm around the back of his sofa, putting it possessively on Sarah's shoulder.

"And where's that brat? He wouldn't ever miss a chance to insult me in public" he added, laughing to himself.

I looked towards Dante silently, rising an eyebrow in question, but I shook my head, not wanting an answer.