Chapter 1 - The Sapphires and the Serpent
Matteo stared into Camilla’s beautiful, expressive eyes, searching for the betrayal lurking beneath her sapphire gown. She smiled, radiant and seemingly carefree, as the waiter poured them a vintage Barolo at the city’s most exclusive rooftop restaurant.
"You seem quiet tonight, Matteo," Camilla noted, reaching across the candlelit table to trace his knuckles with her manicured fingers. Her touch, usually a source of immense comfort, now felt like a cold blade resting against his skin.
"Just business," he lied smoothly, his face an impenetrable mask of Italian stone. "The upcoming shipment from Palermo has been giving me a headache. A lot of loose ends."
He watched her pupils dilate. The mention of the Palermo shipment was a calculated test. It was his most lucrative smuggling route, the exact kind of intel a rival family would kill to intercept.
"I'm sure you'll handle it," she said, withdrawing her hand slightly to sip her wine. "You always do."
Matteo noticed the slight tremor in her fingers before she grasped the crystal stem. She was terrified. Whoever was pulling her strings had a grip so tight she was suffocating. He thought back to the surveillance tape. Please don't hurt him. Who was the "him"?
"I'll have to take some calls from the study tomorrow," Matteo added casually, cutting into his steak. "Highly classified routes. I can't afford any leaks."
May you like
Camilla swallowed hard, her eyes darting toward the city skyline. "Of course. Your privacy is paramount."
She was playing her part perfectly, but Matteo was the king of a violent chessboard. He knew she had just taken the bait. Now, he just needed to see who came to bite the hook.
