Page 76 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

When I got into the hall, Onofrio and the other foot soldier – the one Alessandra had ordered out of the way – were standing on either side of me…

With their ears pretty close to the door.

I realized they were eavesdropping.

Mother Mary and Joseph – dideverybodyin this house gossip?

Onofrio closed the door gently behind me.

That was when the yelling began.

At least from Alessandra.

“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!”

“Lower your voice,” the Don said coldly.

“Alright – what thehellwere youthinking?!”she said in a quieter but no less angry voice.

I knew I should leave.

I knew this was a private discussion between the two of them –

And I would get insomuch trouble if the Don caught me –

But I desperately wanted to know what had happened with Valentino.

I looked at Onofrio, waiting for him to shoo me away –

But he just cocked one eyebrow and put a finger to his mouth.

Shhhh.

Alright… if he was going to let me stay, then Ihadto hear.

“We’re in a war with Fausto,” Don Rosolini said. “We need allies. Niccolo thought that the Sicilians were our best bet. Ouronlybet.”

“Niccolo, Niccolo, Niccolo,” Alessandra spat. “Just because he comes up with some cockamamie idea, you think you have to go along with it?!”

“You don’t understand.”

“I understand that they love each other!”

What Don Rosolini said next made me cringe – partly because I already feared it was true.

“Valentino doesn’t loveher.”

“How wouldyouknow?”

“Because I offered to let him out of the arranged marriage if he married Caterina instead… and he said ‘no.’”

The Don’s words…

They simultaneously knocked the wind out of me and ripped what remained of my heart out of my chest.

Onofrio winced sympathetically…

But I barely noticed.

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