Mafia Kings: Valentino: Dark Mafia Romance Series #6 by Olivia Thorn

No matter how bad things got with my family, I always had Caterina to calm me down.

But then things got a shit-ton worse.

One afternoon, I was about to go find Caterina and drag her away for a quickie when Niccolo intercepted me in the hallway.

“Come into the parlor,” he said grimly. “We need to have a serious discussion.”

Shit.

I figured he’d finally gotten around to chewing me out for that crack I made about the bomb in the panic room.

As I followed him into the room, I protested, “Look, I didn’t mean to…”

I trailed off when I saw Dario sitting behind his desk in the corner.

He only did that when something big was about to go down.

“Mean to what?” Niccolo asked as he shut the door behind us.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Sit,” Dario said in his mafia don voice.

Like, Do what I say or there will be consequences.

I sat down nervously in one of the chairs.

Niccolo sat on the sofa and stared at me grimly.

“Why is everybody being so serious?” I asked.

“We sent Massimo to Venice to court the Widow as an ally,” Niccolo answered. “That’s why he’s protecting Signora Fioretti’s granddaughter – so that if we get the chance to argue our case before the Council, we’ll have the Widow on our side.”

The Council was a meeting of the most powerful Cosa Nostra families in Italy. It didn’t happen very often; in fact, it had only happened a few times since I was a kid, back when Papa was still alive.

The night of Adriano’s wedding, when we found out Fausto had betrayed us, Dario had suggested calling a meeting of the Council.

At the time, Niccolo had said we needed more proof.

Maybe we had enough proof now…

But I still didn’t understand why that would stress Nic and Dario out so much.

“Why do we need the Widow on our side?” I asked.

“When the Council hears a case, every family gets a single vote. However, five of them –Rome, Venice, Sicily, Naples, and Milan, the five most powerful families – get two votes apiece. If they vote together – which they often do – then they can overrule the rest of the Council. So it’s crucial that we peel off as many votes as possible from the Five Families.”

That was interesting. I’d never known that before.

“Since we’re the ones bringing the case, we don’t get a vote,” Niccolo continued. “And as the accused party, Fausto and Aurelio won’t get a vote, either. Which means we need as many people on our side as possible.

“We can count on the Oldanis from Genoa since Alessandra is their granddaughter.”

That had been a big surprise – finding out that Alessandra was actually a secret mafia princess. Her father had been a servant for the Oldanis; after they fell in love and Alessandra’s mother got pregnant, they ran away to start a new life. Alessandra had grown up not knowing anything about her grandparents.

“But some of the families can be bribed,” Niccolo continued. “I’m absolutely certain that Fausto paid them off, so we need as many of the Five Families to back us as possible. Hence sending Massimo to Venice.”

“Okay – but why are you guys acting so grim?”

Niccolo sighed. “We’ve made overtures to Don Vicari of Sicily. Do you remember him?”

Hell yeah, I remembered him. Scary motherfucker with a big, bushy black mustache. I’d seen him at several weddings when I was a kid. What I remembered most about him – other than the mustache – was how all the other mafia dons gave him a wide berth. When Don Vicari’s name got mentioned, Papa would mutter under his breath and cross himself.

Sicily was the birthplace of the Cosa Nostra, and Don Vicari was old-school mafia. Coldblooded as fuck. No mercy, no quarter.

“I remember,” I said. “What about him?”

“He’s agreed to throw his support behind us… for a price.”

I laughed and scoffed at the same time. Made sense he’d try to extort us. “How much does he want?”

Niccolo looked pained. “He doesn’t want money.”

“Then what? Part of our territory?”

“No.” Niccolo paused. “He wants a husband for his youngest daughter.”

I frowned. “But what does that have to do with…”

I trailed off as soon as I realized exactly what Niccolo meant.

“ME?!” I shouted in disbelief.

Niccolo didn’t say anything. Neither did Dario –

But their silence was all the confirmation I needed.

“What the FUCK!” I roared. “Why ME?!”

“Dario’s married. So is Adriano. Massimo is…” Niccolo paused. “…out of contact at the moment.”

“What about Roberto?!”

“He’s on official family business in Hong Kong.”

“So?!”

“So Don Vicari has requested an immediate audience.”

“Make him wait until Roberto gets back!”

“One does not tell Don Vicari to wait,” Niccolo said darkly. “Besides, Roberto handles all the money for the family. We can’t afford to lose him.”

“Well – YOU do it, then!”

“I’m the family’s consigliere. I’m not moving to Sicily.”

“Then make her move here!”

of Don Vicari’s conditions: that her husband stay in

up from my seat.

– ” Niccolo

shit going on! I’m

growled

went down

ten feet away from you when

said since he’d told me to sit. I’d almost forgotten

more respectful, but I kept on

knew who I had to

eyes. “Don Rosolini… please… I’m begging you. Please don’t make

glared at me, then looked

like, YOU handle

realized maybe it was Niccolo I had

was a lost

way, he never compromised. He was like a pit bull

to try anyway,

“Why can’t we cut a deal with the families in Rome – or

to me,” Niccolo said coldly. “I tried calling all of them dozens of times. Don Vicari was

“Try again!”

you to cut off your left nut – we’re

go live in a palace in Sicily?” I said

I don’t want to go live in a palace in Sicily?’” Niccolo mimicked me, making me sound like a whiny little

fucking sacrificed for the family?” I shot back – and immediately regretted

for ONE, Dario took the fall for all of us and

winced. “Yeah,

in that shithole San Vittore while Camorra assassins tried to slit

was the worst prison in all

was another organized crime group in Italy – and

said regretfully, knowing

was

killed by Mezzasalma in Florence! Massimo is currently putting his life on the line so we can get the Widow

sign a bunch of

carried the entire family’s finances on your

him.

from the sofa, his face a mask

he looked intimidating as

night! After Dario, I’m the one who bears

her that way!” I

Niccolo looked shocked –

he burst out

just made me

he asked incredulously. “You don’t want

THE FUCK UP!” I

my arm

flash of

could do

looked over at

standing

than I’d ever seen

I dropped my arm.

in an ice-cold voice, “Were you

about to hit my brother, who’s

about the servant girl you’re sleeping with,” Niccolo

at him. “Her

“Oh – excuse me! ‘Caterina.’

– no –

serious, or not?”

was standing naked on a stage

but –

immediately became angry again. “Well, if you’re not serious, then what the fuck does it MATTER if

squinted as I tried to remember. “Have I ever even met her? She never came to any of

“Don Vicari was very protective of her. Apparently, she’s

marry some girl I’ve never even seen before?! How do I know if I could even fall in love

know what an arranged marriage is? It’s not about love – it’s an alliance between two

but I’m the one who has to stay married to her

“Jesus, are you that naïve? You fuck her, she pops out some kids, Don Vicari’s happy, and we get a long-term ally. In the meantime, you can bang all the kitchen girls

for love! So did Adriano!

fucking point?”

get married,

I suppose you’ll be completely faithful to

“Yes!”

fucking kidding me,” he sneered. “You’ll fuck anything that walks by in a skirt –

SINCE I’VE BEEN WITH

outburst took even me by

time I’d admitted it to anyone in

total shock. “You

“I…”

I trailed off.

it was too much to say that Caterina and

as much as I wanted her – I couldn’t bring

“Valentino,” Dario said quietly.

and I looked over

of me. His eyes seemed to bore straight into my soul. “Caterina is

not knowing where

of my wife’s best friend,” Dario said grimly. “So if you agree to marry Caterina today… I’ll call

at

MARRY her?

immediately fell

look at Niccolo; the entire time, Dario

to agree to marry

you marry her today. I’ll call in a priest from Florence to officiate. We can get the forms taken care of through a judge on our payroll. We’ll have the marriage here in the house

you swear to me you’ll be faithful to her your entire life. No other women, no affairs. I’m not risking our family’s future

all that – the marriage and lifelong faithfulness – and

it be?” he

“I…”

couldn’t make my

It just…

Moving this fast…

It was insane!

“Well?” Dario asked.