Mafia's Final Play (Mafia's Obsession #3) - Summer Cooper Page 0,67

wifi?” Matteo was sleepy and confused, maybe even a little pissy, but he tried to hide it.

“They weren’t cheap cameras, boss.” Anton came in and opened his laptop before he turned back to Matteo and Marie. “I got cameras that operated on solar energy, so the batteries were constantly charged up. I used it on the whole system, except for the monitors, those were plugged into the house electricity. I didn’t think about it last night, but the wifi, the backup system, it was all on the solar power panel I’d set up on the roof.”

“I didn’t know you’d done that, I’m impressed,” Matteo said, some of the pissiness melting away.

“I do it on all the places you have me set up security cameras. Just in case. So, the cameras were still running, still backing up into the cloud, even after the power went out. I kept patrolling, going from window to window, but the perpetrator must have waited for me to move before they set the fire.”

“You have them, I take it?” Matteo asked, impatient now that some kind of information was at hand.

“I do. And you won’t believe who it is.” Anton hit the play button on his laptop’s screen as Matteo and Marie moved forward on the bed to have a look.

There was nothing on the screen at first that wasn’t normal: the outer perimeter of the house, a bunny that had got in somehow, and then, low to the ground, a figure started to move. They crawled up to the back of the house and for a moment, the screen flickered.

“What’s that?” Matteo asked, and Anton nodded.

“I changed to the other camera, I spliced this all together so it would make sense and I wouldn’t have to switch between feeds.”

“You’re good,” Matteo said absently, his eyes back on the screen.

The figure, clearly visible in the bright moonlight, stood up, and actually looked at the camera before they looked away. Anton backed the video up and hit pause.

“Fuck,” Matteo said with heat in his voice. Anton was right, he couldn’t believe who it was.

“What? Who is she?” Marie asked as she stared at the face. It was mostly covered with a hood and a strip of cloth that went over the mouth and nose, but the eyes were clear to see. “Matteo, say something!”

“It’s my cousin, Fiona. She’s a bit… on the fringe of the family. I haven’t seen her in years. I’d heard she’d become an assassin, but I didn’t believe it.” He ran his fingers through his hair and stared at Anton glacially. “I think we know what this means.”

“Celeste.” Anton agreed with a nod of his head.

“Has to be. If Petey can get more proof, I’ll nail her ass to a wall and leave her there to rot.” Matteo stood up, too angry to stay still. His own cousin had set fire to the place where he was living? Had shot him? Fuck, what the hell was wrong with his family?

“She’s your cousin?” Marie asked softly, her face wreathed in disbelief. “I know my family is shitty as hell, but that’s your cousin?”

“I know, hard to believe isn’t it?” He sat back down, took her hand, and looked at her intently. “I’ll keep you safe from her, I promise. Somehow, I’ll do it. If I have to die to protect you, I will.”

“Please don’t say that,” Marie answered in a rush, her eyes full of tears. “Don’t tell me you’ll die to protect me, I couldn’t stand it.”

“It’s the truth, baby. Always.”

“Still, try not to, alright?” She leaned over to kiss his cheek and then looked at Anton. “That goes for you too, buddy. Don’t die for me. I couldn’t take it if that happened. I just couldn’t.”

“Nobody’s going to die, okay? I’ll make sure of it.” Anton said, his voice tight as he looked away from her tears.

Matteo had no idea how either of them would keep their promises, but he knew one thing, he meant to keep his. Even if she didn’t want him to.

20

A year had passed since she first set eyes on Matteo. A year since her mother died. A year since they’d married. A year since she’d first noticed a tremor in her right hand. A few months since she was first attacked. A few weeks since their first anniversary. A few days since she’d noticed a tremor in her left hand. A few days since the fire. A few days since they were shot at and Matteo was