Page 53 of The Don

She sighs heavily. “An asshole as usual, but he’s alive at least and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

She pours herself a coffee and offers one to me and I nod gratefully.

“Thanks.”

Flora appears worried. “Today could change everything.”

Abigail nods miserably. “Matteo is adamant he will be there this afternoon and even the doctor knows he doesn’t stand a hope in hell of preventing that.”

My nerves jump inside me when I realize what’s at stake, but I have unfinished business that needs dealing with first.

I’m not even sure I can trust these women, but I must put my faith in them if I’m to be successful and so I lower my voice and whisper, “Listen. I have something on my mind I can’t tell Leo about because it would distract him from his important business.”

They stare at me with expectation, and I fix Flora with a worried frown.

“How well do you know Giselle Matasso?”

Flora shivers with revulsion. “She’s a bitch. A creepy as fuck demented bitch who has spent too long living with a monster.”

“Do you know anything about their relationship and why she’s with him?”

Flora nods. “It was an arranged marriage. Giselle’s family is the powerful Vieri Mafia, and they formed an alliance with the Matasso Mafia. She had no choice and married him, but the whispers in the shadows are she prefers women.”

“I thought so.” They stare at me in surprise, and I shiver.

“I had the misfortune of spending time with them last night, and Giselle shocked me a little.”

“Did she come on to you?” Abigail’s eyes are wide and filled with horror and I nod. “A little, but that wasn’t the most surprising thing that happened.”

They lean forward. “What?” Abigail says with interest.

“She told me to kill her husband and she would reward me.”

The shock on their faces is almost comical and then Abigail whispers fiercely, “How? It must be a trap, surely?”

Flora shakes her head. “I’m not sure. I lived with them for many years and saw the hatred on her face when no one was looking. She has a horrific life with him. You know...” she says in disgust. “She even organizes the stream of whores who visit the house to pleasure her husband. I used to listen to her arranging the visits on the phone.”

“That’s disgusting.” Abigail snaps and I shrug.

“She was probably just glad it wasn’t her.”

I turn to Flora. “Can you remember how it worked? I mean, what was the routine?”

“There was none. Carlos enjoyed his hobby whenever possible and usually before an important meeting so he would be focused on business. I once overheard Giselle telling his latest visitor that it relaxed him. Was almost therapy.”

She says sadly, “He obviously needed to relax a lot because the man was a machine. My own mother was his live-in whore and is dead because of it.”

I’ve heard the story and my heart reaches out to the forlorn woman who doesn’t appear strong enough for this madness and yet I need her help and I wonder if I can trust her.

Then my attention turns to the stylish woman regarding me closely and I have no choice and say in an extremely low voice, “Ladies, I really need your help.”

CHAPTER38

LEO

Our meeting this morning is different, because this time I’m not the only Ortega in the room. I stare at my brother Dom and feel strangely emotional when I see him sitting in the corner of my den, leaning forward with an eager interest as Ryan outlines the plans for the meeting this afternoon.

When he finishes, I peer at my brother and raise my eyes. “What do you think?”

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