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"Rafaele won't stop hunting us, not after what we took from him," I say, my voice barely audible above the roar of the engine.
Fiero hands me the headphones with a speakerphone. I put them on and helped him with his. The speakerphone cuts out the outside sound, making it easier to talk.
I clutch the diamond tightly through my coat pocket in disbelief that we pulled off the heist.
"Let him come," Fiero responds, his grip on the controls steady and confident. "We'll be ready for him. Together."
As we soar higher into the night sky, my thoughts turn to our future. It's uncertain, and it's terrifying, but I know that with Fiero by my side, things will turn out quite alright.
Chapter 45
Rafaele
My head pounds as I slowly open my eyes, blinking to gain back the focus in my blurry line of sight. I try to stretch out my legs and arms but scream when I realize I can’t. My voice is stifled, and then, it all comes back to me.
Fiero knocked me out. I’ve got tape on my mouth. I tug at my arms but find them bound behind my back, coarse rope digging into my wrists. My legs are wrapped tightly at the ankles.
Outside, I hear guns blazing, men fighting, war.
Panic rises in my chest. What is going on? How long have I been here?
I try to free my hands and legs by changing the positions of my wrists, but nothing works. I try to crawl to the door, hoping I can open it and find some men who can free me.
With all the strength I can muster, I wriggle closer to the door, feeling the rough texture of the floor beneath me. The taste of blood permeates my tongue from where the tape grazes my split lip. As I continue to crawl, my hand touches something sharp behind me. Heart racing, I manage to nudge the object closer with my fingertips. I wince as it cuts me, and I realize it’s a shard of glass.
With trembling hands, I start to rub it against the edges of the rope, binding me. This is a better plan. If I reach the door and open it, there is a chance that the wrong men will see me.
From the muffled sounds of gunfire filtering in, it’s clear that my walls have been breached by an enemy. I wouldn’t want them to catch me in this vulnerable state.
I work at it for a few minutes but drop the glass when a blaring alarm runs through the house, sending a spike of dread through me. The treasure room!
Have Fiero and Romola gotten to the diamonds? Is the whole Heart of Italy in my enemy’s hands?
“NNOOOO,” I shout out a muffled protest of rage, picking up the speed with which I continue to free myself.
I struggle against my bindings, cursing under my breath. How did I end up like this? In my own bloody house?
The alarm continues to scream, echoing my panic. I have to get free, and I have to stop them before it's too late.
Fueled by anger, I pull at the ropes harder, ignoring the bite of pain. I will not be bested so easily. Fiero will pay for his impudence, and as for Romola...I’ll find her in the darkest corner of the world. I grit my teeth, summoning every ounce of strength I possess. The rope doesn’t budge.
My men burst into the room, weapons at the ready. Upon seeing me tied, they lower their guns with confused looks and make their way to me.
"Boss! We've been searching everywhere for you. Are you alright?" Gianni asks as he removes the tape from my mouth. The clotting scar gets ripped, and fresh blood drips down my mouth.
“Boss, what happened?” Mario asks, untying my legs while Gianni moves to get my hands.
“It was that bastard, Cremaschi,” I tell them. “He knocked me out,” I motion at the ropes all around us.
“There’s a war going on, Boss. We need your directions,” Mario tells me in panic as I stand to my feet and stretch out my limbs. “They’re coming from everywhere. They’ve even brought reinforcements. We need some too from the safehouses, but we couldn’t find you, and Franco’s been missing.”
“Missing?” I ask, dread washing over me. Could Franco have something to do with this, my brother?
Gianni and Mario exchange worried looks. “We need orders, Boss,” Gianni says.
“Call Masseri for backup,” I tell them. I walk to Mario and take his gun. “Go get yourself another,” I bark at him.
“Boss, where are you going?” Mario asks, looking terrified, like I’m abandoning him.
