Page 18 of Empire of Temptation

Luca

Aldo strode into my office, an orange cradled in his thick hands. “Got a minute?”

“Are the cameras in place?”

“Yes.” He lowered himself into the chair across from the desk and began peeling the orange. “Four at her house, six at the restaurant, just as you ordered. If Segreto shows up, we’ll know it.”

“Good. Any word on Niccolò?” Through our contacts, we were trying to learn where my cousin was being held by the police. With any luck we might be able to get him out from under the GDF’s nose before he gave them any information.

“Sergio said nothing yet.”

I stroked my jaw. This was unusual. We had police on the payroll and they gossiped worse than old women. A Benetti behind bars should be big news in Calabria. Something didn’t add up. Were the police lying? Was Niccolò dead?

Aldo continued, saying, “Sergio is pissed you aren’t putting her on a plane and coming right back.”

My fingers twirled a pen, irritation gathering in the nape of my neck. I didn’t answer to my younger brother, so I didn’t give a fuck what he thought.

Besides, something was off. Ever since the meeting with Rossi, I’d been turning the situation over in my mind. Why had Segreto come out of hiding to kill Palmieri’s daughter? And if Palmieri knew Segreto was guilty, why not find Segreto himself? Why trade my cousin away, when turning Niccolò against me would topple one of the biggest mafia empires in Italia?

Maybe Palmieri really did want to keep this quiet. But I had more questions than answers right now and that made me suspicious.

I tossed the pen onto the desk. “Sergio needs to do his job, which is to find our cousin, and leave Segreto to me.”

Aldo didn’t move, so I asked, “Was there something else?”

Before he could answer, my mobile buzzed. I checked the screen. Leonardo. We didn’t talk business over the phone, so I knew this was a personal call. Holding up a finger to Aldo, I pushed the button to accept. “Pronto.”

“Ciao, Papà,” my oldest son said. “You didn’t check in last night. Is everything all right?”

Leo was a worrier by nature, something he picked up from his mother. And he didn’t like that I’d come on this trip myself. “Ciao,figlio mio. I’m fine. A late night.”

“Do you need me there? Should I come?”

“No, that isn’t necessary. I won’t be here much longer.”

“Thank fuck.”

The relief in his tone concerned me. “Why? Che cosa?”

“I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but Gabi wants to buy a new car. He went to drive it yesterday.”

Mamma mia, another sports car. I scowled at the desk like it had offended me. “Your brother has enough cars—and he doesn’t yet have a license to drive.” I was too lenient with both boys, but Leo was cautious, responsible. Highly intelligent, but stubborn. Gabriele, onthe other hand, was carefree and wild, more reckless. Like me at his age.

“You should talk to him,” Leo said. “He won’t listen to me.”

“I will. Tell me, how are you doing? Anything I should know?”

“I’m fine,” Leo said. “Finished work and I’m going to my mother’s.”

“Work” was following around one of his uncles and doing whatever was asked of him. “Tell Antonia I said hello,” I said, referring to his mother. She married a few years ago, which was another reason I was glad Leo lived on the estate with me. I didn’t want another man influencing my boys.

“How are the women there?” Leo asked.

Young. Beautiful, with dark eyes and dark hair. A little shy. Big tits.I shoved thoughts of Valentina away. “This is not that sort of trip.”

“Dai, Papà. Every trip is that sort of trip.”

“Is that what your Bianca would say?” Leo had been seeing the girl for almost six months. She was nice enough, but not who he would marry. I would make those decisions when the time came.

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