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

Mafia Kings: Valentino: Chapter 29

I was crying in bed when I heard a light knock on the door.

“Go away,” I sniffled.

“Caterina, it’s me,” Alessandra’s muffled voice said. “Please let me in.”

I still loved Alessandra just as much as the first day she walked into my kitchen…

But the fact that she was now my boss’s wife kind of complicated our friendship.

I thought about telling her again to go away…

But I gave in, dragged myself out of bed, and unlocked the door.

Then I collapsed back onto my bed and buried my face in my pillow.

Alessandra closed the door, sat at the foot of the bed, and put a consoling hand on my leg.

“…you listened in, didn’t you,” she asked sadly.

I didn’t look at her. I couldn’t. I was too humiliated by what Don Rosolini had said.

“How much did you hear?” Alessandra asked.

“Enough,” I said miserably.

“Caterina, listen to me: you have to go to Sicily.”

Of all the things I’d been expecting her to say, that had not been one of them.

I looked up from the pillow in shock. “What?!”

“You have to go to Sicily.”

“Why?!”

“To get him back!”

I looked at her like she was crazy. “Your husband gave Valentino a choice between me and an arranged marriage… and he chose the arranged marriage.”

“Dario didn’t want to marry me at first,” Alessandra said. “He didn’t change his mind until he almost lost me.”

“That was different,” I protested.

“How was it so different? Two brothers – one sleeping with a café waitress, the other with a kitchen worker – ”

“You’re a freakin’ long-lost mafia princess,” I grumbled.

“We didn’t find that out until after Dario kicked me out of the house.”

I squinted. “Didn’t you ask him to leave?”

“You’re missing the point,” Alessandra said impatiently. “Dario wasn’t going to marry me until he almost lost me for good. That’s what changed his mind. If I know Valentino, he’s probably cursing himself right now for not taking the deal. By the way, it was all Niccolo’s idea – did you know that?”

“Yeah… that’s what Valentino said, more or less.”

“Well, if I know Niccolo, he laid it on pretty thick. He probably told Valentino how this was all about the FAMILY,” she said in a pompous voice, “and how it was necessary for everyone’s survival and blah blah blah.”

spite of myself. It wasn’t the best imitation

I’ll bet you a million dollars that Niccolo brought up Dario spending four years in prison – for the FAMILY,” Alessandra said darkly. “Niccolo’s a master manipulator. I’m sure he

a choice, and he said he didn’t want to

guessing you didn’t stick around long enough to hear

frowned. “No –

“Today.”

at her.

crowed. “If I asked you, ‘Caterina, do you want to marry Valentino

“I…”

wristwatch for comic effect. “Tell me now! Time’s

drive home

theatrics, I recognized how insane the

me three hours ago in the kitchen – back before I knew anything about the

We’re just

had broken my heart, the question about marrying him

I wanted to entrust my

if I had been the one Don

have called

I still wasn’t sure.

mean… it

step,” I

step with two brothers pressuring you to do your duty to the family, and

mention the part I knew we were both

in the

But… still…

want to

only one way to find out. Go fight

clenched in fear. “I

“Do you want him?”

I paused –

no matter how much he had hurt

YES I

“Yes,” I said.

“How much?”

it – but I said it anyway. “More than

and claim him. Fight

an arranged marriage – by the mafia!” I

“I didn’t say it would be

by even suggesting this!” This time,

“Dario should have never agreed to

Blessed Virgin…

around to

never even been to

hadn’t even been out of Tuscany when Dario brought me here,” Alessandra

I’m not rich! I have to work this job to survive – because I don’t

grin. “That’s not going to

got her purse off the floor, which I didn’t know she had with her. My head had been buried in my pillow

roll of cash with a rubber band around

it out to

in shock. “I can’t take your

into my hand. “Dario took away your happiness. The very least I can do is try to help

stared at her for another few

Then burst into tears.