Page 255 of Niccolo

“Not only THAT, but he wants you to bring US so he can kill all of us at once!”

“I know.”

Sofia was behind this; I just knew it. It was pure genius – the perfect deathtrap.

And Massimo was too blind with love and rage to see it.

We argued a bit longer until I gave in and told him to call me from the road. I said I would wake Dario and Adriano and put together a plan for when Lars arrived.

“…Massimo?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you’re alright.”

“I’m alive,”he said grimly.“I won’t be alright until she’s safe.”

104

Sofia

It was averylong night.

Zollner texted us every time something major happened.

Just after midnight, he sent the granddaddy of them all:

I have the girl and am proceeding to Venice.

I watched over Fausto’s shoulder as he replied,And Massimo?

Zollner texted back,There were complications, but I am 90% sure he is alive and relatively unhurt.

“‘90%’?!” Fausto fumed.

He started to type out an angry reply, but I stopped him.

“If Massimo’s dead, he’s dead. It’s not like Zollner can bring him back to life.” I paused, then added, “If he can, he should charge a lot more money.”

Fausto chuckled.

In the end, he merely typedGood job.

105

Niccolo

Before I roused Dario and Adriano, I found Giorgio, the foot soldier who would be picking Lars up in Florence. I knew he would be leaving soon, and I wanted to catch him before he left.

“When you pick Lars up, bring him DIRECTLY back here,” I ordered. “As fast as you can. No stopping for food or anything else. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” he replied. “Is Massimo okay?”

We’d told all the foot soldiers that Massimo and Lars would be returning soon.

Since I hadn’t mentioned anything about Lars being in trouble, Giorgio must have deduced that Massimo was in hot water.

“Let’s just say things could be better,” I told him before I went up to get my brothers.

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