18. Change of Plan
Change of Plan
“Okay,” Soraya said quietly, digging her nails into her knees. “Let’s hire help.”
Gio leaned over her and kissed the top of her head in a proud, affectionate moment. “We all love Mamma. And right now, that means putting her safety before what makes us feel like good children. I know it’s hard, but it’s the right thing to do.”
I nodded at Raya as she peered up at me.
The last three days had been challenging for us all.
I’d taken on a lot of the responsibility for caring for Mamma to allow Soraya to see how much she’d been doing and realise she needed a break.
We had many family debates, some ending in arguments, but finally, I think that we’ve got there.
We decided that Elle and I would take turns coming back every other weekend.
Raya would care for Mamma in the mornings, Olivia in the afternoons, and we’d hire nurses for the evenings and nights.
Liv and Raya stood to leave, but Gio motioned for me to stay seated.
We’d had brief chats about work over the last few days, but most of our attention had been on family, leaving Alessio and Max to pick up the workload, which they were more than happy to do.
But I was itching to get back to Rome, to get back to my Ribelle.
Max had kept his word and sent pictures of her each day, doing completely normal things like getting into her father’s car or buying a cappuccino before work.
It didn’t matter what she was doing; only that she was fine.
And why wouldn’t she be? We still had Damiano strung up in our cellars, torturing information out of him, but the fucker was a stubborn bastard and refused to cooperate.
It seemed the asshole mafia soldier was still very much a part of him.
“We need to discuss the mayor,” said Gio, pacing behind the sofa.
“I told you, I have it under control.” I took out my burner to send Aria another message.
If it weren’t for Max’s photographs, I’d be losing my damn mind because she hadn’t replied to a single message since she’d asked about Damiano.
In fact, the messages hadn’t even been delivered, which meant one of two things.
She’d got a new phone or just hadn’t switched hers on for three days.
Her silence really ?bothered me. I didn’t do well with being ignored.
“You told me you’d gained an inside man in the mayor’s office who fed you information about Simone so we could deal with that traitor. But then you captured his daughter’s main bodyguard and nearly beat him to death? You sent Piero his ear? And you expect me not to have questions?”
“We’ve been through this. He’s an ex-Leone soldier. Max thought he might have information about who is working with Piero to bring us down, but he isn’t going to talk. So will you let me kill him now?”
Gio folded his arms, narrowing his eyes into an icy glare, but I kept my focus on my phone, typing another pointless message to Aria that would go unread before I’d have to delete it in a few minutes’ time.
“Why do you want to kill him so much? It feels personal.”
I glanced up at my brother, my jaw clenched, a lethal expression on my face. “He was a dirty soldier. You know what that means.”
“True, but this…” He pointed at my face. “This is more than that. Max told me you’ve taken an interest in the daughter, and she’s made a statement against you to the police. Start talking.”
I threw my phone down and rolled my eyes. “He told you? Fucking snake.”
“Santino, you forget your place,” Gio hissed. “I’m the boss of this family, and Max is my consigliere. His loyalty will always lie with me above you. Now tell me what the fuck you’re doing with the mayor’s daughter.”
“Fine, but maybe you should get Liv in here.” Gio was always calmer when she was around.
“I’m losing patience, Santino.”
I inhaled and rolled my shoulders, clicking my neck to the side. How could I put this so he didn’t lose his shit and realise I was serious about her?
“I met Arianna Caruso before I knew who she was. Remember the last time I came home, saying I’d found my future wife?”
His dark eyes turned into slits as he stared at me.
“Turns out, my future father-in-law is the mayor,” I said with fake enthusiasm, opening my arms wide in celebration. It wasn’t well-received. His deathly silence and stare suggested he was contemplating which weapon to murder me with. “Don’t worry, this will work in our favour.”
“How?”
“Well… I’m…” What was the right term for it?
Seeing her? Dating her? Seducing her? Definitely not stalking her.
Maybe only a light sprinkle of stalking.
“...wooing her, making her fall for me, while also making Piero worry enough about my interest in her, he’ll work with us rather than against us.
Whichever comes first depends on what I do next. ”
Gio slowly lifted his hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. I could practically see steam shooting from his ears, so I kept talking, because clearly I loved making shit worse.
“If she falls in love with me, Piero will have no choice but to accept that I’m in his life, because if he doesn’t, he’ll break his daughter’s heart, which will ultimately mean he faces my wrath.
If he agrees to work with us first, I’ll add a clause that I’m going to marry his daughter in exchange for my financial support and influence in all his future campaigns. I’ll keep him where he wants to be.”
“Santino,” Gio clenched his teeth around my name, and I placed my hands on my hips, waiting for the scolding I knew was coming. But I was prepared. “This isn’t a fucking game.”
I looked over my shoulder, then back at him. “Where’s the fucking chessboard? I know this isn’t a game. I’m serious.”
“You’re serious? She reported you to the police. We’re trying to lie low and take the heat off us, and there you are, lighting the flame. For what? A girl who will hold your attention for five minutes.”
Fury surged through my veins as I clenched my fists at my sides, trying my best to keep it contained. “That’s not what this is.”
“Enlighten me then,” he growled, taking slow, menacing steps towards me.
It was only out of pure respect as my older brother and boss of my family that I let him.
“Do you have any idea what a mess this is? Alessio and I have had to work tirelessly to move all our shipments and channels from Rome to Naples, secure all our offshore accounts, and reassure everyone we do business with that they aren’t about to get screwed.
Have you any idea how much we’ve already lost?
This is costing not only us but also allied mafia families, who are losing business, profits, and international deals.
The Americans are pissed because our mutual agreement is on hold now, since they can’t use our port.
The Colombians are livid, too. The Russians and Irish are fucking laughing at us because they are gaining the contracts we’re losing.
And what the hell are you doing about it? Running fucking bubble baths?”
When he put it like that, I could see why he was mad. But I couldn’t focus on his rage, because while he was giving me shit, something had just fallen into place. The anger in Gio’s eyes shifted when he recognised the look in mine.
“What is it?”
“Piero hasn’t shut the port. He’s just restricted our shipments.” I reached for my phone to ring Maximus as Gio frowned at me, not following. “We need to know who is operating those other ones and who they are connected with.”
“We’ve been looking into it. So far, they’re all legitimate companies in Rome. Nothing stood out. No links with the Irish or Russians, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Unless they’re hiding behind someone with influence.”
“You mean Piero?”
It seemed far-fetched, but fuck, someone had to be. “Possibly.”
“Pronto, Sani,” Max answered at last, sounding a little out of breath. “I was about to call you.” My instinct that this had something to do with Aria made me forget everything.
“What is it? Aria, is she okay?”
“Si,” he breathed, and I relaxed, though only slightly. “But I don’t know how to tell you this. Fuck, are you with Gio?”
“Why?”
“Put me on speaker.”
I did. My heart pounded as I started to sweat. “Max, spit it out.”
“The mayor’s daughter… she’s getting married.”
I stared at Gio, my lips twitching because he had to be winding me up.
Granted, it would mean he had the worst sense of humour in the world, but he was fucking with me for a laugh or revenge or whatever this was.
However, the look on Gio’s face as he slowly raised his hands, his body ready to pounce because he knew I was seconds away from losing it, had me doubting that in an instant.
“You have three seconds to tell me this is the worst joke you’ve ever made, or I will drive to your house and destroy every fucking Harley you own,” I said with an eerie calmness I didn’t feel.
“I wish I were joking. She went to a bridal shop with her friend. I rang Cami straight away to go into the shop and get some information before I rang you. I wanted to be sure. She overheard Arianna saying she was getting married.”
“To fucking who?”
“She said her fiancé’s name was Callum. The wedding… It’s tomorrow. I’m sorry, man.”
The darkness seeped in from all angles as disbelief morphed into something vicious.
Gio was saying my name, his hands raised, but I couldn’t hear him.
I couldn’t see him. All I knew was that I needed to get out of there.
I needed to get back to Rome, find Callum D'Ardenzi, and show him what happened to a man who thought he could take what was mine. I’d watch him bleed out, a slow, agonising death, and smile the whole fucking time.
My body was moving, but before I’d even reached the door, something solid and relentless bulldozed into me, tackling me to the floor and stopping me from getting to her. I saw red.