42. Pedro
Pedro
“I’m sorry, I just can’t understand,” Flavio says, glancing back and forth between me and Alin, his throat working hard as our tails shimmer in the dim light. Mariano, more than happy to make things worse, had upended the rest of my water bottle over us.
“I’m not imagining this, right?” He turns to Mariano, practically begging for someone to tell him he’s hallucinating.
“No, you’re not imagining it. And everything we’ve told you has to stay between us, Flavio. Not a word of this can leave this room,” Mariano’s voice turns threatening in an instant. Only he and Luca have the guts to speak to the Capo of Vegas like that.
Alin quickly restores our legs, hastily pulling on Luca’s training T-shirt—a fixture of hers since the start of this cursed training session.
I can’t help but recall the countless arguments she and Luca have had about her “naked in public” tendencies.
She doesn’t care, but Luca knows how to push her buttons just as much as she knows how to push his.
“I swear, I’ve seen your dick more often than I’ve seen my wife lately.
Cover that thing up already,” Mariano jabs at me, pulls out the suit pants he wore to the charity event from his bag, tossing it to me.
I really need to start stocking up on pants until we figure out a solution to this tail problem.
“You secretly enjoy it,” I retort with a grin, though it’s hard to hide the frustration in my voice. Another person knowing the secret could mean more trouble for Bay.
“So, Pedro shoots electricity from his hands, and you... do water tricks?” Flavio asks sarcastically.
“Are we a circus now?” He crosses his arms impatiently, and none of us know how to break the awkward silence that follows.
What could we even say to him? That he’ll get used to it?
He won’t. That it gets easier? Even I’d laugh if I managed to get that lie out.
He lets out a quiet sigh, and we all stare at him, lost. “Of course I won’t spill your secret. Especially one that isn’t mine to tell. But... does your capo know he’s married to a fish?”
I can’t keep a straight face, and my laugh cuts through the tense quiet of the training room. Mariano and Alin immediately join in.
“Not only does he know, but he’s about to get the title of ‘king.’ You’re looking at the heir to the throne right here, Princess Alin,” Mariano jokes, giving Alin a mock bow. She rolls her eyes in response but can’t hold back her laughter.
“I’m glad you all think this is funny. I’m not quite at the laughing stage yet,” Flavio says, placing a hand on his forehead in a display of exasperation. “So your mermaid cousin took off with Luca on some underwater mission?” He raises an eyebrow at Alin as the realization slowly dawns.
“Something like that,” she replies, her laughter subsiding as she gives him a warm, understanding smile.
“Should I be worried?” he presses on.
Alin shakes her head no, but I can see her lie from miles away. We have every reason to be worried.
“So, I’m going to turn a blind eye to everything that just happened here,” Flavio suddenly switches back to his usual capo demeanor. “We’ve got Will and a Russian man in the basement to deal with. When did we say Luca’s getting back?”
I rise from the bench and zip up Mariano’s suit pants, which I’ve hastily pulled on over my legs. “Soon,” I reply vaguely, heading toward the exit. “You coming? I’m starving. Let’s eat something before he gets back,” I call to them, feeling their eyes on my back, nudging them to move.
“I never say no to food,” Mariano follows behind me, and Flavio and Alin quickly fall in step. None of us really know what’s going on with Luca and Bay, when they’ll be back, or in what condition they’ll return.