Athena
I exhaled heavily, feeling the sweat trickling down the sides of my face and dampening the underarms of my sleeveless T-shirt.
My muscles ached, protesting from the back-and-forth run around Luciano’s house, and I came to an abrupt stop in front of a neatly trimmed hedge.
From a distance, I observed a father holding his little daughter’s hand, their destination unknown. The ends of the girl’s pink ballerina dress twirled around her tiny legs. Suddenly, she paused, tilting her right foot to the side.
The father crouched down to address the issue, fixing her loosened shoelace. The scene stirred memories of my own childhood when my father used to drop me off and pick me up from school.
He would linger a while longer after I got out of the car, watching as I bounced down to the school gate before driving away. Just as I disappeared into the thin line of the crowd, he would wave, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
I wrestled with my emotions, finally tearing my gaze away from the little girl and her father. Tears glistened in my green eyes, and I hastily wiped them away, as if they had no place there.
The early morning sun warmed my warm brown skin, sending small shivers down my spine from the dried sweat on my body. It was time to go inside. The sun had already risen, signaling a new day.
As I made my way around the grand house to the front entrance, I noticed a parcel waiting for me, wrapped in a fine brown envelope.
Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, I picked up the item and absentmindedly ran a finger along the smooth material. I knew exactly what it contained. It was the listening device I had ordered about a week ago, and now the FBI had sent the intercepted package.
I discreetly stashed it in my pants pocket and ascended the steep steps to the front door. Once safely inside, I let out a nervous breath, contemplating what to have for breakfast. Perhaps a cup of coffee to kickstart my system.
I heated the leftover coffee in the pot and poured it into a cup, adding full cream and sugar. Taking a slow, cautious sip, I winced at the slight burn on my tongue. Goodness, it was piping hot.
I diluted it with cold water and tasted it again, nodding at the warmth. The peaceful silence enveloped me as I prepared to ascend the stairs, but the sound of a shower running in Luciano’s room caught my attention.
Now was the perfect moment to set up the listening devices. Sneaking into Luciano’s study, I accidentally dropped my steaming coffee on the table, my eyes scanning the room for a discreet spot to conceal the device.
There was one on the wooden shelf, another beneath the large desk, and one by the side of the swiveling chair. Swiftly, I got to work, strategically placing the devices in the study. Just as I was about to position the one on the chair, it slipped from my grasp and clattered onto the tiled floor.
For a brief moment, all I could hear was the thundering beat of my heart, until the sound of the running shower resumed. Acting swiftly, I retrieved the fallen device and affixed it to the chair, then grabbed my coffee as I slipped out of the study.
With cautious steps, I tiptoed back to my room, feeling the frantic pounding of my heart against my rib cage, praying that Luciano wouldn’t catch me in the act. Thankfully, luck was on my side.
As I entered the comfort of my chilled room, relief washed over me, and I settled down, placing the headset on my ear and activating it to eavesdrop on Luciano’s room.
The sound of the shower ceased, and I could hear the rustling of the shower curtains as Luciano emerged from the bathroom, water pooling at his feet. He hummed along to an unfamiliar tune while wrapping a towel around his waist, using a second towel to dry his hair.
Curiosity consumed me as I silently wondered what song he was singing. However, my thoughts were interrupted when his phone emitted a shrill ringtone, amplified in my earphones. I pulled them away from my vibrating ears, taking a moment to race to the bathroom before quickly returning to resume listening.
By that time, Luciano had already answered the call, speaking in a friendly and relaxed tone. He was conversing with Luca. I settled deeper into my unmade bed, my ears perked, attentively capturing every word.
“Yeah, sure,” I heard Luciano reply, though I was unsure of the context since I had missed the earlier part of their conversation. “Do you mind accompanying me to the dealer who might know who Castello is?”
There was a brief pause on the other end. Sipping my slightly cold tea, I waited anxiously for a response. Goosebumps formed on my arm, causing the fine hairs on my legs to stand on end.
Reluctantly, I rose from the bed to turn off the air-conditioning, returning just as Lucia spoke.
“Oh, the suspicious one?”
“Yeah, I really need to find out,” Luciano’s voice carried a hint of worry. A pang of guilt tugged at my heart for the actions I was taking, but I pushed it aside, focusing my mind on the task at hand. I had no choice. There was no turning back now. Frederick was counting on me.
“Sure. Anything you want.”
I could hear the smile in Luciano’s voice as he expressed his gratitude and ended the call. I let out a heavy sigh, biting down hard on my lip. Well, that was a short conversation.
I assumed Luca would now be preparing for their brief trip, perhaps informing Giorgia about their plans. As much as I would have loved to join them, I knew I had to remain where Frederick and the FBI needed me. It pained me, but there was nothing I could do. I was on the side of the law. Besides, I was pretty sure Giorgia despised me.
There was nothing more to hear from Luciano’s end as I finished my coffee and placed the cup on my nightstand. I began to feel the strength returning to my veins that had left me during the morning run.
I lay down on the bed, picturing Luciano slipping a shirt over his impeccably toned stomach muscles, his chest rippling with each movement. His hair would be dry by now, the strands silky and smooth.
I longed to touch it, to run my fingers through his jet-black locks, but I reminded myself of the reason I was here. There was no time for distractions, especially not at this crucial moment when Luciano was about to uncover Castello’s identity.
The phone emitted a shrill ringtone, and this time, I was instantly alert, pressing the headphones firmly against my ears. I wanted to catch every breath and pause in the conversation. Luca spoke, and this time, I sensed a slight change in his tone. The friendly atmosphere had vanished.
“The dealer is dead. I just received the news,” Luca’s words cut through the air like a sharp knife, and I could hear Luciano’s heart rate quicken. Oh my God. My hand flew to my mouth, stifling a gasp.
There was a long, heavy pause, followed by a barrage of curses spewing from Luciano’s lips. I realized the call had ended, and I leaned back, trying to process this new piece of information.
The dealer’s death meant that someone else was opposing us-someone ruthless and cold-blooded, capable of eliminating anyone who stood in their way. Someone didn’t want Luciano to make contact with the dealer and uncover Castello’s identity. But who? Who was tailing him?