Page 73 of Niccolo (Mafia Kings #7)

Sofia

T he helicopter arrived at the airport half an hour before the jet’s departure.

I still had time, so I entered the main airport terminal, found an electronics shop – the kind that sells iPads and expensive headphones – and purchased a cheap mobile phone with international pre-paid minutes.

I activated it on my way to the hangar and boarded the jet with ten minutes to spare.

It was 4:45AM back in Italy, but I knew Fausto would want an update, so I phoned him using my personal cell phone.

I took pleasure in waking the bastard up, given that he’d viciously threatened me the last time we’d talked.

“…hello?” he answered groggily.

“I thought I’d call you, seeing as I’ll be in the air for the next 13 hours.”

“So you’re coming back. Good. Did you see Niccolo?”

“I did. In fact, I slept with him.”

“You WHAT?!”

“It’s fine. He thinks I’m falling for him, and he’s starting to develop feelings for me. It will distract him. Throw him off his game.”

“What makes you think he’s developing feelings for you?”

“Well, he didn’t try to kill me, for one. He did that thing where he swore on something important to him.”

Fausto cackled. “And he kept his promise?! Ha – he WOULD!”

At that moment, I disliked Fausto even more. Which was difficult, since I already despised him.

The fact that he thought Niccolo was stupid for keeping his word irritated me…

Especially seeing as I was only alive because Niccolo was honorable enough to stand by his oath.

“So the double agent routine actually worked,” Fausto continued. “Did he let anything slip?”

“No.”

“Did he make you an offer?”

“Fifteen million euros.”

For the first time, Fausto’s voice became wary. “And what did you say?”

“I said he didn’t have it.”

Fausto chuckled. “Not anymore.” Then his voice became sarcastic. “You’re not going to try to extort MORE money out of me now, are you?”

I should, I thought.

But I decided not to push my luck.

“No. You came through with the million euros. We made a deal, and I’ll honor it.”

“Good,” he said. There was no gratitude in his voice, only a sneer. “Anything else?”

“No. How’s it going with Lau?”

Fausto was gleeful. “He discussed it with his Yakuza and Triad partners. They said yes, so he’s going to stall Roberto for as long as possible.”

“Excellent. What about Aurelio? Any good news there?”

Fausto’s tone went sour. “No.”

Rather than deal with him in a cranky state, I decided to make a strategic exit. “The plane’s about to take off. I need to go.”

“Alright. See you when you get back.”

I hung up and immediately used the mobile phone to call the number Niccolo had given me.

He answered immediately in English. “Hello?”

The sound of his voice made me smile.

“I wasn’t sure you’d answer,” I said in Italian.

He laughed. “Already covering your tracks with a Hong Kong area code, I see!”

“Just to be on the safe side.”

“So paranoid,” he teased.

“Well, when the person I’m calling wants me dead…”

“NO, I want you on my SIDE. And in my bed,” he added slyly. “Did you decide to accept my offer, or did you just want to talk to me one last time before we go back to our cutthroat ways?”

“Did you get that Michelangelo yet?” I joked.

“Looking into it,” he said, and I could hear the grin in his voice.

“Well, until you do, I can’t accept the offer, so… yes. I just wanted to talk.”

“Mmm, I like that. Are you going to get burner phones in Italy, too, any time you want to talk to me?”

“I might.”

“This could turn into an expensive habit for you.”

“I’ll manage.”

“Well, I’d just like to repeat how incredible last night was… and that I hope we can do it again before business interferes.”

“You mean, before we have to kill each other?”

“I like my way of putting it better.”

“I do too, actually.”

“So… soon, perhaps?”

I grinned. “As soon as is feasible.”

“Don’t make it TOO long. One of us won’t be around forever. Unless, of course, you’d like to take me up on my very generous offer.”

“I can’t.”

“You mean, you WON’T.”

“That, too. But I’ll try to slip away as soon as possible.”

“Good.”

I hesitated for a second… then said softly, “Goodbye, Niccolo.”

“Ciao, bella. I hope to see you again soon.”

“Me, too.”

Then I hung up the phone, powered it down, and flagged down the jet’s lone flight attendant.

“Please throw this away in the hangar before we leave,” I asked.

She frowned. “You don’t want to keep it?”

“No. It has to remain here in Hong Kong. It’s important.”

She nodded. She knew exactly who we worked for and why I would need to ditch a cell.

She quickly alerted the pilot and exited the plane with the phone.

I settled back in my seat, thought about my talk with Niccolo, and smiled.

I had to wonder…

Who was playing whom?

Then I yawned.

By the time the plane was in the air, I was out.

I slept all the way back to Italy…

And dreamt of Niccolo the entire way.