Page 39 of She's My Queen

“And Gio Mancini. You’re the Capone-Mancini bridge,” Corrado says.

His phone buzzes, and an image of a golden serpent slithers over the screen.

My mother and I exchange looks just as Corrado picks up. “Paulina, I need a minute.” He pauses. “Everything is fine. I’ll call you right back.” He hangs up. “My sister,” he says by way of explanation. “They’ve landed.”

“That’s a relief.” I’m happy to hear his family is safe. Nobody wants a repeat of brunch.

“Are you staying?” my mother asks Corrado with as much enthusiasm as she can muster.

Corrado shakes his head. “I’ll join them shortly.” He checks the watch. “How long for the cookies?”

I smile. He’s such a guy, impatiently waiting for homemade goodies.

My mom checks the oven and pulls out the tray. They could’ve used a few more minutes, but it’s probably okay.

“Do you want coffee?” I ask.

Corrado shakes his head, and my mom offers him a cookie. He tastes it and moans.

“Did you watch her prepare and bake the whole time?” he asks.

“Yes, why?”

“Reasons. Can I have another?”

“Take the entire tray,” I say, just to get him out of our house and hopefully out of our lives. While I’m aware we’re in the Order till death do us part or until they get rid of us, the Mancini family’s visits to my island are rare. It’s reasonable to presumethat once they leave, they’ll conduct Order business via video conferencing and phone calls.

I arrange the cookies in a carry-out box, and Corrado exits the house, taking the green book with him.

“Good riddance,” my mother says from behind me.

Amen.

14

WHO DID IT?

SEVERIO

Iwake up to a man wearing a baseball cap kneeling between my legs and fixing something near my groin. I grab my gun and point it at the same time that he snaps his head up. A mere second before I pull the trigger, I recognize the Order’s finest hitman and my trusted friend, Drago.

Brown eyes, clipped brown hair under the cap, clean-shaven. He stares back at me from the other side of the barrel. Leaning in, he kisses the barrel. “Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

I groan and try to sit up, but he pushes me back down. “I’m almost done.”

“What are you doing?”

“Changing your dressing.”

“How long was I out for?”

“Three days.”

I close my eyes and contain my anger by grinding my teeth.

Drago taps my shoulder. “We’ll get them.”

He thinks I’m mad about the attempt on my life (he’s right about that), but not right now. Right now, I’m furious with Corrado for sedating me for three days. I’m still in the villa on the island, so that’s good. If Corrado had transported me, I would have been even more upset with him.

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