Chapter 21. Ghosts and Threats

Dominic’s POV

As though I fathomed the fear and misunderstanding portrayed in Luca’s eyes by the hundreds of undiluted words, his eyes met mine. We both knew what that meant, and neither of us wanted to be the first to say it.

“Answer it,” said Luca, barely above a murmur.

My thumb hovered over the accept button as I paused momentarily. Something inside of me screamed that this was wrong. That I would be better off just hanging up, forgetting it. But I couldn’t. Not now. Not when everything was at stake.

Then, quite violently, it all stopped again. The screen died out all over again; all was mute.

“What the hell?” it said, but the phone buzzed again. A second call from the same number.

Antonio.

I picked up the second time, my hands were shaking, and the rest of me was forced to be solid. “Hello?” My voice was steady, but I felt the tension rise with each passing second.

An instant of silence fell on the other side of the line, o