Page 137 of Roberto

Lau smiled. “Then our business arrangement will continue as though none of this unpleasantness ever happened.”

I stared at him as though he was insane. “You think I’ll continue to do business with you after you fucking stabbed me in the back?”

Lau held up his hands likeWhat can you do?“It’s only business.”

“Surely you can understand that,” Gota said with a smirk, “since we’re all in the samelineof business.”

I stared at them in impotent rage –

When the phone in my pocket buzzed with a text.

It was either Niccolo or Mei-ling, I was sure of it.

Either way, I had to know what they said.

“Excuse me,” I said, and pulled out my phone before Lau or the others could object.

I saw with the tiniest twinge of disappointment that it was Niccolo, not Mei-ling – but I eagerly read his message.

It was succinct but overwhelming.

We won but at a cost.

Massimo shot. Airlifted to hospital for surgery.

Lars and Adriano okay but most of our men are dead.

Widow’s granddaughter safe.

Aurelio is dead.

I stared at the message in shock.

Fear, grief, and hope all warred within me simultaneously.

“Mr. Rosolini?” Lau asked.

I looked up at him. “You’ve been monitoring Italy, you said?”

“Correct.”

“Then you know what happened in Venice today?”

Lau smiled. “Yes.”

“Do you read Italian?” I asked, preparing to show them Niccolo’s text if he did.

“Unfortunately, no.”

“Then you’ll have to trust me when I tell you my brothers won,” I said coldly. “Not only that, but my cousin Aurelio – Fausto’s son – is dead.”

Lau’s smile disappeared.

“…I see,” he murmured.

“Are you sure you bet on the right side?” I sneered.

Suddenly, the phone on the conference table rang.

---