Page 110 of Niccolo (Mafia Kings #7)

Niccolo

M inutes crept by like hours.

I sat in the parlor with Rachel, both of us stressed out but saying very little.

Every update I got from Adriano or Lars, I shared with her.

There were initial messages about them getting into Treporti and meeting Massimo, then about boarding the speedboats –

Then nothing.

Time seemed to stand still –

And then I got a text from Roberto.

About to meet with Lau and the other partners. Wish me luck.

Holy SHIT…

Maybe he really would pull it off!

If Massimo, Lars, and Adriano prevailed, and so did Roberto, it would be a day filled with fucking miracles.

I texted back, In culo alla balena.

It literally meant, In the ass of the whale, but was the Italian way of saying ‘break a leg.’

Twenty seconds later, I got the reply:

Speriamo non caghi.

‘I hope it doesn’t shit.’

I smiled.

“What?” Rachel asked.

“My twin brother. Nothing about Lars,” I assured her.

Roberto texted, Anything from Venice?

Not yet. I’ll let you know.

He replied, Text me even if you don’t hear from me. I’ll probably be in the meeting for a while.

I gave him a thumbs-up and waited for some kind of news.

News eventually came…

And although it was mostly good…

It came with a side serving of completely-fucking-awful.