Page 263 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

Just as I was about to enter the gardens, I heard a woman’s voice behind me.

“Valentino?”

I looked around to see Isabella walking towards me.

Just her – no Ludavica.

“What’reyoudoing out here?” I asked.

“Looking for you.”

“Better be careful,” I joked. “Your dad will send in the stormtroopers if he sees us together.”

She frowned. “Nazi stormtroopers?”

I’d meantStar Wars –but whatever.

“Yeah. Those.”

“Now that we’re about to be married in two days,” she said, “I think everybody’s a bit more relaxed.”

Now that we’re about to be married in two days.

Even in the hot summer air, the words still sent a chill down my spine.

They were about the only thing that could puncture my happiness about Cat.

“…yeah…” I muttered.

“Can we take a walk?” she asked as she gestured towards the gardens.

I looked around. “Where’s Ludavica?”

“She’s inside. I wanted to talk to you privately.”

I raised one eyebrow. “That sounds kind of serious.”

“It is.”

“Oh. Alright – let’s go.”

We walked along the path, our feet crunching in the gravel. All around us were trees and bushes with fragrant flowers.

“So what did you want to talk about?” I asked.

“You seem… different today. Happier.”

“Yeah?” I said casually.

“Is it because you’re going to see Caterina before the wedding?” she whispered.

I stopped in surprise. “How did you know?”

She smiled. “I didn’t until just now. But it was the only thing I could think of that would make you this happy.”

Shit.

Niccolo would’ve seen that one coming from a mile away.

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