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.

I’ll give you a little something

greedily

me everything I

much of it. The lion’s share went to his father, and a chunk of the rest went

when I mentioned Don Vicari, his face went cold. “You want me to lie

little white lie. Not to mention you’ll get

lie to my father

“Ten large.”

licked

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

– hookers, alcohol, cocaine, who knew – ten grand

the end, fear of his father

let Pop know you tried

he’d taught me something else valuable over

gets turned down, find out what

the money, then

he

an ugly smirk curled

to punch your fuckin’ lights

Ah.

So that was it.

that first day by standing up

made him

probably didn’t look at

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

I

starting to

probably

little slower when Rocco ordered them

muttering under their

soon he’d have all

until he made an example out

kind of guy who couldn’t make an example out of

unless they were

could punch out the guy

solve all

I would have told him, Go

I would have taken a

allow myself to get humiliated by a fuckin’

…but.

it meant being able to

it meant being able to

the bitter taste of bile that rose in my

I said. “Once. I’ll sink to my knees, you scream some shit at me, and

I want

to hit the 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 off anybody’s debts I want to until I run out

at me in shock –

I was

Play it MY way…

you over in front of your

agreed. “One in the

me to get

“Okay.”

and try to hit me again, because I will get

okay,” he said

“Good.”

started to pocket the

doing?” he barked. “I