Page 120 of Massimo

"I'm so fucking sorry I wasn't there, princess."

"Massimo," she whispers, almost like she can hardly speak, but then her voice is stronger. "I'm okay. Jerome acted quickly. For an old guy, he sure can move."

"He's a spry old bugger." I laugh, some of the weight lifting off my soul. "I'm on my way home. I'll be there soon. But I need you to stay in the safe room a bit longer. Someone who may be more foe than friend just arrived."

Nova's breath quickens.

"I'll come get you from the room as fast as I can."

I hear her swallow. "Okay."

"You're not a dirty secret, Nova—that isn't what this is. I just need to keep you safe. I'll be there as soon as I can. But please trust me that you're safe."

"What about the phone?"

"What about it?" I ask with a small smile, knowing what she's implying.

"That's twice you've left a phone with your captive."

"Princess… I hope you know that I'm the one who's captive here."

There's a pause, as if my words have taken her breath away. Then she asks, without responding to my claim, "Do you know what happened at the gate?"

"Someone drove a self-driving vehicle with explosives into it."

She sucks in sharply. "Was anyone hurt?"

Even with her obvious fear, her concern was about human loss, and that fills me with pride.

"No one was killed, thankfully. And the gate held. It's damaged, according to the reports from the guards, but still intact." I glance around where we are. "We're almost home, princess. I'll come to you as soon as I can."

"Okay." Her voice is soft, but I can't read it otherwise. Then she disconnects the call.

Gemma turns to me. Her crystal-blue eyes are hard and dark. "Be careful around Vincenzo. He may look like he's your friendly uncle, but—"

"I know who and what Vincenzo Pisani is." When her brow pinches, I realize how my statement could be taken, especially from someone who was told by her father that she didn't have a role in the mafia leadership because she was a woman. "Sorry, Gem, I'm on edge. Do you have any additional insight into Vincenzo that I don't?"

Like Renzo living 'over the pond', with Gemma in Italy, she'd have her ears in places I don't.

"He's ruthless, which you know. The 'Ndrangheta and increasing its power comes first. Always. Even above his own flesh and blood—he sold his daughter to a known piece of shit because it benefited his family and the syndicate."

That reminder is both a worry and a contradiction.

A contradiction because, with Vincenzo, the 'Ndranghetaalwayscomes first. So, I can't help but question again why he's involved with a piece of shit like Mancini for the Glucoaid-X drug when aligning with someone like that would taint everything he stands for.

And it’s a worry because I know Vincenzo's surprise visit is really to see if I have Nova. What's further worrying is why: is my conspiracy theory correct and he's working with Mancini to get the definitive proof to push through a vote for the 'Ndrangheta to stand against me?

Regardless, it's fortunate for me that he won’t find Nova. He won’t find any trace of her in any of the spare bedrooms because Jerome moved everything—her small duffel bag of clothes and the new wardrobe I'd bought for her—into my bedroom closet. And no one, not even the head of the founding family of the 'Ndrangheta, would dare demand to search my personal bedroom. I'll let him though, because of my instructions to Jerome, all except the walk-in closet

What concerns me, though, is the absence of staff in my home. As a man accustomed to living in luxury, relying on house staff and mafia personnel for most tasks, Vincenzo would definitely notice theirabsence.

Gabe slows the car as we approach the gates. The wrecked shell of the autonomous vehicle comes into view—what little metal remains intact is twisted and scorched.

The gate is scarred and dented, the surrounding stone chipped and blackened. The breach failed, thanks to the blast-proof steel of the gate and the reinforced plates embedded in the stone walls.

My teeth grind as I watch the flashing lights of the police and fire trucks. Keeping this under wraps and off the radar is impossible. Even if I called in a favor from the police commissioner and had him order his subordinates to stand down, he wouldn't have been able to. My neighbors would ask questions if no one showed up to investigate the unmistakable blast.

There are some perks to having the police involved, though. They'll dissect the blast, gathering and analyzing any evidence. Once the perpetrator is identified, I'll make sure true justice is served.

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