Page 116 of King Of Order

His voice was tight, with an edge unheard of in a long time.

‘Questo è il problema? What’s wrong?’ I asked, a tendril of worry snaking through me.

For all his sins, Aldo was the better of my two brothers. Over the years, he guarded me when it suited him or when he needed something from me.

Under his weak-ass bluster and sly manner, he had a conscience. One he turned on and off at will, so I was partial to whatever he had to share.

‘Chiara, where are you?’ he asked, cutting straight to the point.

His usual teasing tone was missing in action.

‘I’m home. Baking,’ I replied, confusion seeping into my voice. ‘What’s going on?’

Aldo let out a rough breath. ‘Listen, I don’t know how to say this. But here goes. I’m on Ischia Island at a bucks night, and one of my friends, Stanos, recognized him.’

The words hung in the air like a bomb, and for an instant, I couldn’t respond. My heart skipped a beat, and my hands froze on the dough.

‘Him, who?’

‘Your guy, Rio. Your fiancé.’

‘OK. What do you mean, recognized him?’ I managed to ask, though the apprehension was already crawling up my spine.

‘Chiara, he’s not who you think he is,’ Aldo said, his voice low and serious. ‘His full name is not Visario Ciprioni. Its Valerio Calibrese.’

The appellation hung in the atmosphere for a moment as my mind lurched. It was familiar, at least the surname was.

As I stared out the window, mulling, I noticed Mauri get up from his seat, turn his eyes to me, and walk toward me, his face closed off.

Dread went through me even as Aldo stammered on, rattled. ‘Stanos knows people, Chiara, and says Rio is not some randomcafone. Myamicois convinced Rio’sfamigliais major, Chiara. Fucking high mafia and lethal—’

‘I’m fine with who he is, Aldo,’ I interrupted, striving to control the sudden tremor in my intonation, but it was impossible. The fear, uncertainty, and suspicion I’d been tryingto ignore about Rio came rushing forward like a tidal wave. ‘He’s the man who’s been protecting me, my fiance.’

Aldo didn’t answer for a moment.

When he did, his voice was softer but no less urgent. ‘I don’t think you realize, Chiara. He’s dangerous. What if he’s part of the reason you’re in this mess? Stanos said—’

‘Stanos doesn’t have a clue about anything about my life,’ I snapped, panic rising in my throat, making my tone sharper than I intended. ‘Rio’s been looking out for me, Aldo. He’s not the bad guy here.’

By this time, Mauri was in the kitchen, leaning a hip on the countertop, arms interlocked over his chest.

Listening to my half of this wild conversation.

His Moorish features were hard, his eyes narrowed on me, and at that moment, I got a trace of his menace. Forget Nicco; this man was never to be crossed.

‘You don’t get it, do you?’ Aldo shot back, his frustration breaking through. ‘You don’t even comprehend who he is. What he’s capable of. He’s not just some guy trying to help you out of kindness.’

‘It’s not kindness. I am engaged to him, but he’s also my security, and I’m paying him,’ I muttered through gritted teeth, turning from Mauri to preserve some privacy.

‘From what I understand, you would never be able to afford him, so whatever the fuck he’s doing with you is compassion or none at all. The problem is to what end? He could be using you.’

My heart raced, every pulse in my body picking up speed as my mind spun with a hundred unanswered questions. ‘Aldo, kill it. Stop telling me what you think you believe. He’s not a threat to me.’

But even as I said the words, doubt crawled under my skin, an icy whisper that wouldn’t leave me alone.

It didn’t help that Mauri’s brow was now arched, a smirk playing on his lips.

I wanted to trust that Rio was here for me, that everything he’d done was for my protection.

---