Loud music filled the entire house as the sun descended. People dressed in black suits and fancy dresses mingled through the rooms. They talked, drank, and ate, all while standing.
Ericka sat on the sidelines and sipped from a glass of water. She’d had to sneak and put it in a flute glass so that no one would question her. Everyone else was clearly on their way to becoming inebriated. But she needed to be alert.
The room was filled with leaders from the other mafia families. This was a dangerous group of people. Not a good time to let down her guard for even a second.
Mary sat in her wheelchair in the middle of the room tapping her foot to the rhythm of the music. Frankie was in the corner with five elderly men puffing on cigars. If Ericka was a betting woman, she’d wager those were the heads of the other families. One well-placed bomb could have taken out all the leaders at once.
The Demarco family was on the lower end. Still their leaving created gaps in the supply chain that wouldn’t be tolerated. At least that was her take.
Frankie was frowning and nodding. Perhaps his friends were explaining this very thing to him now.
“What are you about?” Joey whispered after he snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle. He nuzzled her neck. “You smell good.”
She chuckled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Want to dance?”
He didn’t wait for an answer but dragged her to the open area and twirled her to the music. A few other couples joined in. The tempo increased. Mary began to clap.
Those on the floor began to dance the tarantella. Joey joined in and she stepped back, despite his efforts to keep her on the floor. She clapped as she watched him dance around the room with his family and the other guests.
When the song ended, Joey went to his mother. He rolled her onto the dance floor and moved her in time with the music. The smile she displayed was infectious.
Ericka could feel her mouth split into a grin. Watching the two was a joy. It made her long for something she would never have. Even if she found her family now, the connection wouldn’t be there.
She struggled to keep up her joy. It was what was expected when looking at the scene before her.
The song ended, and Joey returned his mother to her place on the sidelines then joined Ericka. He didn’t give her time to comment, but said, “Come with me, I want to show you something.”
He led her to the study. Moonlight cascaded through the sheer curtains lighting the room in a white glow. He went to a stereo in the wall and turned on a slow tune. Then he took her into his arms and pulled her close.
“Um, what were you going to show me?”
“A slow dance?”
“Oh, I see.”
She laughed then hummed to the music as they moved around the room. When they stopped, he smoothed a hair behind her ear.
“I know that we never seem to have time alone.”
“Hmm, true. But I’m not really here for you, I’m here for your mother. Remember?”
Boldness.
She had it.
She needed it.
He put his hand over his heart. “The truth hurts.”
“Indeed.” She was enjoying their witty banter a little too much for the temporary position she was in.
“You know, maybe we can change who you’re here for.”
“Joey…” She turned her head down and to the side.
“I understand this is sudden.”
“It is, but—”
He squeezed her hand. “I keep getting the sense that you want to tell me something. You seem to come close and then you stop every time. Let’s sit down on the couch and you just tell me. Let’s get everything out in the open so we can start fresh.”
Her heart hammered in her chest. He was giving her a golden opportunity to tell him the truth about herself, about her job, about why she was really there in his house. She did like him, she couldn’t help herself. But after he knew, well he probably wouldn’t care for her.
She licked her lips and took his hands in hers. “Joey Demarco, my name is Ericka Stone.”
He laughed. “I know this part.”
“Don’t interrupt.”
“Sorry.”
She drew in a breath and started again. “Joey Demarco, my name is Ericka Stone. I’m an undercover agent for the FBI. I was sent to convince your father to stay as a major player in the mafia but to work for us at the same time.” The words were out. They hung there between them.
Joey’s eyes turned almost black.
“Get out!” Frankie’s voice came from behind her at the door. “I said get out now!”
She froze.
Then he was in her face, jerking her to her feet. “We welcomed you into our home. You single-handedly cared for our mother, but it was all a pack of lies! So, get out!”
Ericka began to back up, the heels making each step difficult. “I want to help you find your father. We know he is being held in Jersey by the Rosa Cartel. The NYPD is close to finding him.”
Joey hadn’t moved. Frankie, on the other hand, grabbed her upper arm and squeezed.
Hard.
He escorted her through the crowd toward the door. Several people were watching, including one in particular.
He opened the front door.
“Before you throw me out, you need to know, Sof—”
She didn’t get the last word out before he pushed her out the door and she landed on her backside on the rough cobblestone driveway.
That was going to leave a bruise tomorrow.
****
Joey couldn’t move.
FBI?
How? Why?
How did they know that Papa was going to go legit? Only the family had known, or so he thought.
And they wanted to keep Papa in the mafia?
He massaged his temples. It made no sense.
Frankie returned. His hands went up and down in rapid fire motion as he used choice Italian words.
“Come into my home! Lie to me! They knew exactly who to send. A vixen!”
“She’ll need her things.” Joey’s voice was low.
“What? She doesn’t deserve anything!”
“How will she call to leave?”
Frankie ranted and raved. His heavy footfalls on the stairs could be heard even over the party noise.
He came down carrying her purse. Joey could just make out the front door opening through the slit in the study door. Ericka stood there looking back and forth as Frankie threw her bag and slammed the door in her face once more.
Joey leaned back against the couch. He’d been prepared to hear almost anything from I have a boyfriend, to you’re not my type, but not that. Not that she was a secret agent who had infiltrated his home. Actually, he’d asked her to come. He’d brought her in. He’d kidnapped her and brought her here.
He’d done it all.
He sighed and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Their relationship definitely couldn’t work out after this. There was no way. Having a law enforcement agent would be bad for business no matter which way they went.