Pearce Hudson: #1 My Italian Devil

27.Speak of the devil and he shall call

Ross and I looked at Jessica for a reply or command who just started back at us. We didn't know what to do. The ring continued for a few more seconds then died. I breathed out normally, again.

"Catch," Ross threw me a pair of headphones with a mic attached to it.

"You want me to pick up?" I asked clutching the headphones to my chest.

"What else do we do?"

"Ignore the call?"

We stared at Jessica again, waiting for her vote.

"Answer the call, if he calls again," Jessica pinched her nose in frustration.

The laptop vibrated on the coffee table as the beeping started again. I jumped. I slipped on the headphones, Ross gave me a slight nod as he also put on some headphones. My hands went cold as his voice filled my ears.

"Morning Bella," he cooed.

A shiver went down my spine. "It's 6 in the morning Dante."

"You don't sound like you were sleeping."

"I just came back from a jog."

"Hmm. My security guard thinks otherwise. Says you never left."

"Who've been spying on me?!"

"There was no condition about that."

"Dante!"

"...sorry...just...Fine I'll tell him to come back. So what have you been doing?"

I froze a bit, then answered, "Working on a case, your case."

"How's the progress?"

"Hey don't change the subject!"

Dante laughed, heartily. I sighed. He's in a good mood.

"I'm not!"

"No more stalking."

"Okay okay. So anyways the progress."

"Um...yeah...literally zero progress...whoever took your guy...they're really good. I mean amazingly good. I can't believe I'm praising them.

Ross and I locked eyes together. I smile played on my lips. It felt good to brag. Then the smile disappeared, realizing we were the same people that lost his guy to possibly have it come bite us in the ass.

"What about security footage?"

"Believe me. We've tried everything. The footage for that day was erased completely. They're scarily good."

"Shit. I was afraid of this."

"What?"

"Gomez has been with me for the past weeks. I've done many contracts and deals with him present there. If one of my rivals kidnapped him, well, then my secrets are going to leak out."

Like the fact you're a drug lord, sex and weapons trafficker. I thought it best if I didn't mention that.

"Do you have any idea which business rival might want to so badly take you down?"

The line was quiet, I assumed he was thinking, he spoke again, "At the top of my head I don't have any. I'll let you know."

"Alright."

"So."

"So?"

"Would you want to get dinner with me?"

Gulp.

"Actually let me check my day." I motioned for Ross to put him on hold, then turned to Jessica. No way I was taking advice from Ross. If it was up to him he'd lock me up in this hotel room and go have dinner with Dante to kill him.