Page 95 of Twisted Obsession

A sudden wave of fear washed over me.

‘FUCK!’ I slammed my hand down onto the table beside me, making my beer fall onto the floor, and spew out its contents. ‘I’ve put Giovanna back on the boat with her.’

‘You put her where you thought she’d be safe.’ His eyes opened wider as he felt my dread.

‘Get me Salvatore on the phone.’

‘Boss.’ Marco snapped suddenly, the way he did so well, from friend to soldier whenever there was the need. ‘Get me my bag!’ With his hand already in the air he shouted to one of the hand-picked stewardesses onboard. Within seconds, he was unzipping his holdall, dialling and passing the phone in his hand over, just as I brought my Mac to life by activating it with my fingerprint. Instantly, I found what I was looking for. The tracking device in Giovanna’s ring identified its position as south-west of Sicily, with my men following closely behind. I took a modicum of comfort in its small pulse.

If the ring was back on her finger, she was still onboard. I could only hope she was still safe.

Chapter Twenty

Dante

It took longer for the Don’s phone to be answered this time, but finally I heard the harsh tone of Bruno, Salvatore’s right-hand man.

‘Ciao.’

‘Bruno, it’s Dante Giordano… I need to speak to Don De Luca.’

‘He’s with his family right now. He has asked to only be disturbed if it’s a matter of life and death.’

‘I understand that, but I am part of his family.’ I took stock of exactly what I’d just said.

‘So you are, Dante.’ I could hear slight amusement in the older man’s tone.

‘And this is a matter of life and death.’ I spoke the words and thought of the woman I loved with everything I was. The one I’d held in my arms merely hours before. The woman who would forever own me, body and soul, and the same one whose life was possibly at risk this very minute.

I heard a muffled discussion between Bruno and Salvatore.

‘Dante.’ I heard the booming voice of my brother-in-law as he snatched up the phone. ‘We’ve had no news of Alessio. We will be in contact as soon as we hear anything.’

‘Thank you. But I’m not phoning about Alessio.’ I hated admitting that my fears about my brother had been replaced.

‘No—What the fuck’s happening?’

‘Giovanna left Malta this morning with her mama, Valentina.’ I briefly closed my eyes as I let my answer resonate.

‘They landed in Malta?’ I could hear the anger in Salvatore’s tone.

‘Can I ask if you knew they were going there?’ I knew what I was asking could possibly be insinuated as a gibe against his leadership.

‘No, I didn’t… because for very obvious reasons, I wouldn’t have given my permission,’ he virtually snarled back his reply.

‘I have reason to believe that whatever all ofthisis—Valentina, your stepmother, is in on it with Ricco. She’s possibly heading it up.’

‘THIS?’ he bellowed.

‘Everything… Alessio being shot, Ricco stealing from you, his Don and your family… and even going as far back as your mama. So, therefore also my papa’s ill health and subsequent disability,’ I explained.

‘Explain?’ His voice deepened with his growing anger.

‘I believe Ricco and Valentina are the traffickers you’ve been searching for since you were old enough to, the ones that went to ground and let others who worked for them take the blame for your mama’s and other disappearances and deaths—your papa was a pawn, as was my brother Zeno. Your papa did their bidding, as he depended on his wife for the alcohol and drugs he needed to exist. I believe Valentina and Ricco are heading up the rise against us and have been doing so for years.’

‘Do you have any evidence?’ he questioned.

‘Some. But the rest is gut instinct. But so much of it is far too compelling to be a coincidence… this is what I’m carrying.’

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