push. And, schiava , Frano never truly wanted you; he just
wanted to steal what was his little cousin’s. If I had left you
untouched, the manwhore would’ve tossed you aside after a month and
moved onto the next woman.”
“ He loved me; he wanted to marry
me, still does.”
“ That’s just what he says
to women he wants to fuck. Propose and see how fast their panties
drop.” He laughed.
“ You’re lying. I was with
him not long ago.”
“ And now you’re with me, he’ll
move on like the last time, possibly even get married
again.”
“ Again?”
“ Oh, he didn’t tell you.” He smiled wider,
probably knowing his words hurt me. “He married Angelica Rosso not
long after you were dumped in the river.”
I clenched my jaw, angry with Frano for
not mentioning it. “Then why isn’t she with him anymore?” I said,
barely controlling my voice.
“ She committed suicide. As far
as I heard, he fucked her once on their wedding night, then took
off to America to finish his studies. There, he fucked all the
women he could get his hands on, then returned home and ignored
her. When she tried to talk to him, he told her he was only with
her because he was forced to be. He also said he would keep fucking
whomever ever he liked and for her to shut the fuck up. THAT is why
the Rossos are helping me. I promised them revenge for their
daughter.”
“ It still isn’t his fault; they
forced him to marry her.”
“ He was cruel to her when
she loved him.”
“ What do you
care?”
“ I don’t, other than the Rosso
Don helped me , so he could get revenge on Frano for driving his daughter
into an early grave.” He ran his hand over the whip. “Which I have
every intention of doing.”
“ Frano’ s protected by the Landi.”
“ Not anymore. My spy in the
Landi household told me the soldiers have pulled out, while Frano’s
running all over the island looking for you. So, I paid a dirty cop
on his payroll to give him a juicy piece of information about you
being seen entering your old home. Of course he’ll go straight
there, where I have men waiting for him.”
I stared at him, panic now brewing in my
chest, the thought of Frano walking into a trap absolutely
terrifying me.
3
FRANO
I phoned the Orsini Capo . Georgio answered with a respectful, “How may I help you,
Don?”
I looked out the window as the
soldier drove through the countryside, heading for Rita’s old
home. “I
need your men to check out the house Capo Salvi used to live in,” I said, praying she was
still there.
“ That’s already going to happen.
Suspicious activities have been noticed there. At the moment, my
men are preparing to go in.”
“ What activities?”
“ Black cars have been seen going
in and out of the property. One of my men called the house to check
on the occupants, since they’re civilians, but no one answered. So,
I posted one of my soldati in a neighboring house to see if he could get any visuals.
He recognized two men who work for the Donatelli.”
“ Wait until I get there before you go in.
I’m ten minutes away.”
“ It’s best to meet at my house
first.”
After agreeing, I hung
up, happy to
have the Orsini at my back, the family trustworthy.
We arrived at Capo Orsini’s house in
just under ten minutes. The Landi soldier pulled up to an elaborate
iron gate, its pattern displaying two lions facing each other. A
guard was standing in front of it. He was a solid man in his
mid-twenties, sporting buckteeth. He removed a gun from his holster
and pointed it at the Landi soldier as we got out of the
car.
“ Lower your weapon,” I
said.
The guard kept it raised. “He’s
Landi.”
“ Are you disobeying a direct
order?”
The guard quickly lowered the gun,
his expression now worried. “Please forgive me, Don. We’re on high
alert after the Landi threatened the Santini,” he said, referring
to the Orsini’s bosses.
“ He’s helping
me.”
“ Regardless, no Landi can enter
the