◆ Resolving Old Conflicts ◆

◆ MILES ◆

"Permanently?"

"I don't know yet. We'll see," Enzo sighed while I stared at him.

Not the best liar.  I was way better.  And I had a few ideas why he would suddenly leave Italy for a new life in New York.  Way more important reasons aside from Mykaela.

Maybe he's convinced that keeping his freedom would require him to seek refuge in another country. Until the authorities gathered enough evidence to prosecute Leandro and Ignazio, including Pappa.  Enough to make sure they served time in maximum security prisons only.

"What does your new company do mostly?"

"Pharma research for now." Enzo grinned at me briefly while checking his phone. "We have 12 scientists right now working on a universal flu vaccine. Very promising team. The chief scientist worked for Vyzerg. His partner worked for J&J."

Two of the biggest pharmaceutical conglomerates in the world.  Huh.  Not bad.  A universal vaccine?  When did he get into vaccine research?

"But you're an industrial engineer." I made a face.

Enzo shrugged. "I branched out. Like Rafa."

"Big risks, bigger returns," I muttered.  My father's words, actually.  Although I wanted to slit his throat at the moment, I was thankful for some things he'd taught me. "You started the company with your own money?"

"Our stores here? Rafa's father loaned us some. But I did chip in half of my savings. Hit a couple snags here and there, but it worked out eventually. Then a friend of mine who's in biotech and research sent me a proposal. Revamped his old lab in New York after we applied for our LTO last year."

"All your scientists and staff are based there?"

"Most of them. We're far from doing clinical safety trials, but, they're ready. Excited, even. We've been scrounging for investors all year."

"You'll stay in New York and focus on your new company while the investigation's ongoing?"

"Sounds like a good plan, innit?" Enzo faked a grin and glanced at me.

I gave him a quick, nonchalant shrug.  "If you think it's what you should do."

"You sure that guy from Interpol's the real deal?"

"Nicco checked him out. The guy's clean. And the rest of his team. But he keeps asking for more evidence."

Enzo tsk-ed and put his phone away. "You need my help again?"

"No. We need their books. Pappa took them. But I'm workin' on it. Nicco's still tryin' to find him. Ricchar's looking for their former assistant accountant."

"Alright. Keep me posted?" Enzo sighed and got up from his chair.  He looked at Mamma from afar, watching her prep the food through the large glass windows.  "I think lunch is ready."

"One more thing," I muttered before he could walk away.

"Yeah?"

"Check on Kel once you're back in New York."

"What d'you mean?" Enzo squinted at me, his shoulders squared.

Some tension filled the silence around us when I didn't speak for a moment. "Just keep an eye on her."

His brows creased when he stared back at me, his hands resting on his hips now.  "You think she needs bodyguards again?"

"You know she hates it, but, yeah. She needs at least two."  If I could afford it, I would hire more security staff to keep her and her family safe 24/7.  But she didn't even want to talk to me anymore.

"Why?"

"Ilya."

"Why?" Enzo scowled. "He contacted you?"

"Not yet."

"But, you think, he's tryna find her?"

I shrugged again. "I guess he wants to be her dad now."  I scoffed and put on a grin.  The irony.

Obviously that business-savvy Russian asshole worth billions of drug money wanted to redeem himself in his only daughter's eyes.  Brainwash her.  Meddle in her life.

Welcome her into the family like all's well.  Like that's remotely possible.  Pfft.

Another egomaniac scum this suffering world didn't need... I might shoot him dead myself if I saw him in person.  Maybe he's on his way to New York now, scouring the busy streets just to find Kel.  I would confirm it myself, but I shouldn't leave my mother and Ricchar here to face the ramifications of my father's crimes.

Besides, Mykaela didn't want to see me.  She would rather pretend I didn't exist than patch things up after what I did to her.  She wouldn't even reply to my texts.  I'd been trying the past two days.  My messages only got ignored.  Not that I was surprised.

"Egotistic piece of shite." Enzo shook his head weakly and combed his hair away from his face.

"Keep her away from him, is what I'm saying."

"I know." He sighed out loud and sat beside me now.

"Just so we're clear."

"I will. Don't worry," he muttered after looking me in the eye for a second.

Fine.  Good that we're on the same page now.  Well, at least we shared the same sentiments on that remorseless drug lord.

I would bet it wasn't just secondhand fear or plain annoyance on Enzo's part.  Some gunslingers almost murdered him in broad daylight in that ambush. Thanks to Ilya's vindictive sensibilities.

"Y'know, back in Belgrade, Leandro told me to do something odd."

"Yeah?"

"I think, he just wanted to distract me."

"Distract?"

"He called me after we left the airport. Gave me some weird instructions and a useless errand." Enzo frowned. "For an hour or so, I had to go find someone he said was an old business partner.  So I did.  And I had to leave Mykaela with my guards. But I didn't find shit."

Ah...his alibi.  Of course his brother was involved.  Again.  Now it made perfect sense.

Leandro suddenly interfered just to keep his brother away from Ilya.  Therefore, Leandro knew Ilya was there in Belgrade, eagerly waiting for Mykaela in that restaurant.

"Ilya planned it all," I sighed while waiting for my phone screen to display a new message. Or a new call from Nicco.  I also needed an update from Ricchar.

"What?" Enzo leaned closer. "Planned what?"

"The meetup in the resto. Lunch. To catch up with her.  He was there. He was sure Kel would show up."

That scheming son of a bitch knew everything would work out as planned.  Then Leandro probably called Enzo's bodyguards and found out that Ilya was in the area.  And to protect his brother, Leandro made sure Ilya wouldn't see Enzo with Kel.

"Ergo, your brother was just lookin' out for you."  I stared at Enzo again. That paranoid psycho he called his brother had a conscience left, after all.

"That's why he thought she was spying for Ilya." Enzo grunted, then covered his entire face with his palms while his elbows rested on the table. "Dammit." He sighed and shook his head faintly, as if he just put the puzzle pieces together.

I would've told him everything I found out months ago. But I didn't trust him one bit back then. I even thought he was one of Leandro's accomplices.  Turns out it was their pedo uncle pulling half of the strings.

"He didn't tell me everything." As his scowl deepened, Enzo glared at his clenched fist and looked like he badly wanted to hit something. "Lying prick."

I almost snickered.  Did he really think his brother had any honest bone left in him? Cursing wouldn't undo all the things Mykaela had to go through because of Leandro's sadistic tendencies, but at least this guy seemed genuinely apologetic.

"If your new business venture works out, pay for her therapy, too. Your brother owes her that much."

"I know. Sorry," Enzo murmured. "Really. And I know that's not enough, but..."

"Nope." I sat back and tried to keep a straight face.  His late apology wouldn't do shit to improve Kel's mental health or help her heal from the trauma, but maybe he's that willing to pay for his brother's faults.  "Security. Therapy. Keep her away from Ilya. That's all you gotta do, man."

"Alright."

"Then we're good." I extended my arm to wait for a handshake. I would do a blood pact right here right now just to make it look more official, but my mother might be extra squeamish today.

"Thanks." Enzo sighed again. He leaned forward to shake my hand, his grip firm and confident.

"Get up. Mamma's waiting." I stood up and turned to check the kitchen to see if my mother's done cooking.  I put on a smile when she waved at us from the dining area.  "And help me cheer her up."

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