Page 73 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

I lifted my face – and as soon as I made eye contact with her, my lip started to tremble and the tears started flowing.

“Caterina!” she cried out in alarm as she wrapped her arms around me.

As soon as my head was on her shoulder, I started crying again. My entire body shook with my sobs.

“What’s wrong?!” she asked as she stroked my hair. Then her voice turned angry. “Did Valentino do something?!”

“N-n-no…”

She held me at arm’s length and dipped her head so she could look into my downcast eyes. “Cat, tell me the truth: did he cheat on you?”

I shook my head ‘no.’

Alessandra frowned. “Was he cruel to you? Did he hurt you?”

“N-no… it w-wasn’t his fault…”

“Whatwasn’t his fault?!”

“N-Niccolo said that because of the stuff going on with their uncle, they h-had to get allies… so he t-took Valentino to S-Sicily for an arranged marriage.”

On those last two words, I burst into a howl of pain.

Not as loud as the howl Alessandra gave, though.

“WHAT?!” She put her hands on my cheeks and forced me to look at her. “Niccolo forced Valentino into anarranged MARRIAGE?!”

She looked both shocked and outraged.

I nodded ‘yes.’

Then Alessandra got thislookon her face.

If she’d had a gun in her hand, I would have yelled for Niccolo to run (even if hewasresponsible for breaking my heart).

“Come with me,” she snarled, then took me by the hand and started pulling me behind her through the hall.

I had never seen Alessandra angry before.Ever.She’d told me she’d occasionally been snippy with Dario back when he brought her to the mansion against her will – but I’dnever witnessed her anger firsthand.

I could honestly say this after having seen her:

When she was pissed, Alessandra wasscary.

I went with her willingly, not really thinking about where she was leading me –

Until we reached the parlor.

The room where the Rosolini men always met to discuss business.

Mafiabusiness.

A foot soldier stood in front of the door, his hands crossed in front of his suit jacket.

He looked at Alessandra in surprise –

“Out of my way!” she yelled.

The guy’s eyes widened, and he immediately stepped back from the door.

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