"Otherwise occupied it seems. Looks like we both struggle to communicate around the people we don't like." Jovani shrugged off the text. Setting his phone down to lean back in the seat.
"Everything should line up the way we need it to when it's time. How much further until we reach our destination?" He couldn't quite see the navigation map on John's phone from his position.
"Around another thirty minutes according to this. Shouldn't someone have come along by now to stop us?"
"If by someone you mean the police then no. You might not be that well known but you are with two people who are." Lena forced herself to sit up despite the splitting pain in her head.
"Now that we are far enough away from the scene, they won't touch us without due cause. Too much of a hassle for them." Jovani leaned over to pinch his subordinate's cheek.
"Not to mention having such a fresh-faced younger driver also comes with its perks. Highly unlikely that anyone would deem you that suspicious." Slowly it began to click. Everything that the Vedova Nera boss did had been calculated. Down to the small point. Though nothing turned out quite the way it was supposed, that didn't mean it was due to a lack of planning. Some pieces just didn't move the right way.
"I see. So basically you brought me into this world to provide you both with a bit of protection." A statement, not a question. The younger man slowly nodded his head.
"Makes perfect sense in that respect. I wondered why our Don would pick someone like me above anyone else to take with him."
"I told you- stop that. It's Jovani. Jovani, Jovani, Jovani. J.o.v.a.n.i." The mafioso spelled his name out in a harsh, enunciated matter.
"I'm sorry Don, I don't think that I got that the first time you said. Might you be able to repeat it again?" The princess could do humor? John failed to hold back the snort of a laugh that escaped in response to the quip from the backseat much to Jovani's dismay.
"Dear princess. As much as I love that you're in a mood good enough for humor, please refrain from indulging him. You don't know how terribly how it is to get most of them to listen to me." his tone bordered on pleading as he glanced back at the other from the rearview mirror.
"Maybe you should just let them call you whatever it is that they prefer then. It seemed like that would cause you far fewer problems." Lena lit up the pipe once more.
"That's a firm no. I don't like it. You're free to be called however you prefer and I am allowed to do the same." He would compromise on many areas except for this one. Jovani never intended to be their 'Don' in the first place. One thing or another just led to it happening.
John opened his mouth to say something else but the sound of Jovani's phone's ringtone stopped him.
"Now this is likely what we have been waiting for right here." Answering the call, he made sure to put it on speaker for everyone to hear.
"Alonso, I hope that you're coming with good information. We've been waiting for you longer than expected." Like a switch being flipped, the good-natured Jovani disappeared behind his cold, professional business mask.
"I think sir that you will find it to be even better than what you were expecting. You should be getting something rather soon." Jovani pushed down the smirk that wanted to break free upon hearing Alonso's barely contained excitement.
"You're not supposed to be sending it to me. I want you to send it to the other one. I think that she should be the one to see everything first."
"Are you sure about that? I thought that you wanted to be able to go through it first?" Alonso paused as another voice broke into the conversation.
"Hello who I am assuming is the boss man. Lest you forget, I'm not doing this for free as some kind of charity case. The longer you decide what you want to do, the more it'll cost you."
"You must be the Cane that I have heard so much about. Perhaps you didn't hear me clearly but I already made up my mind about who I want it sent to. Alonso will be giving you that information." Jovani took a pause, glancing back at the princess who watched him intently. Did she know who they were talking with?
"Really? You can't tell me yourself while we're already on the phone together? I would love the chance to better get to know your voice." Cane whined.
"Come see me in person if you want that. I don't give up such intimate contact information over the phone. Best to give the phone back if you want to be paid." Muted voices could be heard over the phone. Their words were unintelligible but the tones sounded rather heated.
"I apologize, sir. I warned you that he wasn't one of the easy types to deal with. I will make sure that he gets the information we talked about. Once I'm done, can I finish up here and come back."
"I want the phone for a moment." Lena interrupted the conversation, leaning forward as she reached for Jovani's phone. Moving the phone away, he made a silent 'no' signal to the princess. Even putting his fingers to his lips to indicate for her to be quiet. Something that didn't quite go over well with the princess. She fixed Jovani with one of the hardest looks she possibly could. So intense that it even made John shudder from her aura despite not seeing her face.
"Now." She made a beckoning motion with her hand. Jovani leaned away from her but refused to give it up.
"Just ensure the information comes and you can come back as you like." The Vedova Nera boss rushed the last part to end the call quickly.
"Sorry, Princess. You can't do that right now." Jovani tucked his phone safely back into his inner shirt pocket.
"I know you probably have a few things you wanted to say. Right now, I think it would be better for you to focus on your own phone."
"Why would I be caring about what came to my own phone?" The princess demanded. The phone of interest had been the other's before he decided to cut the call short.
"Wait for it..." Jovani became quiet as he waited for the sound. The sound would answer quite a few questions.
It took longer than anticipated but when it did, Lena checked her phone. Still annoyed, she didn't tell either man what she saw when she got passed her lock screen. The look that flashed across her face and the way her eyes widened indicated enough for Jovani.
Finally, something good had come.
