Page 111 of Single Malt Drama

“Good. How’s your head?” He motioned in the general direction of my injury.

“Nothing a couple of aspirin couldn’t take care of.” I pulled out of the airport and headed toward Riesi. “You said you have a message from Nico?”

“Small talk’s over, huh?”

“You don’t seem like the type to waste time.” I glanced between him and the road.

He fidgeted in the seat as if trying to get comfortable, or more likely, to buy himself time to decide how much to tell me. “She’s playing a game with our father.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. “What kind of game?”

“Long story short, he has the contract the two of you signed before you were married.”

My mother had told me as much, but I didn’t want to tip my hand just yet. “I see.”

“He believes forcing Nico to stay married to you is punishment.” Giancarlo grinned. “She’s worried you’ll blow the charade tomorrow.”

With good reason. I had a hard time keeping my hands off her under normal circumstances, let alone after a freaking kidnapping.“Thanks for the heads up. I’ll make sure to limit the public displays of affection.” Glancing at him again, I said, “How are Maria and Alessio?”

His shoulders bunched. “I returned them to their home in Trapani, but my father has forbidden them from going back to the States.”

“Why do I get the feeling there’s more to it than that?”

Giancarlo frowned. “This conversation never happened, right?”

“You have my word.” The haunted look in his eyes freaked me the hell out, but I did my best to remain impassive.

“He wants them close to use as leverage against you and Nico.” The big guy stared at his hands. “They would be dead right now had Nico not agreed the two of you would live in Trapani.”

“Like hell we will.” The SUV swerved, but I managed to straighten the wheel before we ran off the road.

“Want my advice?”

“Sure.” I didn’t give a rat’s ass what Pietro Lazio wanted, but I’d take all the advice, and insight into the man, I could get.

“My father will destroy anyone, and anything, to maintain control of the other families. Until you’re in a position to bring him down, you should give him what he wants. If you don’t, he’ll take everything you love from you, one piece at a time.”

I shook my head. “I can’t do that. Not if it means sacrificing Nico’s happiness.”

“Good answer.” Giancarlo smiled his first real smile since he’d stepped off the plane. “She’s afraid, you know, about the baby.”

My chest tightened even as I grinned. Is this what parenthood is like? Joyous terror for the next eighteen years? “She’s really pregnant?”

“I saw the results of the test with my own eyes.”

I should have been there holding her hand. I’d be damned if I let Pietro Lazio, or anyone else, steal another moment from us. One way or another, he was going down.

“Are your brothers really going to walk away from the life?”

It took my brain a couple of seconds to adjust to the change of subject. “That’s the plan.”

I left it at that for a couple of reasons. Leaving the mob was a complicated process involving everything from a change in tax brackets to security concerns. It was too much to get into in the short amount of time we had. Not to mention, I didn’t completely trust him.

“My brothers and I are interested in seeing how it goes.”

I tightened my grip on the wheel and forced myself to stare straight ahead to hide my shock. While he hadn’t outright admitted it, I took the hint. The younger generation of Lazios wanted out, or at least were considering it.

Giancarlo glanced at a sign for the convent and furrowed his brow. “Where the hell are we going Marchionni?”

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