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

First we went to Siracusa – Syracuse in English. It’s a seaport in the southeast.

Isabella was all excited. Syracuse is apparently one of the oldest cities in Sicily, with a history stretching back to the ancient Greeks.

We had a boring morning looking at ruins in a giant park, which Isabella couldn’t get enough of –

And then we went to Ortigia, where I was meeting Cat.

Ortigia was a small island off the coast of Syracuse, with a single bridge connecting it to the mainland. Though there were plenty of thousand-year-old buildings, it also had the feel of a beach resort town.

The west side of Ortigia looked out on a bay filled with sailboats.

Along the walkway bordering the water, restaurants served Aperol spritzes and massive seafood platters under shaded canopies.

One hotel even had a bayside sunning deck complete with a DJ spinning dance music.

The place was jammed with tourists and felt like a fucking party.

“Whoa,” Isabella said as she stared at the throngs of people.

I knew she was overwhelmed. Ortigia was by far the most crowded place we’d been in, even more than Cefalù.

“You alright?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” she reassured me.

“I love it,” Ludavica said. She was bobbing her head along to the DJ’s set.

“We can go someplace a little less jampacked,” I offered, ignoring the dirty look Ludavica gave me.

“No – I love the sailboats,” Isabella said as she stared out dreamily at the bay. “I’ve read about them all my life, but I’ve never seen one. Except in drawings in books.”

Jesus.

To live an entire life without ever seeing a sailboat – not even on TV –

It was hard for me to comprehend.

Me, the girls, and Paolo got a seat in a restaurant so Isabella could have a view of the bay. And we were out of the broiling summer sun, so that was a plus.

Paolo checked his phone.

“You got a text, boss. She’s at the Locanda dell’Ortigia,” he said, then held it out to me.

I read the rest of Cat’s message:

Locanda dell’Ortigia, Room 301. Meet you out front – the view is amazing!

I checked Google Maps on Paolo’s phone and saw the hotel was on the waterfront on the opposite side of the island.

“See you guys later,” I said as I gave Paolo back his phone.

“Enjoy your sex,” Ludavica taunted me.

Isabella tried to shush her but laughed in spite of herself.

“I will – thanks,” I said with a smile as I walked off.

I cut through the sandstone-colored buildings in the center of the island until I got to Ortigia’s eastern shore.

Things were a lot more subdued on this side. No tchotchke shops or tourist-packed restaurants. In fact, almost no restaurants at all, despite the wide-open view of the Mediterranean.

Most of the buildings were centuries old and had been renovated into hotels or living spaces, so there were only a few tourists here and there. Most of them were heading for the hotspots on the west side.

I walked along the sidewalk that bordered the Mediterranean.

To my left was a one-way street with cars parked on both sides of the road – probably local residents. There was hardly any traffic.

To my right was an iron railing that protected you from falling 20 feet into the water below.

I passed a couple of stairs leading down to the ‘beach,’ if you could call it that. It was mostly a bunch of giant, craggy rocks next to the ancient seawall that surrounded the entire island.

A ring of boulders farther out in the water formed a breakwater – enough that you could swim without getting tossed around by the waves.

I saw one guy swimming laps while a girl took selfies on one of the giant rocks.

Other than that, it was deserted.

As I was looking down at the water, I heard a voice.

“Hey, hot stuff!”

I looked and saw Caterina on the other side of the street.

I grinned and immediately started towards her –

“Wait, hold on,” she said, and crossed over to me instead.

We kissed by the iron railing, the waters of the Mediterranean lapping down below us.

Then she rested her head on my chest so she could look out at the view.

“Isn’t it beautiful here?” she murmured.

“It is.”

“We’ve got a window that looks out over the sea. It’s spectacular!”

“Let’s go up and see it,” I said, a seductive tone in my voice.

She grinned. “I wanted to look at it out here because I knew that as soon as we up to the room, you’ll have me naked and in bed in 30 seconds flat.”

“Probably true,” I admitted as I squeezed her ass.

After a few seconds of passionate kissing, she took my hand.

“Okay, enough of the view. I want to have sex,” she said as she led me across the street.

I chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”

And it wasn’t true – it didn’t take 30 seconds to get her naked and in bed.

It took 67.

I counted.

I was deep inside Cat and on my way to making her come the first time –

When I heard rapid knocking at the door.

“What the fuck?!” I exclaimed.

“Was I too loud?” Caterina whispered, mortified. “It is the middle of the day…”

“You’re fine – WHO’S THERE?!” I yelled angrily.

I’d put out the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign, so if it was Room Service, I was going to kick somebody’s ass.

came Paolo’s muffled voice, “but we got a big

Cat and walked towards

something

SHIT.

visions of Don Vicari torturing me in his

was so unnerved I didn’t even bother to put a robe

just opened the door a crack so I could hear Paolo better. “What ha–

WHAM!

into my face – and

my vision and pain filled

“WHAT THE FUCK!”

see Paolo standing there with his revolver

it wasn’t the old, nervous,

guy’s eyes were cold

expression

bed,” he commanded as he slammed the

pulled the sheet over

swung the gun over towards her. “Shut the fuck

a scream to a

calculated whether it

gun, it could go off

decided not to do

because Paolo took a quick step

crazy ideas, asshole. Now get over by

backed up until I was against

down below my waist

guys get all the fuckin’ luck,” he muttered, then looked me

I growled as I picked up my pants and

the same to you,” he joked, then glanced at Cat. “With a pipe like that, I can see why you keep coming after him like a crack whore.” He looked her up

me. “DON’T YOU FUCKING TALK

interrupted. “I’m

happened to Isabella?” I asked

there with that other

Shit.

He’d tricked me…

I’d never seen it

said bitterly, finally realizing what

it that. Though you’re gonna have to cough up a lot more than some two-bit

I cursed myself silently.

known Paolo was a

thought he’d be a traitor to

be lulled into a sense of false security, thinking he’d be happy with whatever cash Alessandra had thrown

as I hated Niccolo, I had to admit, he never would have let

let his guard down, and he would’ve seen it coming from a mile

Caterina said miserably as she pointed at her purse

while

in his pocket. “But that’s chump change compared

we’ve got,” I snarled. “We don’t

don’t, but that sister-in-law

Alessandra.

He means Alessandra.

at me. Despite being caught

phone

family’s broke, you idiot. My uncle stole all our money –

watch who you call idiot, IDIOT, seein’ as I’m the one who’s got the

paid you, not my sister-in-law,” I

pays me, but somebody’s fuckin’ payin’ me. So here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna call her up

“One MILLION?!” I shouted.

dick all week. I’m guessin’ he’s not gonna be too happy about

you stop and think what he’s going to do to you once he realizes you went

time, Paolo’s

obviously hadn’t considered what to do if

automatically assumed I

a moron with a

means you got played by a moron, said a voice in my head that

off, I told the

took Paolo a second, but

pay, then I kill you. Or maybe I’ll kneecap you so you can’t walk,

noticed you didn’t tell Isabella about what Don Vicari’s doin’ to Eliseo

shoot off your cock and fuck your bitch in front of you while you bleed out. Show her what

the pistol pointed at me. “What do you say about that, sugar tits? Ready

That was it.

That last part –

talking to Caterina like that

I fucking lost it.

on

honed by hundreds of hours training with

gun was pointed at me, so even if it went off, she

Just me.

eyeing Cat, I threw the purse out

heavy enough that when it slammed into Paolo’s face, his

“WHA– ”

word out, I was

the revolver in his hand

important thing – to stop him

only so he wouldn’t kill me, but so

hand against the revolver’s

hadn’t cocked

he tried to pull the trigger, the

the hammer couldn’t

but he was still disoriented by getting

down with all my weight pulling

slammed his elbow across my

as it bent in

screamed in agony

gun out of his hand. It went clattering across the marble

at my head with his

land a solid punch, but even the glancing blow made me see

I could use a chokehold to cut

the chance that anyone would hear him

just tried to

to rape the

he was going to

chokehold, he reached

I kicked his

His legs buckled –

I SLAMMED his head

for

seconds

the floor and into the bathroom, just five

plunged his head

what was going on, he tried

I stood up, grabbed his shoulders, planted a

forced his

but it came out as bubbles and a muffled

bore down with all my weight and stayed clear of his one good

at