Page 145 of King Of Order

‘Exactly. I propose we track his comms to detect likely information and actions of interest. Let’s also ID a criminal outlier that is a kingpin, someone we can use in a sting to turn the tables on him.’

‘Sounds good. What do you need from us?’ Lorenzo murmured, popping a grape from a fruit bowl on the table into his mouth.

I nodded. ‘Once Mauri returns from escorting the women to the beach, we’ll jump into the dark web where I believe Claudio is making deals with individuals. We’ll ID a big whale he’s working with. Then I might need your help to snare him. This means either cash, connections, or goods from Lorenzo are needed to get the job done. Plus some protection, Alessio, when shit gets real.’

‘Do it,’ Lorenzo rasped. ‘I’m keen to wrap it all up. In the next three months, we must be out of Italy in a complete divestment. I mean, all gone, apart from this villa we can maintain as a holiday home. I can’t let any of us tarry in Naples. Our business here is done.’

For the last few years, we’d been enacting strategies to help us break free from all our previous illicit operations.

Together, we’d crafted a plan to shape our families’ futures, those of our women and children, investing in the security and safety of those we would one day love and cherish.

Once the Tirones were off the slate, apart from my woman, we’d have nothing holding us back from seeking safety in a new home that welcomed us.

Or so I hoped.

The following day, we were having lunch on the terrace when Chiara’s phone buzzed on the table, interrupting the peaceful hum of conversation.

The sea breeze carried the scent of grilled meat and rosemary through the air, and for a moment, I didn’t think much of it.

When I glanced at my woman’s face, I saw the color drain from her skin as she peeked at the screen.

I put down my fork and straightened in my seat as Chiara stood and moved away to answer the call.

I reclined in my chair, eyes on her as she engaged in a whispered, hurried conversation.

It was when I tagged the unmistakable sound of Claudio’s shouting through the speaker, his fury spilling through the device, accusations flying like blades, that I knifed up.

Chiara’s hand trembled as she tried to respond. ‘Claudio, please, I’ve been unwell. I couldn’t make the transfers. I—.’

Another tirade cut her off, and her body tightened, her eyes squeezing shut as if to block out the venom he was spewing.

I was on my feet before I even realized it.

I tracked to her side within seconds, taking the phone from her hand.

Her eyes flew to mine, blinking, filled with shock.

I bent to rage whisper in her ear. ‘I won’t let him speak to you this way. Not now, not ever.’

Twisting from her, I growled into the speaker in a lethal roar between gritted teeth.

‘Claudio,va fa napole. Go to hell. Leave your sister alone. You want to threaten her, you go through me first. Try this shit again andsei morto,even if you are her fratello.’

His cry of fury was fuckin’ unmistakable on the other end, but I didn’t give him a chance to respond.

I hung up, tossing the handset onto the nearby table before pulling Chiara into my arms.

She was shuddering, her body tense against mine, shaking under the stress of everything she’d been carrying—the stress, the guilt, the fear for her brother, Aldo.

In recent days, he’d vanished, disappeared to the U.S., and left her to deal with the fallout.

Now this.

‘He’s blaming you for Aldo, isn’t he?’ I murmured into her hair, feeling her nod against my chest.

‘Also for the lack of funds in our accounts. I had no way of moving any money while I was unwell,’ she muttered, jaw clenched, fire flashing in her eyes.

I sighed, kicking myself for not keeping up with her obligations.

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