Page 36 of King Of Order

I wandered through the park, my thoughts racing.

The wind was cool, the trees swaying in the breeze, but it did little to calm the storm inside me.

And then I saw it.

The same black car I’d spotted for weeks parked off the footpath, its engine idling.

I gasped, hand on my chest.

I picked up my pace, glancing back over my shoulder.

The vehicle moved slowly, keeping a deliberate distance but always there.

My pulse quickened. Was I being paranoid?

Maybe.

But each face I passed now appeared suspicious.

Every glance seemed like it was aimed at me.

When I reached home, I ran, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. I slammed the door behind me, locking it tight, my heart racing.

Was I losing it? Or was something more sinister at play?

Flinging my bag into a chair, I ran into my office and logged into my computer.

With a sigh between gritted teeth, I googled once more for Ciprioni Security.

No such firm came up in the search results.

I tried typing inhisname again.

Still nothing.

I searched for a list of all protection firms in Naples.

Nada.

With a cry of pure frustration, I shut my laptop and entered the kitchen.

I found a bottle of red and opened it, pouring a generous amount.

Kicking off my shoes, I sat on my lounge chair, staring at the view of a darkened city. My chest heaving with dread, fear, and worry.

Chapter 9

CHIARA

When I woke the following day, the sun poured into the room like every other day in Naples. It was golden and bright, promising warmth.

Reality hit, and an awful awareness pressed on my chest.

The fear was back, a relentless force gnawing at me, making everything feel wrong.

I lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

It was just another day. Another sunny, typical day. Except it didn’t give the impression of one.

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