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

Mafia Kings: Valentino: Chapter 23

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!”

Don Vicari’s conditions: that her husband stay in

that, I jumped up from my seat.

– ” Niccolo

I have a life here! I have shit going on! I’m

growled from the

went down

away from you when you

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

immediately got quieter and more respectful,

who I had to convince… and it

” I started, then immediately caught myself when he narrowed his eyes. “Don Rosolini… please…

me, then

like, YOU handle

as I realized maybe it was Niccolo I

was a lost

way, he never compromised. He was

to try anyway,

“Why can’t we cut

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

“Try again!”

asking you to cut off your left nut

don’t want to go live

me, making me sound like a whiny little bitch. “Everyone else has been called on to sacrifice for the family. Now it’s your turn, so man

sacrificed for the family?” I shot

took the

winced. “Yeah, okay

that shithole San Vittore while Camorra assassins

Vittore was the worst prison

another organized crime group in Italy – and the sworn enemies of

I said regretfully, knowing I’d fucked

was just

Massimo is currently putting his life on the line so we can get the Widow on our side!

having to sign a bunch of contracts in Hong Kong,” I

“When you’ve carried the entire family’s finances on your shoulders, then you

challenged him. “What the fuck have

from the sofa,

he looked

who keeps the family’s continued existence forefront in my mind, day and night! After Dario, I’m the one who bears responsibility for whether we

her that way!” I

Niccolo looked shocked –

then he

just made

what this is all about?!” he asked incredulously. “You don’t want

FUCK UP!”

my arm to punch him in

a flash of surprise in Niccolo’s eyes

do anything, Dario roared,

looked over at

standing behind

than I’d ever seen

I dropped my arm.

“Were you about

was about to hit my brother, who’s being

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

at him.

excuse me! ‘Caterina.’ I didn’t realize

– no –

serious,

I was standing naked on a stage with a spotlight on

but

if you’re not serious, then what

met her? She never came to

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

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

“Do you even know what an arranged marriage is? It’s not

the one who has to

“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

an arranged marriage!” I shouted. “He married for love! So did Adriano! So did Papa

fucking

I get married, I want to get married

“Ohhhhh – now you’re Mr. Romantic. And I suppose you’ll be completely faithful to this hypothetical

“Yes!”

“You’ll fuck

I’VE BEEN WITH

even me

time I’d admitted it

again, Niccolo looked at me in total shock. “You really are serious about this

“I…”

I trailed off.

it was too much to say that Caterina and I were

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

“Valentino,” Dario said quietly.

I looked over

His eyes seemed to bore straight into my soul. “Caterina is Alessandra’s best friend. She was the maid of

I agreed, not knowing

Dario said grimly. “So if you

stared at

MARRY her?

fell silent when Dario raised one

entire time,

to agree to marry Cat?” I

I mean, 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

life. No other women, no affairs. I’m not risking our family’s future on

marriage and lifelong faithfulness – and I’ll call off the deal

what will it be?”

“I…”

make my

It just…

Moving this fast…

It was insane!

“Well?” Dario asked.