Page 47 of The Silence Lies

“Done.”

“Who was that?” Sera asks when I pocket my phone. She’s shivering, clearly fighting off the cold. I’m not prepared to drop another bomb on her just yet. I’ll leave that for Mancini to fight her over. Those two have never seen eye to eye, partly because of the ‘no-guns’ things Raf has going on.

I march towards Sera, tugging off my jacket. “I’ll explain later,” I say, pulling the jacket over her shoulders. “Right now, we need to get out of sight.”

Giovanni

“Quite the nasty mess back there.”

I shiver at the intonation in the voice coming from the phone by my ear. We’ve only just returned to Sera’s compound. After hanging out in the tree line, in case we had any other unexpected visitors, Rafael Mancini finally pulled up with a convoy of his own. The entire journey back was filled with tension and unanswered questions. Sera took one look at Mancini before she punched Luca in the shoulder. I sense there’s some history between Raf and Sera. Though I’m not quite sure what that is right now, but it still seems fresh.

I pace out into the courtyard, turning a corner to find some privacy. This area is unlit, away from prying eyes and apparently security, too. I’ll have to get that fixed.

“What do you want?” I growl when I know I’m not in earshot of anyone.

“I’m just checking to see if you're okay. It has been a while.”

Two weeks to be precise. I guess getting a longer reprieve was too much to ask for.

My lips pinch together and my fists curl. I can feel my face heating up as I clench my teeth.

After everything, the fucker wants to check if I’m okay? If I wasn’t so fucking angry, I would believe their words. This asshole doesn’t care at all. This asshole wouldn’t have cared if I was caught in the crossfire tonight, or killed in the collision. They don’t give two shits about me leaving this world, leaving everything in my life behind. All they care about is eliminating enemies.

I’m starting to see both the irony and appeal in that now.

“You can’t keep calling me.”

“I’m pretty sure I can do what I like, Giovanni.” I can practically hear the smirk down the phone, like they’re enjoying the darkness I’m falling into.

I pace back and forth, tugging at the sweaty strands of hair flopping in front of my face.

“How is she?”

I pause my agitated pacing, lingering on the edges of the shadows that surround the compound.

On a deep breath, I answer. “She’s alive.”

I have no idea how. In fact, I have no idea how either of us survived it. That crash was fatal, it could have changed a lot of lives because while I thought I was in control, I wasn’t.

“Hmm…” the voice hums.

My stomach twists while bitterness makes my blood flash hot and cold.

“Is that all you have to say?” I snap.

“Stay safe, Giovanni.”

I grip the phone tightly when I’m met with the dead tone of an ended call. “Merda!”

My muscles twitch. All the rage that has been building up inside of me comes crashing down. The darkness I’ve been fighting, the sadness I’ve been avoiding, the guilt I’ve been pushing away—it all hits me at once. My fist slams into the wooden siding of the Bianchi house, my knuckles splitting instantly.

“You okay?”

I jolt back from the wall, my eyes landing on Matteo. He looks rough, drained even. Tonight really took it out of us all, and it’s starting to show. I sense it has been a while since any major shootout has happened because I don’t miss the way Matteo twitches at the slightest sound, his hand ready at his gun.

“Weird night, huh?”

I pocket my phone. I’m not sure how much he heard, or if he heard anything at all.

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