Page 143 of Empire of Temptation

“I think we are both in trouble, Val.”

I was worried for Gabi, but not for me. “I don’t care. We did the right thing by coming.”

“How did it go? Did you talk sense into my father?”

“No. He acted very strangely. Like he didn’t know me. Like I was just some girl he hooked up with in New York. But when he could, he whispered that it was dangerous for me to be here.”

“But you said we did the right thing.”

“We did. I met with Palmieri. That was what took so long.”

Gabi’s mouth fell open. “Che cazzo? You talked to the GDF? Do you know how bad that is?”

“I don’t care.” I reached into my purse and dug out a granola bar. My nerves had been too frayed to eat earlier and I was starving. “If telling Palmieri what I know could get Luca released, then I’ll gladly do it. I’m not bound by any weird code about talking to the police.”

“Mamma mia, no wonder my uncles are upset.”

We didn’t talk much from then on. Gabi sped along the Italian freeways as we headed south. We stopped a few times for restrooms and snacks, but otherwise kept driving toward Luca’s family. I tried not to worry. I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Finally, we turned off the main road and drove up into the hills. It was pretty scenery, with rolling peaks and valleys, old farmhouses. The sun was shining and sheep grazed out in the fields. “So this is what the Italian countryside looks like. It’s very quaint.”

“Boring,” Gabi said. “My father also has a house in town, as does my mother, but this is where Leo and I live. It’s safer for us out here.”

“Was it hard growing up away from your mother?”

“I see her all the time, so no. My father makes sure Leo and I stay close to our mothers.”

“Did you ever want your father to marry her?” Gabi paused, and I hurried to say, “I’m sorry if that’s too personal. It just reminds me of something Palmieri said.”

“What did he say?”

“That this life swallows women whole.”

Gabi tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “You don’t need to worry about that, Val.”

“I know, because I’m not staying. But it’s weird. Like, Luca never married and there aren’t any women around. No sisters, no aunts. Your life is completely surrounded by men.”

He gave me a lazy lopsided grin that reminded me of his father. “Not completely surrounded.”

“Okay, we get it. You get laid a lot. Be serious. Why do you all hate women so much?”

“We don’t hate women. Our housekeeper is a woman.”

“Not really helping your case, Gabi.”

His hands gripped the steering wheel. “I don’t know why. I suppose we are trying to protect them.”

“Diminishing the role of women isn’t protecting them. It’s smothering them. We want to participate, be equals, not be shoved aside.”

“Women are at risk here. You’re not as str?—”

“If you say not as strong, I’m going to kick you in the junk.”

Gabi shifted uncomfortably in his seat, like he was thinking about the damage I could do to his testicles. “It’s getting better. There are more women running ’ndrine now. More wives running things when their husbands are imprisoned.”

“But not with yours.”

“Ma dai, Val! What do you want from me? I’m just the second son. Take it up with my father.”

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