Page 152 of Mafia Kings: Dario

I smiled back. “I do, too.”

Then I grew serious.

“But I don’t want their father handing a pistol to my son when he’s 15 years old. I don’t want that foranyof them. When Fausto was here, Roberto said the family would be legitimate in two years. Can you promise me that our children won’t have to be in danger like you and your brothers were? That they’ll be safe?”

Dario nodded somberly. “I swear upon my family’s name that they will not follow in my footsteps. They will inherit an entirely new life… one where they can be doctors, or lawyers, or actors, or artists, or anything else they want to be… but notmafiosos.”

I smiled and teared up a little. “Thank you.”

He kissed me softly…

And I reached down to his boxers and began to pull them off.

“I like this new side of you,” he said with a grin.

“I wantlotsof babies, so you’re going to have to make love to mea lot.”

He laughed. “Absolutely. Startingright now.”

55

The wedding was only two weeks later. Dario said he didn’t want a long engagement – just enough to arrange everything. I happily agreed.

Security was ‘all hands on deck’ as every Rosolini foot soldier patrolled the property. Massimo and Valentino strolled the grounds dressed in tuxes and carrying guns. Even Roberto, who was usually much more like an accountant, kept a pistol inside his suit jacket.

Lars kept watch from the top of the mansion with his sniper rifle. He had saved me from the Turk that awful night as Dario posed as bait and put his own life in danger; I liked the idea of Lars watching over us again under much happier circumstances.

Fausto and Aurelio arrived with an even larger convoy of cars, and dozens of their foot soldiers helped Dario’s men guard the property.

Niccolo had brokered a truce with the Oldani family in Genoa. I met my long-lost relatives with Niccolo at my side since Dario couldn’t see me before I came down the aisle.

As I walked down the stairs into the foyer, I choked up when I saw an older woman with white hair in a beautiful blue dress. She looked so much like my mother that it was astounding.

The woman’s mouth dropped open when she saw me. “È un miracolo!”

It’s a miracle!

“Signora Oldani,” Niccolo said with a smile, “may I present your granddaughter… Alessandra.”

The old woman touched one hand tenderly to my cheek and began to cry. “You look so much like your mother – I can’t believe it!”

I hugged her tight. “Thank you for coming… it means so much to me…”

“Of course – I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!” Then her voice grew stern. “Although I’m going to have a few words with that father of yours – ”

“Signora,” Niccolo said lightly, “remember: it’s her wedding day. Play nice.”

The older woman gave Niccolo a dirty look – but when shedidmeet Papa afterwards, she was civil.

Out on the grounds of the estate milled dozens of distinguished-looking men and their beautiful wives… but I had never seen any of them before.

“Whoareall these people?” I whispered to Niccolo.

“Cosa Nostra,”he whispered back. “The heads of the most powerful families in Italy.”

I frowned. “I thought you had a lot of enemies.”

“Oh, don’t be mistaken – most of these people want us dead,” Niccolo said as he waved and fake-smiled at someone far away. “But wehadto invite them. You have to keep up appearances in this line of work – and you know what they say about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.”

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