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

Mafia Kings: Valentino: Chapter 58

I had to admit, Ragusa was pretty fucking spectacular.

We came in across a 200-foot-tall bridge that stretched for nearly a mile. A whole other town was down in the valley below.

Ragusa was a medieval walled fortress that rose up out of the steep hillside. The lower part of the town was newer (as in, built in the last 300 years); we were headed for the older part at the top.

The entire way, our SUV had to weave through cobblestone streets that could barely fit two cars side-by-side.

The buildings looked like they were all built 800 years ago, and they marched up the hill in tiers, with steep steps connecting the different levels.

Paolo parked the SUV, pulling it up on the sidewalk. All the other cars did the same.

“We gotta walk from here,” he announced.

We strolled up a couple of side streets until we reached a gigantic square – although it was more like an uneven rectangle that sloped 600 feet up to a big-ass church.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“The Duomo di San Giorgio Ragusa.”

It was massive – at least three stories tall, with ornate columns and arches all over the yellow stone exterior. Since it sat at the top of the hill, on one of the highest points in town, the church towered over everything else.

The presence of such an overwhelming symbol of religion didn’t bother Rocco, though. He sat with his boys outside a café, acting like assholes – talking too loud and laughing even louder.

“Hold on,” I said to Paolo. “Hang back until I know what’s going to happen.”

Paolo didn’t say anything, but he waited about 30 feet away as I walked over to Rocco.

“Oh, look – it’s Mr. Fuckin’ Movie Star,” Rocco sneered.

“Can I talk to you a second in private?” I asked.

“Whatever you wanna say to me, you can say in front of my boys. Unless you’re embarrassed you’re on your period.”

All the guys howled with laughter.

I just looked at Rocco coldly. “Like I said – in private.”

“And I said, you can say it in front of my – ”

“It’s about your father.”

Fear flashed across Rocco’s face.

It didn’t last – he quickly went back to his same old bluster – but he stood up and snarled, “Well why didn’t you fuckin’ say so? Hold down the fort, boys.”

I led him over to a side street, far enough away that his friends couldn’t hear us. A few tourists drifted past us from shop to shop, but it was early enough in the morning that there weren’t that many people around.

“What’d Pop say?” Rocco asked in a quiet voice.

“Nothing. I just wanted to get you away from your men.”

Now anger twisted Rocco’s expression. This time, it didn’t disappear.

“What the fuck?! Why the fuck are you – ”

“You don’t want me here,” I interrupted. “And I don’t want to be here. So what do you say we come to an arrangement?”

He narrowed his eyes. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I don’t want to go around breaking drug dealers’ legs or harassing shopkeepers. So if your father asks, why don’t you pretend like I was here…”

I pulled out the wad of 10,000 euros.

give you a

money greedily and literally

everything

collected every day? He didn’t keep much of it. The lion’s share went to his father, and

went cold. “You want me to lie to my

mention you’ll get me out of

gonna lie to my father

“Ten large.”

unconsciously licked

might have been a mafioso and the Don’s son, but he was probably on a fairly

vices he was into – hookers, alcohol, cocaine, who knew – ten

end, fear of his father

sneered. “I’ll let Pop know you tried to

he’d taught me

your first offer gets turned down, find out what the other person truly desires. Because there’s always

the money,

second like he was afraid

then an ugly smirk curled

punch your fuckin’ lights out in front of my

Ah.

So that was it.

day

him

probably didn’t look at

knew he wasn’t top dog anymore – that the new

I

were starting to

was probably

a little slower when Rocco ordered them

under their

he didn’t nip it in the bud, soon he’d have

he made an example out

as the kind of guy who couldn’t

unless they were weak and

he could punch out the guy who started it

would solve all his problems, wouldn’t

would have told him, Go

way I would have taken a

allow myself to get humiliated

…but.

meant being able

able

taste of bile that

gut,” I said. “Once. I’ll sink to my knees, you scream some

I want to –

road, or I’ll just spend the entire day with you and your boys.” I ran my thumb along the edge of the bills with a soft frrrrrip sound. “And I’ll pay

me in shock – then

knew I was offering him

Play it MY way…

over in front of

finally agreed.

tell me to get

“Okay.”

again, because I will get back up,”

okay,” he

“Good.”

started to pocket the

you doing?” he barked. “I want