Page 49 of Sinful Mafia Prince

He’d thought something was wrong too… Why?

“Wait here while I go and get your sister.”

Dom nodded, his father’s tone scaring him a little as he marched off toward Caterina.

“What’s wrong with papà?”

His mother reached out to cradle his face and smiled down at him. “Nothing, figlio mio. I think he got a bit of a scare, that’s all.”

“Why? It’s just Cat being a silly girl.”

“Yes, but sometimes when we love someone and hear them screaming like that”—she grinned, and her smile was so comforting that Dom couldn’t help but smile back—“we worry unnecessarily, that’s all.”

When she brushed a hand over his hair, Dom turned back to see his father’s hand around Caterina’s and his sister pouting so big you could see it from outer space.

“I think we’ve had enough fun and excitement for the day, don’t you?” Vincenzo aimed a half-smile over the stroller. “Serafina? Why don’t you take Giuliana back to the car and get her organized while I pick up these last two items? Dom and Caterina can help me carry them out.”

Mother moved around the stroller, took her husband’s face between her hands, and kissed him on the lips. “Very well. But you need to stop worrying so much, amore mio. It was just an octopus.”

A frown formed on Vincenzo’s brow, but he patted her hand. “You’re right, I know.” He leaned down and bopped Giuliana on the nose. “But we need to get the little miss home anyway. She’s out of blueberries, and you know what that means?”

“The blues tantrums,” they all said at once, smiling at Giuliana, who giggled and clapped her hands.

Mother gave a small wave before turning the stroller around and weaving her way out of the market. Several passersby stopped to smile and coo at little Giuliana, and several of the men behind the counters stopped to “ogle” her mamma—at least, that’s what Vincenzo called it.

“Okay, let’s go. Dom, you keep an eye on your sister.”

That was a job Dom knew he could do. His whole life his father had been telling him how important it was to always put family first, and ever since Caterina and Giuliana were born, he’d been there to look after them, and one day—when it was time—he’d be the head of the Rossetti family.

With his eyes on Caterina, he followed his father back to Mario’s stand.

“You got those parcels ready for me?”

Mario’s eyes flicked to Caterina and Dom before shifting back to Vincenzo.

“Sure do, boss. One sec.”

He disappeared for just a moment before returning with one long rectangular package wrapped in paper, and a second, smaller square one on top. He handed them off to Vincenzo, then gave a short nod.

“I’ll see you next week.”

“I’ll be here. Till then, Mario.” Vincenzo took the small square box and handed it to Dom. It was wrapped in a different kind of paper than the one Father was holding. It looked like black satin, not the sheets of paper wrap for the fish in the market, and around the box was a black ribbon—carefully tied and knotted on top.

“Now, you hang on to that tight, okay? It’s very important. Can you do that for me, son?”

Dom nodded, pleased that his father trusted him so. “Yes, papà. I’ll be very careful.”

“I know you will.” Vincenzo smiled, the pride in his eyes shining through. “You’re a good boy. And you,” he said, turning to Caterina, “can hold my hand. No more running off today, you hear me?”

Caterina took their father’s hand, and as the three of them made their way through the stands of fish and shellfish, Dom stared down at the box, wondering what was inside, his mind playing fantastical tricks.

Was it treasure?

Or maybe a maptosome treasure?

He wasn’t sure, but he imagined it held jewels from far-off lands and secrets of the great unknown.

Dom smiled to himself, and was about to ask his father if he could be there when they opened it, when a loudBOOMblasted through the air and blew him clear off his feet. Glass shattered and fell all around him as his back hit something hard. His ears rang as people started to scream.

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