Page 5 of The Silence Lies

“I have to make them pay, Levi.”

“We will,” he nods, backing away to put some distance between us. “But first, we need to put our pawns in place. We need to weed out who we can and can’t trust, and we need to follow up on the alliances.”

“You’re right,” I sigh, rubbing the tired expression from my face. “What is your family’s stance?”

He laughs, shaking his head as he takes a seat on the couch in front of me. “After what happened to Enzo, my family gave my sister an ultimatum. She has sided with her husband.”

His words take me by surprise, and I’m forced to heave out a breath to calm myself. “So your family has shunned her for taking her husband’s side?”

Levi shrugs like it’s nothing, like he hasn’t just lost his sister to the enemy. With his sister married to a Verdi, it’s no wonder his family did that, but I know too well the manipulation the Verdi’s can achieve when they set their minds to it.

“My loyalty remains to you, and my family will stand by that.”

I appreciate the support, it’s more than I deserve right now. It warrants a smile—a weak one at best, but it’s still a look of appreciation, and Levi accepts it with a gentle nod of his head.

“I also have something for you.”

Perching on my desk, I frown at him. “What have you done?”

He rolls his eyes, but his expression doesn’t give away a thing. It’s another similarity that Levi and Enzo share. Shared.

Pushing up from the couch, Levi heads out of my office door. He’s gone for all of one minute before he returns with another man. A silent, brooding man who seems to zap all the energy from the room.

“Levi, I—”

“Hear me out.” He raises a hand, halting me from speaking any more. “This is Giovanni. He’s a bodyguard, who comes highly recommended.”

“By who?”

“Your father.”

“And whose idea was this?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.

Tilting my head to take in the bodyguard’s appearance. Giovanni, stands tall, unmistakably tall. He’s got at least four inches on Levi, but he’s muscular, too. Wearing an all black suit, he looks like he means business. He has green eyes that remind me of sea glass, the tiny shards you rarely find on the beaches, and with a jaw set so sharply, he looks like he might be cut from it too.

Levi clears his throat. “It was mainly your father’s idea, but you and I both know you’ll be safer with someone by your side, permanently.”

“Permanently?” My eyebrows shoot so high I almost think they’ve merged with my forehead.

“Sera,” Levi whispers, stepping closer to me. “You’re not sleeping. You won’t let me stay with you, I don’t—”

“And you think I’m going to let him stay with me?” I scoff. It’s not that I don’t want anyone in my space. I can’t even count the amount of times Enzo used to come over and we would just hang out like we were kids all over again. Those are the moments I miss, they’re the moments I’m constantly reminded of every time I step into my house. Which is why I don’t want Levi there. He’s just another reminder, and I don’t know how many more of those I can take.

“He’s a trained bodyguard. I don’t think he’s too bothered about having a place to sleep.” Levi smirks, glancing back over his shoulder. “You need to get some sleep, Sera. You need to start moving forward.”

Easier said than done.

I glance over at Giovanni, who is still standing stoically with his hands joined in front of him. He doesn’t bat an eyelid in Levi’s direction, or even mine. He doesn’t say a word as I approach, and right now, that’s a good thing. I don’t think I can handle any more prying questions over what happened or if I’m okay.

“Just a bodyguard?” My intrigue and skepticism are both piqued.

“Is that a yes?” Levi asks, quirking a brow. I can see he has all the best intentions for me, and my heart swells at the kindness, but I don’t like the unknown, and I certainly don’t like strangers entering my premises without my permission.

With a sigh, I take another look at Giovanni. “Welcome, Giovanni.”

He takes my hand and shakes it, a spark of heat curling up my arm at the contact. His grip is fiercely strong. It’s a confident handshake, one not afraid to break me, and I think I like that. He’s still silent as he releases my hold, the action leaving a frigid sensation in its wake.

“Does he speak?” I tease.

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