Chapter 99


    Chapter Ny-Nine


    Adrik


    As we were finishing breakfast the next morning, Armando’s assistant walked in, lookingpletely


    panicked. He went to her immediately. “Giana, are you okay? What happened? You look terrified.”


    “Sir, I went to the office this morning beforeing here. I had forgotten the charger to myptop


    yesterday and I don’t have a


    backup. I waste.” She looked at him sheepishly, clearing her throat. “As usual, sir. It was 8:15 when I


    turned onto the street in front of the building. Sir, the building. It.. it exploded.”


    Armando cursed loudly. “Are you okay? How close were you? Did you get hurt?” he asked, checking


    her over.


    “No, no, sir. I’m fine. I was still far enough away. I got out of there as fast as I could and came straight


    here.”


    I asked, “are you sure none of your people went to the office this morning, Mando?”


    He looked at me, a look of horror on his face. He immediately tumed to Giana, “we must call everyone


    to make sure everyone stayed home.” They left quickly, to make the necessary calls.


    I leaned over to Sephie, whispering in her ear, “tell your father that we owe him one.” I kissed her


    cheek.


    “No sh it,” she said, shocked.


    I looked to Misha, who was equally as shocked, nodding a silent thank you. Were it not for those two,


    we might’ve been at the office this morning. The relief I felt that we were all safe was quickly reced


    by anger. This was a direct attack on Armando, but I had a feeling it was also an attack on me. Giana


    hadn’t told us what she had found out yet, but I could almost guarantee that thewyer was working for


    Lorenzo and Anthony.


    Sephie looked to me, like she was reading my mind. “They know you’re still alive. They have to know.” I


    looked in her eyes, expecting to see her fear. Instead, her anger level was matching mine. “They tried


    to ki ll you. AGAIN.”


    Armando walked back in with Giana, who was still visibly still shaken. She had herptop in her hands.


    “Did she tell you she connected thewyer to Lorenzo or Anthony or both?” I asked.


    He nodded his head. “Just as we suspected. Thewyer must have told them that you were alive. And


    that Sephie is here. They must have known that my people connected them. All my people are loyal,


    but they had to have a tap on someone’s phone. I just ditched mine and Giana’s. All my people are


    safe. They know how to get in touch with me without the use of phones. Giana is going to stay here, in


    case they followed her,” he said as he looked at her. Given her expression, he clearly did not discuss


    that with her beforehand, but she didn’t protest.


    Viktor looked at Armando. “Your people have been watching Lorenzo and Anthony. What’s their n


    now? Clearly, they wanted to take us out this morning, but then what? What’s their next y?”


    Ivan, stroking his goatee, said, “if it were me, I would use this as a distraction to leave. They know we’ll


    be looking for them here or in Sicily. Butmunication will be slower because you’ve been


    compromised. Until you find out where that leak or tap Is, information is going to being slower to


    us. They’re probably already on a ne to the city. That would be my move.”


    I couldn’t say I disagreed with him. Getting back to the city has always been their goal. They might not


    have even waited to see if the explosion was sessful before leaving. Either way, we would be dead


    or so distracted that they get a few days head start.


    Armando said, “I’ll get in touch with Dario and Massimo. They’re still in the city, watching Salvadori.


    They can watch for


    Lorenzo and Anthony in the city.”


    Sephie looked to me, Leaning in, she quietly asked “Dario and Massimo are the other two bosses that


    are loyal to you? Or those are the guys that took me?”


    “Bosses. You know something?” I raised an eyebrow at her. I was beginning to rely on her random bits


    of information that always seemed invaluableter.


    “You’re sure they’re loyal to you?” she asked.


    “I believe so. They, like Armando, came to me immediately when Salvadori came to them.”


    Armando added, “Dario would never side with Salvadori. They have bad blood between them. They


    can barely stand to be in the same room as each other. And Massimo is Dario’s childhood friend. He


    would never go against Dario.”


    Sephie thought for a moment. “Dario is salt and pepper hair, but clean shaven?” she asked. I nodded.


    “He repeats things you say when he’s lying. He’ll repeat the question back to you, like he’s surprised


    you even asked him. He’s buying his brain time toe up with an answer. You’ll be able to tell if he’s


    lying to you over the phone that way. Massimo will be harder. He forgets to blink when he’s lying. He


    thinks if he maintains eye contact like a psycho that you’ll somehow be more apt to believe him.


    Massimo is one of the smoothest liars I’ve seen. It took me longer to pick up on hisck of blinking than


    the rest of them, which makes him more dangerous than the others, if you ask me. I wouldn’t trust that


    man.”


    Armiando looked at his watch. “It’s still early there. I’ll give them a call now,” he said walking out of the


    room.


    We sat in silence for a moment, all of us contemting our next move. I agreed with Ivan. I think we


    should get back to the city as quickly as possible. I would feel better with Sephie at the penthouse


    where I knew she would be safe. I felt too exposed here. Armando was a gracious host, but he was a


    little too rxed on his security. I secretly hoped this incident would fix that. I was also worried about


    them carrying out their original n of unleashing chaos on the people of the city.


    “Misha. What’s your opinion? Stay here or go back to the city as quickly as possible?” I asked,


    somewhat amused at the surprise on the kid’s face. After this morning, there was no way I wasn’t


    getting his opinion on our next move from here on out.


    He thought for a minute, while we all waited for his answer. “City agree with Ivan. I think this morning


    was a distraction to give them cover to leave. If we get in touch with Armando’s people that have been


    watching them, I’d bet they lost them this morning.”


    I nodded to him, agreeing with him. I looked to Viktor, Andrei, and Stephen. They all agreed that


    returning home was the best n. Finally, I looked to Sephie, making sure she was also okay with the


    n. She nodded slightly, but then turned to all the guys. “Will you guys make me a promise?” she


    asked, looking at Stephen first. “If you don’t pick them off from a rooftop. somewhere, can you keepN?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    them alive long enough for me to have a go at Anthony? That mo therfucker is starting to pi ss me off.”


    Everyoneughed but Giana, who just looked mortified.


    ns were quickly made to leave early the next morning. I caught Viktor alone and asked him to have


    the bikes sent back as well. Once we were done with all of this, I was going to enjoy a long ride with


    Sephie.