Chapter 2 - Securing the Pawn
Before the sun rose the next morning, Matteo summoned his most ruthless enforcer, Dante, to the underground garage of the Rossi estate. Dante was a man built of muscle and silence, loyal to the Rossi bloodline above all else.
"I found a bug in the globe," Matteo said, handing the silver transmitter to Dante in a lead-lined pouch. "It’s inactive now. Trace the frequency, find out who manufactured it, and figure out who is on the receiving end."
Dante’s jaw tightened. "Who planted it, boss?"
"Camilla."
The silence that followed was heavy enough to crush bone. Dante didn't ask questions; he merely nodded. "And the boy who saw it? Do I deal with him?"
"No," Matteo commanded, his voice lethal. "The kid saved my empire. He gets absolute protection."
Matteo walked into the servant’s quarters and found young Leo sitting at the kitchen table, drawing in his sketchbook. His mother, Maria, looked up in alarm, quickly wiping her hands on her apron.
"Mr. Rossi, I apologize if he—"
"Maria, pack your bags," Matteo interrupted gently but firmly. "You and Leo are taking an extended, all-expenses-paid vacation to my private villa in Sicily. Today."
Leo looked up, his big eyes wide. "Did I do something wrong, sir?"
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Matteo knelt down to be at eye level with the brave eight-year-old. "You did everything right, Leo. You saved my life. Now, it's my turn to protect yours."
Keeping the boy safe was step one. Setting the trap was step two.
