Page 299 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

My brothers and their wives – andfiancées,for fuck’s sake – were all in the other cars.

I rode with my future father-in-law. Neither one of us said anything the entire way.

The entire time, I was seething inside.

Every single ONE of them got the woman they wanted –

But me?

NO.

I’m the one who has to throw away my entire goddamn life!

As we drove up to the chapel, I saw two of Vicari’s goons out front – one tall, one short.

They were smoking cigarettes, which they quickly threw on the ground and stomped out.

Vicari got out of the SUV and walked over to them. “Well?”

“Nobody around, sir,” the tall one answered.

“Well…” the short one muttered, “therewasa chick inside.”

Vicari looked at him sharply. “What?”

“Some woman whose mother died last week, sir,” the tall one said, giving his shorter partner some serious side-eye. “She was saying prayers.”

“Where is she?!” Vicari demanded.

“Uh…” The tall one looked around at the open door to the chapel. “She left, sir.”

“Sheleft?”Vicari asked incredulously. “You didn’tthrow her out?!”

The tall one winced. “She was just some woman saying prayers for her dead mother, sir…”

“Idiots!” Vicari snarled, then walked back towards me.

“I fuckin’ told you,” the short one muttered to the tall one under his breath.

“Problems?” Niccolo asked as he got out of his car.

“No,” Vicari answered. “No problems at all.”

Suddenly, I heard an engine in the distance.

I looked over to see a silver car heading for the chapel.

Vicari’s men went for their guns –

“Calm yourselves,” he said loudly. “That’ll be the priest.”

Everyone watched as a silver Rolls Royce pulled up beside Vicari’s fleet of vehicles, and a chauffeur in a suit hopped out.

When he opened the rear door, an elderly man got out. He wore black velvet robes with a redzucchetto –the traditional skullcap worn by bigwigs in the Catholic Church.

“Your Excellency,” Vicari said as he bowed his head to the priest.

“Signor Vicari, so good to see you on this blessed day,” the old man said. “I trust you have what we discussed?”

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