Page 237 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

“You could run away with me,” she pleaded. “Right now.”

Her offer was more tempting than ever before –

But I knew that if I ran, Don Vicari would hunt me down.

Then he’d go after my brothers.

Instead of only fighting Uncle Fausto, they’d be battling Vicari, too.

And despite all the fucked-up shit Fausto had pulled, I was pretty sure Don Vicari was worse.

I still might have done it – run away with her –

But if Don Vicari found me, he would find Cat, too.

And there was no telling what he might do to her.

I flashed back to the nightmare in the barn –

And immediately pushed it out of my head.

“No,” I whispered. “No… it’s all going to be just fine.”

I doubted I convinced her, seeing as I couldn’t even convince myself.

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Ihad more to do before dark.

Cat was so freaked out by the body that I sent her to buy clothes for me instead.

While she was out, I had her drop Paolo’s ID and credit cards in separate sewer grates, careful to wipe off her prints before she ditched them.

She returned an hour later with a duffel bag. Inside were two sets of shirts, pants, and shoes that closely resembled what I was wearing.

I changed into the first set of clothes, stashed the second set in the duffel bag, and threw in a towel from the hotel.

Then I waited until half an hour after sunset –

Which was already fucking late at 8:30 PM.

Ordinarily, we would have been back at Don Vicari’s by 6.

He probably started calling Paolo’s phone around 6:30…

And then it was a two-hour drive from his home to Ortigia.

I just prayed he hadn’t already sent his men to search for Isabella.

Because if he had, and they found me before I got rid of the body…

I was fucked.

Once it was dark enough, I sent Caterina outside to wait for me.

If I got arrested, I didn’t want her to get caught, too.

Then I moved the body.

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