Page 39 of Mafia Don's Twisted Union

He steps closer, his dark eyes locking onto mine. “You’ll know the truth when you need to.”

The words hang between us like a challenge, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I exhale shakily, the fight draining out of me as I turn away. “Good night, Carlito,” I say quietly, retreating toward the bedroom.

As I close the door behind me, my mind is a storm of unanswered questions. The name Matteo Russo is burned into my thoughts now, demanding answers I’m not sure I want to find.

I sit on the edge of the bed, staring at the note I swiped from the folder before Carlito returned. My father’s name is scrawled in the corner, along with the words:Unfinished business.

Chapter 18

Carlito

The morning sun streams through the penthouse’s towering windows, but its warmth feels hollow. Every light in the room only sharpens the tension hanging in the air. I sit at the long dining table, staring at the reports Leo dropped off an hour ago.

Each page is worse than the last. Matteo Russo’s reach extends farther than I expected. His latest moves aren’t just about power—they’re calculated, aimed directly at me. And at Mia.

The file in front of me confirms it: a detailed plan to target a property tied to Mia’s inheritance. I’d hoped it was coincidence, that Matteo hadn’t realized its connection to her. But the notes scrawled in the margins prove otherwise.

“High value. Leverage.”

My grip tightens on the paper. The implications are clear. Matteo doesn’t just know about Mia; he intends to use her inheritance as a weapon.

Leo steps into the room, breaking my thoughts. “We need to move fast,” he says, his voice low but steady. “If Russo hits that property, it’ll be a bloodbath. He’s sending a message.”

I nod, setting the papers down. “Reinforce the guard detail. I want eyes on Mia and Bianca at all times. No one gets near them.”

Leo hesitates, glancing toward the hallway where the bedrooms are. “You sure about keeping Mia in the dark?”

My jaw tightens. “She doesn’t need to know.”

“Carlito,” Leo says cautiously, “she’s not stupid. She knows something’s going on.”

I glare at him, but he holds his ground. He’s not wrong. Mia’s been distant since last night, her questions sharper, her silences louder.

“Let me handle it,” I say finally, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Leo nods and leaves, but his words linger. Mia isn’t stupid. And I’m running out of ways to shield her from the truth.

---

The sound of heels clicking across the floor pulls my attention. I turn to see Bianca stride into the living room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

“What now?” she snaps, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.

“Good morning to you too, Bianca,” I say, keeping my tone measured.

She stops short, glaring at me. “Don’t act like everything’s fine. It’s not fine, Dad. Dario’s dead, and we’re stuck here like prisoners while you decide everything for us.”

Her words hang heavy in the air, and I can feel the grief and frustration radiating off her. “The funeral arrangements have already been made,” I reply evenly. “It will be small and private. I won’t risk another incident, not after what happened.”

She scoffs, her arms tightening across her chest. “Small? Private? You mean rushed and hidden. You didn’t even let Mia attend! Dario would have wanted her there.”

The bitterness in her voice stings, but I keep my tone calm. “Mia’s safety is my priority, Bianca. Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I don’t feel the weight of what’s happened?”

Her glare hardens. “I think you’re using safety as an excuse to control everything. You always make the decisions, and the rest of us just have to fall in line. It’s not fair, Daddy.”

I step closer, my voice lowering. “Nothing about this is fair, Bianca. I lost Dario too. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure no one else pays that price—not you, and not Mia.”

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