Page 20 of House of Lies

Mattia chuckles—a deep, relaxed laugh that leaves me swallowing hard.

“Goodnight, Wildfire.”

I lie in the dark, listening to his steady breathing, wondering if this is some trap. But I feel a glimmer of hope for the first time in a long time.

CHAPTER 14

Kaz

The evening air hangs heavy with stillness, the stars shining like distant beacons in the night sky. The only audible sound is the gentle sound of water lapping against the ships moored in the harbor. It’s a perfect night to set something on fire. I have allies in New York but can’t ask for help. No one can even know I’m here. I must do some things on my own.

Disguised as dockworkers, I went to the docks with Domenico and Marco hours ago. We lurk in the shadows, staying hidden. We’ve watched as the workers loaded the crates of drugs onto the ships. Ermanno Benedetti came to check that the shipment was ready to go, and it took every ounce of restraint not to put the plan in motion while he was on the ship. I despise his towering, commanding presence. His face always wears an expression of determination, and his eyes are filled with malevolent darkness. But he’s crumbling. Each passing day ages him further, leaving him worn out and losing control.

I’ve waited too long for this moment and won’t let it slip away. The Benedetti empire will crumble brick by brick, dealing him a significant financial blow. I relish witnessing the look on his face when he learns of his impending downfall.

Domenico and Marco are aware of the consequences if we fail or if we get caught.

“Let’s go,” I urge after what feels like an eternity.

We move swiftly and silently, like a pack of wolves on the hunt.

Ermanno is long gone, and his men perform a last couple of checks before shipping off. Marco and I submerge ourselves in the water, avoiding the searchlights. The cold is bone-chilling, and I shudder, despising every passing second. We swim underwater, silently and swiftly, our movements precise and rehearsed. We have meticulously planned this operation for weeks, and everything is going according to plan. The only thing left is to plant the bombs and set the detonator Marco carries on board. Using ropes thrown overboard by Domenico, we climb the ship and meet him on deck, huddled behind a crate. Opening his bag, he retrieves a few small devices he crafted himself. Silently, we place them on the ship’s hull. Domenico carries the device that will trigger the other charges, which he will position in the ship’s engine room, ensuring it’s connected to the rest of the bombs. Once completed, Domenico signals for our departure the same way we arrived. We swim back.

“You! Stop right there!” a voice commands.

I exchange a glance with Marco, scanning for Domenico, who is exchanging gunfire on the deck. I swim back, afraid I won’t get there in time. Marco follows closely behind. A loud explosion reverberates through the air, followed by a series of blasts. The ship rocks violently from the force, the sound echoing in the atmosphere, the water churning ferociously, engulfing me and Marco. My body feels weightless, and I struggle to breathe. The water burns.

No, that doesn’t seem right. The ship is burning too close to us. Domenico must have leaped overboard. I swim and swim, but I can’t locate him or Marco.

The icy coldness penetrates my bones, and I lose my sense of direction, unable to find my way to the surface.

CHAPTER 15

Caelia

It has been a few days since I last heard from Cosima. There has also been radio silence from Mattia for a week, but I try not to dwell on it. He mentioned going away on business but didn’t specify that I shouldn’t try to reach him. I try not to spend too much time thinking about how I came on his fingers for two weeks before he left, every single night, and how he went to sleep after, never trying to take things further.

“Hello?” I sense a hint of unease in her voice.

“Hey, sis! What’s going on?” I inquire.

“Well ... ” Cosima’s voice trails off, a heavy silence stretching between us.

“Cosima, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“I just found out I’m pregnant. Again,” she confesses, her tone laced with panic. It’s a startling revelation since Cosima loves her children more than anything and has always been devoted to them.

A lump forms in my throat as I search for the right words.

“You don’t sound happy.”

“Because I’m not,” she says, panicking. “I don’t ... I don’t want this baby, Caelia.” She sniffs like she’s been crying for a while before calling me.

“All right.” I take a deep breath, composing myself. “How can I help?”

After I miscarried, Cosima was the one who bought me contraceptives with no one knowing, and I hid them away from Mattia. Now, he doesn’t seem to care much about what I do with his money, so I don’t need her to sneak them for me. I’m still hiding them, but I’m unsure how he’d react if he knew I was stealing from him.

“I don’t know,” she sighs. “I needed to talk to someone, and I knew you’d understand. I’m not sure if it’s the right time to have another baby. I have two, and I struggle to keep up with them.”

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