Page 93 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

“That’snot it,” I replied.

Vicari turned slowly to look at me – sort of like,You got somethin’ you wanna fuckin’ say?

I quickly explained.

“The very first thing Nic told me was to never question a Sicilian’s integrity. He said you swore on your dea– uh, yourdeparted wife’s soul that we’d be safe, so I know he trusts you 100%.”

Vicari stared at me for a few seconds longer.

Then he gave a mildly surprised “Huh.”

At least he no longer seemed pissed off.

“Did Niccolo saywhyhe’s not flying back?” I asked.

“No.”

I could tell he was still annoyed, so I dropped it.

Fuckin’ Niccolo. Drags me to Sicily and sticks me in an arranged marriage – but do the rules apply to HIM? Oh, FUCK no.

Don Vicari went back to staring wordlessly at the back of the driver’s seat.

I pulled out my phone to scroll through Instagram –

And, to be honest, I wanted to see if Caterina had texted me.

“That reminds me,” Don Vicari said as he held out his hand. “Give it here.”

“What?” I asked in shock.

“Give me your phone.”

“Why?!”

“I don’t want you talking to girls back home when you’re supposed to marry my daughter in two weeks.”

He’d kind of nailed me.

But I wasn’t going to give upthateasily.

“Therearen’tany girls back home,” I lied.

Don Vicari gave me a contemptuous smirk. “I had my people check you out.”

“…oh?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

“They say you’ve got quite the reputation as a ladies’ man.”

“That’s an exaggeration,” I said humbly… even though it wasn’t.

For the first timeever,Vicari actually smiled. Not one of his creepy serial killer smiles, but something with actual warmth.

Of course, he wasn’t looking at me when he did it. He was staring off past me into the distance, lost in thought.

“You know,Iwas a ladies’ man back when I was your age. I courted all the most beautiful girls in Sicily. Fucked most of ‘em, too.”

The driver and the shotgun guy both laughed.

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