Page 17 of Depths of Desire
Rinaldo nods. "Yes, sir." He pulls out his phone and begins to dial.
I turn and start walking back across the warehouse when a familiar voice intrudes into my mind.
Nico, what’s going on?
It’s Renzo again.
Renzo, now isn’t really a great time.
A second later, Luca’s voice joins in.You say you’re in trouble, and then you disappear. Do you just expect us to sit here and twiddle our thumbs?"
Listen to your brothers, my father cuts in.
Fuck. My father is the last thing I need. Do I tell them about Luna? The smart thing to do would be to tell them. But honestly, I’m inclined to keep her secret, at least for now. My father’s voice cuts through again.
What’s this I hear about a freighter exploding just outside the harbor?
Yeah,I admit.Our shipment just blew up.
Son of a bitch.Renzo’s anger hits me.What do you mean 'blew up? Somebody specifically blew up our stuff?
Good question. I don’t know, Renzo,I snap.I just got back here to the warehouse and haven’t had time to figure that out yet, but that ship was rigged to blow. I don’t know if they set it up while it was still docked or after it got underway, but there’sno mistaking it—someone put holes in the side of that ship to sink it as fast as possible.
Do you think this could be the start of a war over the blood trade?Luca asks.I know they’re having issues in the U.S. with rival factions.
I sigh, frustration a stone in my chest.I have no idea. To be honest, it seems kind of stupid. It’s not like we’re taking any of the U.S. business at this point. Yeah, that ship was supposed to go to the States, but it had a few stops before then. Our cargo was due to be offloaded before it reached America.
My father chimes in.Do we have any major challengers here in Europe? Who would they be?
There are a few,Renzo answers.But most are just grateful to have a reliable blood source at a reasonable cost. Blowing it up doesn’t make sense.
I agree,I add.God only knows what else was on that ship. There are a lot of shady deals going on right now.
It’s true,Luca says.I’ve noticed an uptick in just about every drug in my clubs. There’s a lot happening beneath the surface.
You think that’s it?Renzo asks.
I hesitate.I think it’s too early to speculate, but we need to find out. I don’t want to be caught out if this is going to affect us. Whoever’s behind this has some serious power.
My father’s energy nudges mine.Why do you say that?
Because before the ship blew up, customs boarded. The engines were shut off, so the vessel was only gliding. Within minutes of the agents arrival—boom. Explosions. That wasn’t a coincidence.
My father exhales sharply.You think someone was sending a message?
I do. A big, loud message.
So, you think we just got caught in someone else’s war?Renzo asks.
That’s my hope.
You said you had a problem, so what is it?
Damn Renzo. He never misses a trick. I pause, my stomach tightening.Whoever did this didn’t want anyone to get off that ship alive. Not with the way the explosions were timed. Not with how fast they wanted it to go down. Nobody had time to launch lifeboats or escape.A heavy silence settles over the link.
I was on that ship, I point out, my voice tight.There were cameras. I avoided most of them, but maybe not all.
My father’s anger brushes up against me like a scorching wind.You know better than that. You do not need to be seen.
