Page 74 of Never and Always
I stared at her pleading face. “Fine.”
“It is time we think about calling the police,” Caden suggested.
Piper made a strangled sound.
“I don’t believe the local police will be much help,” Alessio said.
Caden eyed the man like he expected Alessio to pull out a few knives. “You want to share how you ended up here?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
Enzo’s cousin rose. He was lean, wearing a black shirt and black suit.
“Enzo called me, and asked me to track down where Chance Ellis had been gaming in Las Vegas and who he might owe money to.”
Piper pressed her face deeper against my shoulder. I tightened my grip.
“I discovered he’d racked up a sizable debt to—” his gaze flicked to the women and back “—let’s just say a very bad man.”
Piper made a sound.
“Who?” I asked.
“Rocha,” Piper said. “That’s what the guy who was after Chance said. The one with the scar on his face who attacked me in the alley.”
Enzo cursed.
“That means something to you?” I asked.
He nodded, looking very unhappy. “Elias Rocha. He’s involved in all kinds of organized crime in Vegas.”
Shit. “Mafia?”
“Mafia adjacent,” Alessio said. “He tries to avoid the main mafia groups in Vegas, but he’s tangled up with them.”
“My brother owes money to the mafia,” Piper said, voice hollow.
“Rocha’s man, the one who attacked Ms. Ellis?—”
“Chance called him Corvo,” Piper said.
Alessio nodded. “His name is Hugo Corvo. Rocha unleashes him when he needs his money back…or needs to make a statement. Corvo likes to slice off body parts.”
My arm convulsed, and Piper pressed her face to my chest.
“Rocha’s operation is designed to lure people into debt,” Alessio added. “When I realized who Ellis had messed with and heard that Corvo and some of Rocha’s thugs had headed to Colorado. I followed.”
“Thank you, Alessio.” Ro now had Tessa tucked under his arm.
“There was another man here first,” Piper said. “With a gun.”
“What?” I breathed.
“He was actually kind of nice,” she rushed to say. “Chance had the brilliant idea to gamble here in Windward to try and win money back to pay Rocha.”
“I’m guessing that didn’t go well,” Caden murmured.
“No. Apparently, he now also owes a Mr. Fowler some money,” she finished.
I was going to kill her damn brother.
