Page 64 of The Lies We Tell

“He’s been hiding his mismanagement well,” Luca added.

“Very well,” Matteo agreed.

“We could easily double profits in the next year.”

Matteo smiled at the note of excitement in Luca’s tone. Luca had a good head for business. One of many reasons the Bianchi name had survived while he was off island.

“At least. But this takeover has to be flawless. Just like Gallo, I cannot have a botched hit.”

“Suicide then,” Alexei said, voice just as eager as Luca’s had been at the prospect. His father’s old enforcer had always been a ruthless son of a bitch, a remorseless killer with a blade in his hand.

“I was thinking more like an accident,” Matteo replied, chuckling when Alexei frowned. “Not as bloody as you’d prefer, I know. But again, this needs to look clean on paper.”

Dom swiveled back and forth in his chair. “What did you have in mind?”

Matteo didn’t need his notes for this. He’d been building this part of the plan for weeks. This was always going to end with Antonetti dead, but the closer he got to Tessa, the more Matteo wanted the man to suffer.

Salvatore Antonetti deserved to pay for every time he’d ever laid a finger on his daughter, ever bruised her skin, ever told her she wasn’t good enough. He would give Alexei free rein to inflict as much pain as possible as long as the death ultimately looked like an accident.

“As far as anyone will ever know, this will be a legal sale from Antonetti to us. One that’s been in the works for a while. Sienna can draft up the paperwork, fake correspondence between us, whatever needs to be done. Once Antonetti and his son are dead from a tragic accident, Theroux will help push the sale through to us based on Antonetti’s final wishes.”

“He’s in on it?”

“No, but he knows enough about who I associate with to know the game we’re playing isn’t always an honest one. And Dumas-Theroux might not have a controlling stake in the company, but they have enough sway to push it right into our hands.”

“It’ll still look suspicious,” Alexei pointed out. “To have him die so close on the heels of Gallo and suddenly you own both companies.”

“It’ll raise fewer alarm bells if we leak it to the press first.”

“It’ll raise Antonetti’s alarm bells,” Luca said. “He’ll come after us when he gets wind of that.”

“Not if I leak it to the right source,” Matteo replied.

“And what source is that?”

Matteo swiveled to look at Dom, a skeptical brow raised. This was the usual point he’d offer some vague reference to his source or brush it off as none of their business. With Tessa’s words ringing in his ear about being his own man to get better results, he decided to try something different.

“When I first left Sicily, I stayed in Rome for a few weeks, thinking I would just come home after I cooled off. Or after Father did.” Ignoring the stunned expressions at his candor, Matteo pushed on. “I met a woman there. Regina. She was a beat reporter then, but she’s a well-respected, award-winning journalist now. And she owes me a favor.”

Luca shared a look with Dom and Alexei before asking, “Why would an award-winning journalist write a story about a business deal?”

“She wouldn’t. But she’ll hold the story until I give her the green light and pass it on to someone else at her paper.”

“And we’re sure we can trust her?” Alexei asked.

“I’m sure the favor she owes me is big enough she’ll do exactly as I say.”

Luca nodded, drumming his fingers on the table. “It would take a few days for a Roman news story to filter down to Antonetti, longer if he’s not paying attention.”

“We have enough people in our pocket to control the story after the fact. Give the accident enough time to die down, leave Theroux to handle Nicolette and make sure she doesn’t do or say anything stupid to the press, and quietly close the deal behind the scenes. Maybe hold a press conference once we’re ready.”

“Do you care how he dies?” Alexei wondered.

“Not as long as it’s painful.”

Excitement lit Alexei’s eyes. “How painful are we talking?”

Matteo set his pen on top of his legal pad and folded his hands in his lap. “As painful as possible while still making it look like an accident.”

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