Page 253 of Niccolo

Fausto hit ‘Unmute’ on his phone. “I’ve decided to go with the originalplan, Aurelio.”

“YES!”Aurelio exclaimed, and I could hear the subtext:Suck it, bitch!

“Capture Lucia Fioretti and take her to the Isle of San Michele,” Fausto ordered Zollner. “Leave Massimo alive so he can rally his brothers. He’s no good to us dead.”

“As you wish, Herr Rosolini.”

I really,reallydidn’t want the plan to go through –

But Fausto had made his choice.

I wasn’t about to alert Niccolo or do something to sabotage the attack; that would be suicide on my part. If Fausto found out, he wouldabsolutelyfollow through on his threat to flay me alive.

I just prayed Niccolo could see it for what it was: a trap.

And that he and his brothers could pull off yet another incredible save.

103

Niccolo

Ihad a lovely dinner with Dario, Alessandra, Adriano, and Bianca, during which we toasted the imminent return of our ‘little lost lambs.’

Afterwards, I retired to the parlor on my own. I knew Lars would be arriving around 2AM and that it would be a long night once he got home. So instead of going to bed, I decided to nap on the sofa while I waited.

I was woken shortly before midnight by a phone call.

I stared at the number in sleepy confusion.

When I realized it was the public phone booth in Padola, my blood ran cold.

I wasn’t supposed to hear from Massimo until 6PM.

If he was calling me now, it wasnotgood news.

In my alarm, I forgot all protocol. “What’s wrong?!”

Massimo could barely contain his fury.“Aurelio sent a professional. He got Lucia.”

“Shit,” I muttered. “Are you alright?”

“I’m alive.”

“Are you injured?”

“Banged up a bit, but I’ll be fine.”

“Lars isn’t here yet – he’s arriving in another couple of hours – ”

“I know. I want you to let him know he shouldn’t come to Padola. He should meet me somewhere else.”

“Where?”

“I’ll call from the road and let you know. This phone is bugged.”

I paused as what he was telling me sank in.

“Then what the hell are you doing CALLING from it, then?!”

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