Page 27 of Sinful Mafia Prince

“What the hell?” he said as one driver after another laid their hand on the horn as they whizzed by. “Why are they all honking at us? We aren’t even moving.”

“Because that’s their way. They’re making sure you see them and stay put.” He reached across the car and tugged at Luca’s seatbelt. “Very good—you’re going to want to be buckled up for this trip.”

Luca frowned. “Um, why? I thought we were just going to drive to wherever we’re staying.”

“We are.” Dom chuckled, and the sound was slightly diabolical. “But the Italians are rather aggressive when it comes to getting from one place to another.”

“Aggressive?”

“Yes. As in, any small gap you see is an invitation.”

“An invitation to what?”

“To get ahead.” Dom flashed a wolfish smile, then pushed in the clutch and shifted into first gear. “And I love to get ahead. So hang on, kid.”

Like a bullet out of a gun—okay, probably not the best metaphor—Dom shot out of the quiet road and onto the main drag so fast the tires squealed and kicked up the gravel underneath them. He maneuvered the vehicle into a small opening between two cars that was so tight it made Luca’s entire body clench. As horns blared all around, Dom laughed like some maniacal lunatic and punched the accelerator.

Luca gripped the side of the door with one hand and his seatbelt with the other, then sent up a quick prayer that this wouldn’t be how or where he died, and realized that once again Dom held Luca’s life in his hands.

Dom weaved in and out of the bustling traffic, honking away as he cursed in Italian at cars flying by. When hands came out windows to flip them off, a wide smile crossed Dom’s face.

Of course something like this appealed to him. He loved adrenaline, lived for the thrill of whether he’d see another day. Luca, however, did not share the same sentiment.

He wasn’t sure how long the drive of death went on for, but when Dom came around a wide bend in the road and the view opened up to a spectacular lake, all thoughts of vehicular death vanished from Luca’s mind.

“Oh. My. God.”

He straightened and took in the sweeping mountains on either side of the pristine body of water, the sailboats, shops, and markets running along the coast.

“Welcome to Lake Como,” Dom said.

Luca’s jaw dropped as he took in the most beautiful sights he’d ever seen in his life. It looked like he’d been dropped into a painting, the colors too rich and vibrant to be real. Even the air smelled too fresh, with a hint of something sweet and floral on the breeze.

“Wow,” he said, shaking his head. “This is incredible.”

“Yes. It is.”

Dom drove through the winding streets, staying closer to the water rather than going up into the hills. Luca’s eyes grew wide at the size of the homes along the lake.There was no way they were staying in one of these places, were they? Each house was more luxurious than the last.

When Dom finally pulled into a driveway, Luca practically passed out from shock.

“We’re here,” Dom said, cutting the engine, but he didn’t make a move to get out of the car. Instead, he stared up at the palatial estate, his gaze a bit wistful.

“What is this place?”

“Via Besana Moltrasio.”

“Is it yours?”

Dom nodded, still not taking his eyes off the house. Luca couldn’t blame him—it was beautiful. Rounded windows decorated the two-story, cream-colored exterior accented with stone and ornate carvings he couldn’t quite make out. From where they parked he could see a sliver of the backyard, and holy shit, the house was directly on the water. He was itching to get out and explore, but Dom hadn’t moved.

“Is everything okay?” Luca asked.

Dom blinked, snapping out of whatever trance he’d been in. “Yes,” he said as he hopped out of the car then made his way to the front door, leaving Luca to follow him. Clearly everything wasn’t okay, but he’d ask questions later.

As he stepped inside the villa, he sucked in a breath at the view staring him in the face. Through the window, he could see a large terrace covered in lush foliage, beautiful flowers in bloom, and an inviting pool, and beyond that, the sparkling waters of Lake Como. It was the most stunning place he’d ever seen in his life.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Mr. Rossetti. You’re here earlier than we expected.”

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