The Italian

by T L Swan

  I study the images of two men having coffee in what looks like a café. “One looks familiar. The one with the lighter hair.”

  “Yes, you would have seen him at times with Olivia. His name is Sergio Morelli. In the past, he’s been the kingpin in the narcotics arm of Ferrara. Ten years ago, he started out as the hitman for Stephano, but his business brain soon got him a promotion. He ran the Sicily and Roma cocaine circuit for years. We haven’t had any new intel on the drug situation for over eighteen months—not since Enrico took over. Not until this week.”

  I keep looking over the images as I listen to their story. “What happened?”

  “See this man he is having coffee with?”

  I look at the images of an older man in a suit. Distinguished, he doesn’t appear to be Italian. “Yes.”

  “This is Adolfo Rodriguez.”

  My mouth falls open in surprise. “The Adolfo Rodriguez?” I gasp.

  Alexander smiles smugly. “Yes, and you know what this means?”

  Adolfo Rodriguez is the biggest cocaine supplier in the world. “Holy shit,” I whisper.

  “Up until now, Adolfo has been untouchable. Nobody has seen him in public for years. It’s no coincidence that he’s in Milan now.”

  Nerves swirl in my stomach. This case just became super important. I can’t fuck this up. “You think Ferrara is going back into drugs?” I ask.

  “Sergio and Adolfo had this meeting, and three days later a large shipment of something arrived by water, which was unloaded directly onto Enrico Ferrara’s yacht in Monte Carlo.”

  My eyes widen. “You think it was cocaine?”

  “We’re sure of it, and by the size of the shipment, we’re talking a large multi-million-euro deal. It’s enough to put Ferrara away for a very long time. Thirty years, minimum”

  “Wow,” I whisper.

  “The yacht is being watched around the clock. Hopefully, you will get those wires in place before they try and move it and we are forced to close in. The more solid evidence we have, the cleaner the court case will be.”

  I nod with renewed determination.

  “Jessica, I can’t stress enough how important it is that you get some wires into their properties. We need this case to be watertight. Forty years of Ferrara’s crime hold over Italy will come to an end if you can come through on this. More than ever, this case is crucial.”

  I force a smile, a fission of guilt running through me. I wish I didn’t like Olivia. It would be so much easier to ruin her life if she was a bitch.

  But I knew what I was doing before I took this job, and Enrico is a low life criminal. In the long run, she’s better off without him. I’m actually doing her a favor by locking him up for life.

  “What if they try and move the drugs before we get any evidence?” I ask.

  “Then we have to close in, and we can charge him based on possession alone. But if we have extra incriminating information, it will only help us further.”

  “Okay.”

  “When is this engagement party?” Alexander asks.

  “It’s next weekend. I’m going to need some help organizing it. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

  “Let us handle everything. All of the catering staff will be undercover police. You will be well covered and completely safe. This is the perfect scenario. Good work, Jessica.”

  I smile proudly. “Thank you.” I hunch my shoulders together. “I’ll report back tonight when I have some of the party details.”

  “Have a nice day.” The screen goes black, and I stare at it for a moment.

  Wow, shit just got real.

  Enrico

  I lie in the darkness and listen to Olivia’s regulated breathing.

  My angel is sleeping peacefully.

  What must that feel like?

  She’s curled up on her side, facing away from me. Her head is on my arm and my other arm is around her, tucked up in between her breasts. I couldn’t be any closer.

  But it’s never close enough.

  Every time I close my eyes, I see the zipper of the body bag in the morgue slowly sliding down.

  The pale blue face with the name Lucky Lombardi carved into it.

  Her lifeless body kept in the freezer, as if she was insignificant—as if she didn’t matter.

  I close my eyes, the horror too real to handle.

  I inhale as I try to calm myself, to chase away this fear, the sheer terror that my Olivia is on his radar.

  Our baby.

  I get a vision of Olivia’s body floating in sea water, her pale blue face with the same sadistic carvings there, and her blonde hair floating on the surface.

  She’s dead.

  I scrunch my eyes shut to try and block it out.

  Why do I keep seeing it? Why do I keep seeing visions of my Olivia in the sea? Is it just a product of my fear or a premonition? Either way, the vision is haunting me.

  I’ve never been scared of the consequences of who I am. Not until now.

  What if he gets to her? What if he tortures her?

  What if she dies?

  I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling.

  We will kill Lucky Lombardi. The war has only just begun. Ten of his men have already lost their lives today, but until I see Lombardi’s lifeless body with my own eyes, I won’t relax.

  I need a plan—something to keep Olivia safe.

  I glance over at the clock and see that it’s 2:00 a.m. It will be 8:00 p.m. in New York. I slowly slide out of bed, throw on some boxer shorts, and walk downstairs to my office.

  I scroll through my phone until I get to the name I’m searching for.

  Gabriel Ferrara

  My cousin.

  Our grandfathers were brothers. As the second in line, his grandfather Emilio wasn’t committed to Italy. His passion was very different. He moved to New York City and opened Ferrara Media, which is now one of the most successful media empires in the world. Gabriel is the CEO.

  We have the same blood, yet the life he lives is so very different to mine. We grew up on opposite sides of the world—my family in Italy and his family in New York—but we understand each other. A strange comradery has built between us over recent years.

  We have both struggled with being Ferraras. Both struggled being the CEO of a family business we didn’t choose of our own accord.

  Different ends of the spectrum.

  Different businesses that are worlds apart.

  The same goddamn battles.

  Nobody gets it like we do.

  We live with it every day. Like an insidious monster that sits on our shoulder, the pressures of expectation are heavy burdens to bear.

  I dial his number and listen as it rings.

  “Enrico.” His voice is filled with happiness. “Tell me someone died.”

  I chuckle. We always say that we only get to see each other at funerals. “Not today. Hello, my friend.”

  “It’s good to hear your voice. How are you?”

  “Good. Engaged to be married.” I smile at the sound of those three words. Who knew it would ever feel so good to say out loud?

  “What?” He gasps. “Engaged? Poor woman. Who is she?”

  I laugh. “Her name is Olivia Reynolds, and she’s the most beautiful woman on the planet. Listen, I need a favor.”

  “Name it.”

  I exhale heavily. “I have some things going down here. A threat has been made on Olivia. A madman has threatened her life if I don’t do as he asks. He knows where she works. He knows everything about her. We are handling it, but not as fast as I would like.”

  “Okay.” He listens.

  “If I need to, can I send Olivia to you in the states? I may have to get her out of Italy in a hurry, but I need somewhere that I know she will be well guarded.”

  “Of course. Send her. You know I have impeccable security.”

  “Thank you.” I smile sadly. “How are you?”

  “All right.” He pauses. “I have a lot to tell you when we catch up
next.”

  “And your family?”

  “Are all well. Yours?”

  “Good, everything is great, except for this madman murdering my working girls.”

  “Jesus, Enrico.”

  “I know.” I sigh. “Look, I’ll let you know if I’m sending her. Maybe this week for a few days.”

  “I will guard her with my life, Enrico. You have my word.”

  “Thank you.” I close my eyes. We both linger on the line, not wanting to hang up the call.

  “Are you really all right?” he finally asks.

  “As long as Olivia’s safe, I will be fine.”

  “Take the threat out.”

  “I will. He’s gone into hiding.” I get a vision of the name carved into her face, and contempt fills my every pore. “Once I find him, there’ll be hell to pay.”

  “I look forward to hearing his screams.” He chuckles.

  I smile. Gabriel is the only civilian I know who can deal with my lifestyle.

  He gets it.

  Nothing comes as a shock to him. He is a Ferrara, after all. “Thank you. I’ll let you know if I’m sending Olivia. If she does come, I may send her friend or her mother with her so that she’s not alone.”

  “Send whoever you want. Speak soon.”

  I hang up and sit in the silence of my office for a while. I go over the last forty-eight hours in my mind.

  A whirlwind of emotions rush through me.

  I’m marrying the love of my life. We’ve been blessed with a child. There’s so much love and light in my life, and yet all I can feel is an overwhelming fear that I’m about to lose everything.

  An eerie sense of calm hangs in the air. I can feel it—like a storm brewing on a mountain ready to fall. Something is coming.

  I close my eyes. Please… don’t let it be that.

  Olivia. My darling Olivia.

  “Rici?” I hear her call from the stairs. “Where are you, baby?”

  “Here, my love.” I jump to my feet and rush out into the living area. I find her coming down the steps in her nightgown.

  Her face lights up when she sees me. “I didn’t know where you were.”

  “I had to take a call.” I put my arm around her and lead her back up the stairs. “Come… back to bed.” I kiss her temple. “We have a doctor’s appointment in the morning, remember?”

  She looks up at me with a beautiful smile. “How could I forget?”

  Olivia

  I roll over in the darkness. It’s late… or should I say early? With the shutters down I have no idea. I hear a creak and I frown.

  I know that creak.

  That’s the creak of the bottom step.

  I sit up in bed.

  Someone’s in the house.

  30

  Olivia

  I sit still in the darkness and listen. I glance over to Enrico who is fast asleep beside me. He’s been restless all night and has only just drifted off.

  Silence.

  I slowly get up and tiptoe over to the door. I quietly close it and flick the lock.

  My heart is hammering hard in my chest. I stand and listen.

  I hear another creak and I know that creak is near the top step.

  I run to Enrico. “Wake up.”

  “Huh?”

  “Someone’s in the house.”

  “Huh?”

  “I heard the step creak.”

  He launches out of bed and grabs a gun from his top drawer. “Get dressed.” He quickly dials a number on his phone.

  I look down to see I’m naked.

  Shit.

  I’m running into my wardrobe when I hear him whisper, “C’è qualcuno in casa.” Translation: Someone’s in the house.

  He walks up behind me. “Go into the bathroom and lock the door. Do not come out,” he whispers.

  “Yes, let’s go.” I grab my nightgown and run to the bathroom. He hands me a gun.

  “Keep the door locked, and if anyone comes in here, don’t ask questions. You shoot to kill.”

  “What? Where are you going?” I look down at the gun in my hand with wide eyes. It’s heavy, made of cold, black metal. It’s designed to take a life.

  “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  “What? No, you stay here, too,” I whisper. I grab his arm, suddenly frantic. “Stay here. Don’t you go out there. Please don’t go out there.”

  He pushes me into the bathroom and closes the door. “Lock it,” he snaps angrily through the heavy wood.

  My face scrunches up and tears fill my eyes as I flick the lock. I begin to pace. Oh my God, what is happening. I hear our bedroom door open and I hold my breath as I listen. My heart is hammering hard in my chest.

  I wait… and I wait… and I wait.

  Eventually, I hear voices I recognize.

  Marley and Maso.

  I hear Enrico say something from up the hall. I open the bathroom door and peer around the side of it. What’s happening out there?

  “Libero,” someone yells. Translation: Clear.

  The house is a hive of activity. There must be ten men inside searching it. I can hear them walking through and banging around.

  Enrico comes into the bedroom.

  “Why do you have the door unlocked?” he barks.

  My face crumbles, and his falls as he sees my tears and my shaking hand holding the heavy guy. I’m a nervous wreck.

  “Olivia,” he says softly as he takes the gun from me and wraps me in his arms. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” He holds me against his chest. “What did you hear?”

  “I heard the step creak.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, and I heard the top one creak a few moments later.”

  He frowns as he holds me tight.

  “What’s going on?” Sergio asks as he comes into the room. “I was in the boathouse and heard the commotion.”

  We both turn toward him, surprised. “What are you doing here?” Enrico snaps.

  “I was covering a shift for someone who called in sick.”

  “Olivia heard something.”

  Sergio’s eyes flick to me. “Did you see anyone?”

  I shake my head. “No.”

  “It’s impossible. Nobody could get in here. We have the place surrounded.”

  “Just search the fucking house,” Enrico growls impatiently.

  He storms out of the room on a mission.

  The hairs on the back of my neck rise to attention.

  For some sick reason, my gut instinct sets off an alarm bell.

  It was him. Sergio was in the fucking house. I can feel it.

  “Why do I think it was him who was in the house?” I whisper.

  Enrico frowns down at me, as if surprised by my accusation. “Why would he be in the house?”

  “You tell me,” I whisper angrily. “Why is he even here? Didn’t you tell him to leave last night? I don’t trust him at all.”

  Enrico glares out the door after him, his jaw clenched, and I know that he’s suspicious, too.

  The house is now abuzz with people. Every light is on as they go through and search the rooms one by one. Every now and then I hear someone call to give the all clear in the distance.

  I wrap my dressing gown around me tightly. If someone did happen to get in here, they would never be found. This house is as big as a state library.

  “I hate this fucking house, Rici,” I whisper. “It’s too big and I don’t feel safe here.” I swipe the terrified tears from my eyes. “There could be fifty people hiding in this house and we wouldn’t even know it.”

  Enrico drags his hand down his face, his frustration clear.

  “Let’s go to the Milan apartment,” I plead. “Let’s just get in the car and go now.”

  “It’s not safe to transfer us both in the middle of the night.”

  “Why isn’t safe? Who the fuck is waiting out there?”

  “Will you stop fucking cursing?”

  “No, I will not! There won’t even be a fucking b
aby if we’re all dead!” I cry.

  “We can’t leave now, Olivia.” He passes the gun back over and walks me to the bed. “Get into bed.”

  “With a gun?” I hold it up.

  “The house is clear.”

  “Then why do I need a fucking gun?” I snap.

  “Olivia,” he growls. “Do not fall apart on me now. Tomorrow we can move. For now, we stay here.”

  I get into bed, pull the covers over my head, completely furious to be in this position. I can hear men speaking in Italian in the distance and doors being open and shut.

  The tears take over.

  I just want to be normal.

  “Congratulations, you’re nine weeks pregnant, Olivia,” the doctor says across the desk. “The heartbeat is strong, and everything looks to be in perfect order. Your baby is fit and healthy.”

  Enrico’s broad smile beams over at me and he grips my hand tightly in his.

  We are at the obstetrician, and it’s been a rough morning.

  Enrico and I have hardly spoken. I’m stressed out after last night’s activities, while he’s been avoiding the subject. He thinks it was a false alarm—that I’m imagining things. They searched the entire house and found nothing.

  But I know what I heard.

  “You will have your baby by Christmas. Your due date is on the 15th of December.”

  Enrico leans over and kisses me softly. He’s this big important man with all the money in the world, but when it comes down to it, nothing is more important to him than becoming a father.

  “Congratulations, baby,” he whispers.

  I smile proudly. My heart is so full that it feels like it’s about to explode.

  “Your next appointment will be scheduled in four weeks.” The doctor looks between us. “Do you have any questions?”

  Enrico’s eyes flick to me, and I know he has a million. “Is there anything particular that we…” He pauses as he searches for the right wording. “Shouldn’t be doing?”

  I can think of a few. Not being killed as I sleep is number one.

  The doctor smiles, understanding the true meaning of his question. “No, carry as normal. Sexual activity is natural and completely fine. It won’t hurt the baby at all.”