Page 366 of Lars

Okay, fucker – if that’s the way you want to play it –

“Why didn’t you tell me Lars was on his security detail?” I asked in a cool voice.

There was no hesitation in Fausto’s voice: “Because you wouldn’t have taken the job.”

“But you knew.”

His answer was angry and contemptuous. “Of course I knew.”

I looked out into the distance. I wanted to scream at him –

Actually, I wanted to go back and kill him.

But he was in the mafia.

And I didn’t want to fuck with someone who killed people for a living… especially one who knew my name.

As one of those people myself, I knew they weren’t to be trifled with.

Plus, Fausto had been willing to assassinate his own nephew.

What would he be willing to do to me?

“I didn’t complete the job successfully, so you can keep the second half of the payment,” I said.

“What about a second attempt?”

“I don’t think that’s advisable,” I said coldly.

As though I’d try again, knowing that Lars was out there waiting for me.

Fausto’s reply was curt. “Fine.”

Something was wrong. The mafia boss sounded preoccupied – like something had happened over the last couple of hours, something I didn’t know about – and he didn’t really give a damn that my assassination attempt had failed.

Either that, or he was pissed off at me and planned to tie up loose ends later on.

“I want to make sure you and I are good,” I said.

“Aren’t we?” he asked coolly.

“All good from this end.”

“Then I’m fine, too. Consider our business concluded. When you leave the car, text me the location. I’ll have someone retrieve it.”

Then he hung up.

I wanted to scream – to rage – to stab the asshole’s eyes out with a knife –

But I had more important matters to attend to. Like getting out of Italy alive.

So I got back in the car and drove away.

I did as Fausto had suggested and drove to a city other than Florence.

However, I chose one he hadn’t mentioned – just in case he had friends waiting for me in Rome.

I drove to Bologna, which was about 70 miles northeast of Florence. It was big enough that I could catch a direct flight to London.

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