Page 57 of Married to the Mafia

Dino has to walk me out, as I keep looking back. My feet don’t want to move on their own. Will I see him again? Is this goodbye for good?

I’ve no idea, but at least one thing can comfort me for now. He’s alive. He made it.

Dino takes my hand once we’re in the corridor and leads me out to the car. I feel numb. I look up at him once we’re inside, and he’s starting the engine. “I love you,” he says, turning to look at me.

“I love you too,” I reply as we set off. I lean back andclose my eyes. My headache’s getting worse. I know dad’s right. If he’s alive, he’s a target. If they all think he’s dead, he’s safe. I understand the logic. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.

All I want to do is sleep, but I can’t. So I nestle into my seat and think.

22

Dino

Dino

We get to the airport and I get us two tickets on the first flight to Fiumicino. “What happens when we get there?” Rose asks while we wait for boarding to start.

“Once we’re in Rome, we’ll need to move fast,” I reply. “It won’t take long for Ricardo to find out I’m after him. When he does, he’ll disappear.”

“What are you going to do to him?”

“Kill him.”

She looks at me; her face turning pale. I’m expecting her to beg me not to, tell me I should go to the police instead, let them deal with him. Tell them about the corpses washing up and his link to them. She doesn’t say any of that. She just says one word. “Good.”

I look around the lounge. Other men in suits. A few of them I recognize. We do a lot of business with Rome. Some of them look like tourists.

We seem to be the only husband and wife. I turn to Rose and take her hand in mine. “You don’t have to come,” Isay to her. “You could stay here. It’ll be safer. I’ll get Corrado to have a team watching you the whole time I’m gone.”

She shakes her head. “I’m your wife. Where you go, I go.”

“You might get hurt.”

“So might you.”

I nod. “All right. While we’re there, you need to do exactly what I say when I say it. Got it?”

She grins.

“What? What is it?”

“Nothing. Never mind.”

“Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“It’s just that I like it when you’re all stern with me, giving me orders.”

It’s my turn to smile. “You do, do you?”

She nods. “Big time.”

“Then here’s an order. Go buy a dress from that concession. Make it a short one. Then go into that bathroom there and remove your panties. Once you’ve done that, come out and sit opposite me and flash me until I give you permission to close your legs. Got it?”

Her face turns red, but she doesn’t refuse. I could get used to married life with someone who submits so well. She gets up and walks into the concession over at the far end of the lounge. I sit back in my seat, thinking about what I’m going to do when I get to Rome.

First, I’ll need to pick up a gun. I can’t take one through security here. I could have booked a private jet, but I have to guess the Beluccis have tabs on the airfield we usually use. Going commercial and paying in cash means we’re harder to trace.

Hopefully, he’s not expecting me. Probably gettingbored hiding out in the safe house. No doubt he’s already getting his tentacles into the local women. Laugh it up, I say to myself. Won’t be long until you’re put down for good.

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