15. Complications
2106 Words
Kara is decorating a cake for a birthday celebration tonight at Rialto. Not many people can book the restaurant for a private party, but when they do, Kara goes all out on the sweets and cake. This cake is a mix of savoury coconut cream with rum, spongy biscuit drenched in coffee and topped off with mango pure and sweet vanilla cream. There is not a single drop of chocolate anywhere inside the cake. The masterpiece on top is pure creamy, delicious dark chocolate with tiny pieces of caramelized orange crust. It’s in the shape of a mermaid, who is sitting on a rock and her long hair is spilling over half the cake. Her tail is winding around the base of the cake and it glitters with small sugar crystals. The mermaid is carved out of chocolate, her hair is made of chocolate and the paint used to create her face is chocolate as well. One of the best creations she has done in a long time.
“Oh my God!” Fernando exclaims. He is standing at the end of her workspace and it looks like he is afraid to move.
“You can come closer, you know. It’s not brittle. It won’t break if you breathe near it.” Kara tells him.
“That thing is stunning. Let me take a picture. Don’t move.” He orders her. She is not the one to listen to his orders, but she will oblige him this time. She is proud of her creation, it should be on her timeline. Tomorrow, so she doesn’t spoil the surprise.
“I’m all done.” She smiles for the camera.
“You should be proud, it’s amazing.” Fernando smiles. “The spoiled brat who will get that for her birthday probably won’t appreciate it.”
“Oh. Why do you think so?” Kara looks at him in wonder.
“Some rich guy’s kid. She turned sixteen and her daddy rented Rialto for the party.” Fernando scoffs. “She had the audacity to call and change the menu. Twice!”
“Is that a joke?” Kara gapes. They don’t change anything once it’s agreed upon. Especially not this late. The party is tonight.
“No. She threatened to have us closed, if we don’t oblige her. Apparently her father knows every big fish in this city. Starting with the mayor.”
“So what? I know the mayor. He was at our home a few weeks back. He plays poker with my mother.” Kara shrugs. “Who is this kid? I'm half inclined to not give her the cake. I have time to bake a simple no-nonsense one.”
“Don’t. Her father is the major shareholder in Corriere della Sera. The girl is an influencer, she has a following that rivals yours.” Fernando shakes his head. “Bear in mind, she has done nothing important in her life. That brat can end Rialto with one well placed twit.”
“God! I hate social media. Nothing is sacred any more.” Kara scoffs. “Should we just return the Michelin star then? It seems it’s not worth anything, if some kid with a large followers base can ruin that.”
“Maybe?” Fernando laughs. “We would have more time to live.”
“Kara?” Dominik asks from the divide between her slice of heaven and the rest of the kitchen. The young aid is part of her pack, but she never saw him so scared before. And it’s not even Fernando’s presence, the boy is terrified of something.
“What is it?” She asks. She shares a look with Fernando, but the man only shrugs.
“Elio is here.” Dominik says quietly. “He’s asking for you.”
“Damn! Where is my mother?” Kara inquires. She has no desire to deal with the head enforcer on her own.
“She didn’t come in today, I thought you knew that?” The boy stammers.
“Any ideas?” Kara nudges Fernando.
“I haven’t talked with Marra today.” Fernando shakes his head. “And don’t get me involved with that mess. Human. Remember?”
“I know.” She scoffs. “Sometimes I think you would make a better wolf than most that I know. So, I guess, I have to go deal with him?”
“Good luck.” Fernando pats her on the shoulder when she walks by him.
She knows exactly how Elio looks. Not that they had many encounters, but she makes it her business to know the rats of the pack. Even a turncoat like him. She still needs to assess him on her own, she will not blindly believe what her cousins say. He might have helped them, but who’s to say he will do the same for her. He can just as easily be here to screw her over. Tall, dark and handsome is sitting by the bar. The general description for every wolf in her pack. The new addition is just the same. The hard lines on his face speak of an interesting backstory for this wolf. She might be curious about him, if he wouldn’t be the lapdog of her Uncle Vito.
“Come on. Let’s borrow my mother’s office. I don’t want a disturbance out here.” She tells him. No greeting for the enforcer, he hasn’t earned it yet. She doesn’t wait to see if he will follow her. His loss, if he doesn’t.
“You are a photo shopped version of your mother. Are you as tough as well?” Elio asks her. He closes the office door and glances around. “I see why you chose this place. Good thinking.”
“Hm?” Kara looks at him. He is observant, more than most. “Why are you here?”
“To make inquiries, to make friends, to see if I can trust you.” Elio tells her.
“You are an interesting one. Ex military?” Kara smiles at him.
“Yes. What do you want to know?” He offers. “Is this office sound isolated?”
“Not really, but it helps that it has no outside walls, no windows and all the walls are thick, load bearing walls that hold the entire roof up.” She explains.
“Good. I would hate to be overheard.” He nods to her. “Any idea where your shadow is?”
“At this time? Out back by the dumpsters, smoking to his content.” She shrugs.
“Great. I hope he passes out from all that nicotine.” Elio chuckles.
“Why are you really here?” Kara asks him. She is curious, but he is taking away valuable time from her. If her mother is not here, that means more work for her. She takes a look at the desk and the piles are untouched. Great! Office work on top of all the things she needs to do today.
“I came looking for your mother, but I was told she never came in today. Any idea where she is? Vito is going off the rails, because a few of the elders are missing.” He tells her.
“I have no idea. I didn’t even know she wasn’t here. I was busy with the cake for tonight.” Kara grunts. Everyone is looking for her mother today. Perfect timing to vanish. “What’s he up to? Why does he need all the elders?”
“The new guys are coming today. Pack law says the elders have to welcome them or they can’t stay. Vito’s treaty is in danger, if we have to send the sons of other Alphas back home.” Elio winks at her.
“I see.” She drawls. An amusing development, indeed. “Too bad I can’t help you locate my mother. I’ve been here since morning.”
“You tried.” Elio says. He pulls his phone out of the pocket and frowns. He makes a silencing motion with his finger in front of his mouth. “Yes, boss?”
“Where is she?” Vito growls. Kara can hear the whole conversation, there really is no other option, unless she leaves the room.
“I don’t know. I was at the house, no one was home. I’m at Rialto right now. She’s not here. Kara gave me some ideas to check out, but it might take a while.” Elio answers. His face is impassive, and Kara wonders how he is able to straight out lie to the Alpha?
“Take her shadow and check it out.” Vito ends the call. No manners whatsoever.
“You lied to him?” Kara whispers.
“No big deal. If you make it a habit, it starts to be plausible. Give me a few random addresses around the city. Let’s send your shadow on a wild goose chase.” He smiles at her.
“Sure. I know where she’s not. Nail salon on Marmont, she stopped going there years ago. We can add that hairdresser she used to like in the suburbs and the wine shop we get our specialty wines from.” Kara snickers. She likes the idea of a free evening without the stalker at her feet.
“How about a spa? She ever goes to one?” Elio inquires.
“Good idea. She likes the one in Trezzano.” Kara winks. This guy is turning out to be an ally.
“All the way out in the suburbs? Nice. I heard great things about that one.” Elio chuckles. “Let’s send your shadow on the road. The longer this takes, the better the chance that we can’t get the elders together for a meeting tonight.”
“You’re actually helping us?” Kara asks him. “What’s in it for you?”
“I’m helping, because what he’s doing is just wrong. In the end? I might get the girl that I like to actually look at me. Hope and all.” Elio tells her.
“Good luck.” Kara smiles. “Thank you for this. I don’t want to get married to some brute my Uncle selected.”
She gets the office part done in an hour after Elio leaves. Paying the bills as they come in is important to her mother. It’s just a show of great business sense. Andrea and Lotte have done a great job finishing the sweets for the party and the cake is in the cooler to stay fresh. As if she doesn’t have enough on her plate, her phone chimes with an incoming text.
-Your paintings are amazing. I sold two more. Can you get them to me in a day or two? Mattias
- You sold them with nothing, but a picture on your phone? Kara
- It’s easy, because you’re great. Mattias
- I can ship them over tomorrow. Kara
- Thank you. :) Mattias
Oh, gods! He uses smiley faces. She never knows which one to select, so she just doesn’t. But she doesn’t have time to worry about Mattias right now. She has to figure out where her mother really is and warn her. She hopes that mom will answer her phone if she calls her. She is probably ignoring everyone else. Now where would mom be, if she wants to hide from the world? Elio said she’s not at home, but was he really there? If he developed a habit of lying to Vito, it might not be true.
Kara calls her mother and Marra answers on the first ring: “Be fast, darling.”
“I hope you’re well hidden? Elio is looking for you. He was at the restaurant, I sent him on a wild goose chase all over Milano.” Kara tells her mother.
“Good. I like that guy, but he is too close to Vito for my taste. Not that he is not to be trusted, but Vito can order him to spill the beans.” Marra drawls.
“I know what you mean. Elio can lie to Vito over the phone. I have no idea if he manages that face to face as well.” Kara lets her mother in on the secret.
“Nice touch. I like him even more.” Marra laughs. “I won’t tell you where I am, but I will see you later. Midnight.”
“See you, mom. I have a party to prepare.” Kara smiles fondly. Her mother is a resourceful one, she’ll be fine.
- Writer
