The Hitman's Secret

Ch 28: Betrayal

VALENTINA

Val kept her head low as she strode through the doorway that led to the center of La Regola– a windowless, square parlor filled with men of all ages.

They lounged around on leather couches, speaking in low voices as a piano player stroked the ivory keys in a lazy melody. Women in fine dresses paraded through the establishment, serving drinks on platters and purring sweet nothings in the ears of their customers.

It all felt more like a refined gentleman's club than a nightclub, which set Val on edge. She could've slipped into a raging nightclub with far more ease, but here... Here, she was practically a sitting duck.

Her fingers balled into tight, worried fists as she strode along the outskirts of the room, feigning confidence. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed several men look up from their conversations and watch as she passed.

Her nails cut into her palms.

If she acted like she belonged there, perhaps no one would think differently. At the far side of the room, another hallway branched away from the main parlor. There didn't seem to be another exit, so she prayed that she'd find the private rooms there.

The haze of cigar smoke clouded throughout the space, clinging to her body as she walked. She'd undoubtedly have to burn her tank top and skirt to get rid of the smell.

Val didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until she reached the far hallway and slipped from the main parlor's view. Blood pounded like a wardrum in her ears, deafening the soft piano music that still lilted through the hall.

Just as she'd anticipated, a dozen unmarked doors lined the hall. Each was a different shade of burgundy-stained wood, glowing red in the sensual lighting.

"Now what do you plan on doing?" she whispered to herself, staring at the doors at a loss.

She took several slow steps deeper into the hall and stopped in front of the first door. Holding her breath, she leaned close to the red wood and listened.

Inside, a feminine voice spoke in a clear tone. "That's five-hundred to you, Signor. You call?"

A poker game, Val decided, stepping away from the first door. Not Matteo's private room.

She hurried to the next door across the hall and did the same thing. Only, this time, she was greeted by the sounds of repetitive, loud grunts, an old man's raspy voice groaning some incomprehensible chant, and... gagging?

Appalled, Val lurched backwards. Definitely not Matteo's room.

Of course, she knew that Matteo wouldn't have arrived yet. In reality, Val searched for Teresa. She had a far better chance of getting answers from the black-haired beauty than Matteo himself. She could only hope that she had enough time to loosen Teresa's lips before Matteo undoubtedly stormed in.

She headed toward the third door. When no sound came from the other side, she placed her hand on the doorknob and silently cracked it open. Lining her eye up to the miniscule crack she created, she peeked inside. Empty.

Val started toward the fourth room but pulled to an abrupt halt when a door further down the hall banged open.

Fuck.

A man drunkenly swayed into the dark corridor, one arm slung around the shoulder of a blonde woman in a short black dress. He buried his head in her neck, making an obscene sucking sound as she giggled.

They speared in Val's direction, and she quickly sidestepped, pressing her back against the wall to avoid a collision. At first, they appeared so lost in eachother that she hoped they'd ignore her completely.