Page 78 of Sins of the Son

“It’s late. Shouldn’t we just schedule this for tomorrow at your office?”

I laughed, hoping he wouldn’t notice the lack of humor in it. “What are you, an old man, Romolo? In bed before midnight? Or do you have a nice piece of ass in there keeping you warm?”

Romolo puffed out his chest. “Well, I did, of course. That’s the only reason I was in bed, but she just left.”

Fucking liar. At least now I had confirmation he was alone.

I muscled my way inside. “Good. Then you’re free to talk business now.”

Romolo closed the door. “Let me put on some clothes. My study is through there. Help yourself to the bar.”

I walked down the hall into his study. I moved straight to the bookshelves. They were filled with leather volumes with pristine spines of all the supposed right titles. All for show. Taking out my mobile, I snapped photos of all the displayed frames that showed any photo of Romolo with a group of people, especially if it looked like it was from our school days. I texted them to Enzo.

Romolo entered and went straight to the bar. He poured himself an Amaro and hit it with a splash of soda water. He lifted his glass and raised an eyebrow.

I held up a hand. “None for me, thank you.”

Romolo sat behind his desk.

I took the seat opposite.

He shuffled a few files. “Earlier you mentioned you wanted to go over the cap rate appraisals?”

I nodded as I leaned to the side and pulled out a pair of black leather gloves from my back pocket. “I wanted to chat about that… earlier. Now I have a different topic in mind,” I said as I dragged the gloves over my hands, keeping my hard gaze trained on him.

Romolo's hands stilled on the open file he was holding. His gaze shifted from the gloves to my face and back. “Look, Cesare… I don’t know how I may have offended you… but… I assure… you….”

“Don Cavalieri.”

“What?”

“Only my friends call me Cesare. You will call me Don Cavalieri.”

Romolo blinked several times as a bead of sweat trickled between his bushy eyebrows and down the bridge of his nose. “Of… of course. Don Cavalieri.”

I adjusted the gloves. “I must say, it does take balls to cross a Cavalieri like you have. One would almost say you had a death wish.”

“Cesa—Don Cavalieri, I swear on my mother’s grave, whatever you think I may have done, you are wrong. I would never cross the Cavalieri family. You have my word.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Your word? I have your word? Now that is something.”

“Someone has been spreading slanderous lies about me.” He swiped at his brow with his hand. “It’s probably my competitors! They are jealous of the project I am pitching to you.”

I nodded, seeming to consider it. “That’s a possibility.”

Romolo seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Then again….”

You could practically feel the man’s butthole tighten.

I narrowed my eyes. “The betrayal I’m referring to took place seven years ago when we were still in school.”

Romolo frowned. “In school?”

I observed him. “Do you remember a girl named Milana Carbone?”

Romolo grabbed his glass and slurped down the bitter contents. Not that the digestif would do him much good. He wiped his sweating brow again. “You have to understand. We thought we were doing you a favor. We didn’t find out until afterward… until later… who was really involved.”

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