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He returns the gesture curtly, his smile never reaching his shrewd eyes as they scan over my gathered brothers guardedly. "The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Ricci. Shall we conclude our business?"
I gesture expansively towards the cargo trucks. "Our mutual friend assured me I'd be satisfied with your merchandise."
Santiago moves briskly to show us the contents of one of the trucks, his assessing gaze missing nothing. I force myself to breathe steadily and exude calm confidence despite the adrenaline now coursing white-hot through my veins, every instinct on high alert. We have planned this deal down to the smallest detail, but one misstep now could ruin everything.
After a prolonged moment of critique, Pietro nods once in apparent satisfaction.
"You run a tight operation, Mr. Ricci. My compliments," Santiago remarks coolly, extending his hand once more.
Letting loose the breath I hadn't realized I was holding in tense anticipation, I grasp his hand firmly to seal our agreement. Step one is cleared without issue. As his men get to work efficiently transferring crates between their trucks and our vehicles, Santiago fingers the briefcases of cash we hand over in return.
Once both transfers are complete, I watch his taillights fade into the enveloping darkness, finally allowing my taut frame to slump ever so slightly in relief.
"Nice work," Lorenzo's low voice rumbles approvingly in my ear, startling me from my contemplation. "Part one is down clean. Now comes the real test."
As if on cue, my phone begins to vibrate insistently in my pocket. Steeling myself once more, I answer swiftly. "Rafael, report." The moment of truth has arrived.
"No complications so far on our end," Rafael's deep voice responds without betraying a hint of the coiled tension he must be feeling. We both know the enormity of what hangs in the balance here tonight. "Our men played their parts perfectly and are nearly done with the transaction as we speak."
My hands clench reflexively at my sides. "Understood. We'll be standing by and will rendezvous with you at the designated spot afterwards to compare notes. Call me if anything deviates from the plan."
Rafael snorts derisively. "Have I ever let you down before?"
A ghost of a smile tugs at my lips. "No, but there's always a first time. Be vigilant. I'll be waiting to hear from you." I end the call, once more feeling my brother Giovanni's concerned gaze settling expectantly upon me.
When I meet his eyes, he speaks quietly but earnestly. "Try to have faith, Antonio. Whatever transpires tonight, remain level-headed for what comes after."
His words, as always, cut straight to the heart of the issue. I nod solemnly, drawing a steadying breath. "You're right, as usual. My emotions can't cloud my judgment now."
A tense, dragging silence descends upon our group then as we stand vigil at the desolate docks, awaiting any word from Rafael. Time seems to crawl endlessly in sluggish, needling increments. I pace restlessly, unable to keep still, running countless scenarios through my mind. What if the Ferraros did show after all? What bloody confrontation might be unfolding even now without us?
Worst of all - what will I say to Clara if she did indeed betray us? The thought of looking into her beautiful face with accusing eyes makes my stomach roil with dread.
At long last, my phone buzzes sharply, jolting me from my grim reverie. I answer it all too eagerly. "Rafael?"
"It's done. Everyone walked away clean," comes his steady reply, audible relief threading through his gruff tones. "No sign of the Ferraros or any other disturbances. As far as we can tell, our intel was accurate. The girl must not have talked."
A gust of air rushes from my lungs, tension unspooling from my rigid frame all at once. Clara remained loyal after all. She did not betray our secrets or endanger our operation. I am at once overwhelmed by profound guilt and an equally powerful swell of affection for her.
Giovanni observes my reaction keenly and correctly surmises the outcome, the corners of his mouth quirking up almost imperceptibly. "Well? I assume our...guest cooperated as anticipated?"
"Yes," I reply simply, unable to fully soften my grim expression yet. There is still much to remedy with Clara before we can find peace. If she'll even have me, after what I put her through with my doubts and schemes.
Lorenzo claps a compassionate hand to my shoulder. "Come brother, let's get out of here. You have absolution to seek."
I nod, squaring my shoulders with new resolve. "You're right. It's past time I faced up to my mistakes." With that, we pile silently into the waiting vehicles, peeling away into the inky night. The deal is done, but my atonement has only just begun. Clara awaits me at home, ignorant of the intricate drama that unfolded this night on her behalf. Soon, she will know all of it, for good or ill. I can only pray that her trust runs deep enough to survive my doubt. Survive using her as a decoy between two powerful families. The drive permits me no rest - only more circles of obsessive thought, dread and hope warring within my conflicted heart.
CHAPTER19
CLARA
My hands tremble as I fasten my long brown hair in a loose ponytail, securing it with a fraying hair tie. I'm wearing the same clothes I arrived at the Ricci mansion in - faded jeans and a university T-shirt, both thoroughly wrinkled from being stuffed in the bottom of my backpack.
The designer clothes and jewelry Antonio Ricci gifted me now lie folded and hidden in the back of the walk-in closet. I can't bear to wear them, not when they feel like shackles binding me to this family.
A family that has been kind to me, despite the circumstances that brought me here. When Antonio's men first dumped me in this lavish bedroom, I braced for cruelty, even violence. But none came. Instead, this family seemed friendly, even welcoming.
I know it goes against all logic, but I had come to trust them, to think of them as good men trapped in a vicious world. Men who've shown me nothing but kindness.
