12. Salvatore
twelve
Salvatore
When she said there would be rules, I didn’t know what to expect. I sure didn’t expect this.
I stare at the paper with written rules that she wants me to sign. But even if I sign, it doesn’t mean anything.
Rules:
No killing or hurting anyone before consulting with me.
No sabotaging my meetings
No interference in my affairs.
This is strictly business. It doesn’t mean anything.
After this is done, we go our separate ways.
All these rules mean nothing. I said I would listen to her, but when it comes to her life and safety, I will do whatever I see fit.
She may be a mafia princess, and I’m on her territory, but I will be the one calling the shots one way or the other. I will find a way to and make this work in my favor. Even so, I sign the papers just to make her happy. When I said she’s my queen and I’m her servant, I meant it. I will stop at nothing to keep her safe. I may have failed last time, torn between present and past, fighting my own demons. Now, I see clearly how my life is supposed to be. I want that life, and I want it with her. I will stop at nothing to have it.
“I meant what I said. I will find whoever they are. This time, I will protect you.”
She takes the papers from me, and hurt flashes in her eyes before she blinks it away. “Just be sure to follow the rules.” She ignores my comment and turns around, getting into a car and driving away.
We met at the same place, near the cliff where we ran to, to get away from the Carabinieri. She insisted on it being here, saying it was safest place. She even drove herself, not trusting anyone. I know she’s more than capable of doing all this, and I love her strength and independence. I’m sure she will be the Donna everyone will talk about for as long she has the power.
Unfortunately for everyone, she is mine. My love, my queen, and her place is in my arms in New York. Where I will take her back and let her rule by my side, not someone else’s.
I hop into my car and follow her, making it my mission to be her shadow. I already called Rocco. As always, he was willing to help. However, it will cost me. My debt to him is getting bigger, and the bigger it gets, the more it annoys me. He still hasn’t said what he wants in return for helping me, but I can only imagine.
Marco is helping me with the information only he can find. That means hacking into the ROS command center’s main server and finding out where they got their information and erasing everything with Isabella’s name on it.
Tonight is poker night, and I stay in my car as I watch the entrance of her club. I take a photo of each person I suspect to be a possible traitor. It has been a long time since I did this job; I used to go on stakeouts for my father with Gabriel. We used to watch shipment exchanges just to make sure no cops were hidden somewhere. More times than I can count, we saved those exchanges, which also included keeping my father from getting arrested.
Tonight, my mission is to find the rat. The one who betrayed my wife and is helping the Carabinieri to put her behind the bars. Her place is not here and never will be.
The men I saw that night, when I ended up on my knees in front of her, are inside, and I know one of them is selling information. I just need to know who. I already sent their names to Marco, who is going to find out whatever I need about them.
I stayed outside the club all night, but nothing. After the game was over and each one of the men that played was on their way, I received a message from my wife.
Isabella: Check out Giovanni and Alfredo. They are the only ones who are not fond of me being in charge, especially not the way I want business to be done.
Salvatore: Is there any other reason they would sell information to Carabinieri?
Isabella: Other than the way they keep contradicting and questioning my every decision? No, there is no other reason.
Salvatore: I see. Already working on it. Anything else?
I type and smile, wishing she would ask me to come to her. Wishing she needed me as her husband and not just someone who can find the traitor in her circle.
Isabella: Just that you follow the rules.
The rules.
Yes, I did say I would follow the rules, and I signed the papers. That means nothing. Rules are meant to be broken. Rules are for followers. People raised to do so. But I’m not any of those people. Following the rules has never brought anything good for me, so I highly doubt it will now.
After a week of following Isabella and investigating her associates with Rocco and Marco’s help, we still we can’t find anything that will lead us any closer to finding the person behind this.
However, Marco has found a lot of dirt on each of the men she is working with, but nothing that is connected to the reason behind her almost arrest.
Luckily, Marco hacked into the main server of ROS and deleted anything that has to do with Isabella. Physical proof was more challenging to deal with, but money works wonders. No matter where you are in the world, with the right amount of money, you get what you want.
Marco is connecting the dots within the information he has, while I’m making sure my wife is safe. I ignore the fact that Pino is following her around. Even if she trusts him, I do not. When it comes to Bella, I don’t trust anyone.
Rocco has contacted his connection within the Carabinieri in the hope of finding out how Isabella got on their radar.
At this stage, I doubt we will find anything. Whoever sold her out is careful.
The business regulations she integrated are new. Her plans for leading legal business more than illegal were not welcomed by everyone. The first thing she did was give power back to the girls working in the club. No more pimping them or controlling them. They are in charge; they sell their services to whoever they want. She turned the strip club into a nightclub and is working on the financial side of the construction company her father uses for money laundering.
Following her around and not being near her is killing me. Seeing another man’s hands on her makes me want to break them. Even if that man is Pino, her alleged fiancé. But for her sake, I need to stay away until I find out who wants her behind bars. Her safety is my priority.
I sit in my car and wait near the beauty salon, where she has an appointment every week at the same time. The passenger door of my car opens, and Rocco slides in.
“We should add stalking to our family business.”I turn slightly toward him. “And who are you stalking?
He shrugs. “At the moment, no one. I used to, but she got away.”
I chuckle. “Then you were doing a lousy job.”
He shakes his head. “I should have just snatched her when I could and locked her in my house.”
“Why didn’t you?”
He shakes his head. “I was trying to give her options. You know, like normal people. She, however, said being with a man like me was not something she wanted. I have something she needs, though, so I thought she would come on her own. She never did.”
I nod, understanding what he means. I’m still wondering about the woman he is talking about because for my cousin to take this much interest in a woman is questionable. Nobody has ever held his attention for more than a couple of months. “What is that you have? I mean, not all women are the same. You can't buy all women with your money.”
His eyes darken. “It’s not the money she needs. It’s worth more.”
“I don’t think I want to know what that is. But if you ever need any help, you know I will with no questions asked.”
He chuckles. “Ah, cousin, I would be careful if I were you. What I want could be called a conflict of interest. So, I will pretend I didn’t hear what you said.” He shrugs. “For the sake of our friendship.”
My eyebrows furrow. “I see. Very well. It’s your choice.”
“Look!” Rocco motions to the woman lurking in front of the salon. “Isn’t that one an officer of ROS working on Isabella’s case? I’m sure I had her picture sent to you within the copy of Ruggeri’s file that I got from my contact.”
“I think you’re right, but what is she doing?”
“Waiting for the right moment to tail your wife.”
I take my phone and type.
Salvatore: There is a woman outside. She is an agent.
Isabella: Thanks. I’ll be careful.
The woman doesn’t stay outside for long. After a few minutes, she enters the salon, and knowing Isabella has been warned calms me a little, but I will not be completely calm until that snitch is caught and she has the Carabinieri off her back.
I will not be calm until she is back with me where I can keep her safe, no matter how badass she is.
The next hour is the longest one since I started following her around, as I anticipate what the woman wants, and if Isabella will exit the salon and not be arrested.
“I need to know who the snitch is,” I say as I watch Isabella get into the car waiting for her, with her usual driver behind the wheel.
I start my car, ignoring Rocco’s grunting, and follow her as she drives away.
“We could do it the old-fashioned way.”
“No, we can’t. Isabella needs to get out of this untouched.”
“Well, in that case, you need to be more patient, cousin.”
I ignore him. I know he’s right, but as I watch Isabella entering the club, knowing I can’t follow her, my stomach twists. I wish I could just walk in there, throw her over my shoulder, and take her to my plane and back to New York.
Maybe I will, but not today.
Thinking about things I don’t know how to influence is making me aggressive. All the calm I managed to maintain since I came here is slowly fading.
The end to my overthinking comes in the form of an email from Marco with all the data I asked for.
And as I read through the information, I know I will be calm again. Because now I know who is behind everything that is happening to Isabella and why.