Page 27 of Mafia Kings: Dario

She smiled sadly. “Some of us have no good options, my dear.”

Of everything she had said so far, those words sounded the most truthful by far…

…because they described my life perfectly.

9

Filomena led me through a stone hallway to a gigantic patio outside.

In the daylight, the Rosolini estate was astoundingly beautiful. Just beyond the patio was a gigantic lawn that led to a swimming pool lined with lemon trees. Beyondthatwas a topiary garden which gradually became vineyards.

But none of that was what caught my attention.

Instead, my eyes settled on the two men having a cup of coffee at an outside table: Niccolo and Roberto Rosolini.

Roberto wore another three-piece suit, although this time he didn’t have a tie on.

Niccolo wore a white linen shirt and a pair of slacks. He looked casual and relaxed – but all I could think about was his sinister demeanor when he’d questioned me last night.

I wanted to run back inside –

But it was too late. Niccolo heard our footsteps and twisted around in his chair to see.

“Ah –ciao,bella!Have a seat, have a seat!” he said, gesturing to the empty chair to his left. Then he smiled at Filomena. “Thank you so much,Signora,for delivering our little lost lamb to us.Grazie mille.”

The old woman smiled and bowed slightly at the neck. She gave me one last glance, but it was hard to read her expression – was it a warning? A look of sympathy?

Then she turned and went back into the house.

I sat down in my chair. Roberto watched me closely, as though trying to read my thoughts.

Niccolo, however, was back to his old charming self.

OnlynowI knew it was the mask he wore over his true nature.

This time I would be on my guard.

“Coffee? Tea? Juice?” Niccolo asked. “We have everything, and what we don’t have, we can get. What would you like?”

I accepted some tea and buttered another piece of freshly baked bread.

“How did you sleep? Was the bed to your liking?” Niccolo asked with a smile.

“It was wonderful, thank you.”

“Good. Alessandra… there’s something I’d like to say to you.”

My stomach dropped. I expected the sinister side of him to come out again – all veiled threats and dark innuendoes.

“…oh?” I asked, trying to control my fear.

“Look at your face!” he clucked. “Did I really scare you that badly last night?”

“Obviously,” Roberto interjected.

“Quiet, you,” Niccolo scolded his brother, then turned back to me. “I’d like to apologize for my conduct. I was under a great deal of stress… but that was no excuse for how I treated you. I was threatening when there was no need for it. Can you forgive me for scaring you so?”

I stared at him.

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