Page 7 of Mafia Kings: Dario

“Situation?” Don Rosolini finished for him.

“…yes.”

The mystery man regarded my father for a long moment before he spoke. “Understandable. She is, I am sure, your most treasured possession.”

“I am no one’spossession,”I snapped –

Which caused quite a response.

My father looked like he might have a heart attack.

The Bear looked surprised.

The Hothead got even angrier.

But the mafia don regarded me with amusement.

“Of course not,” he said in that deep, smoky voice. “I only meant that your father treasures you… and should not lie to me again in a wasted effort to ensure your safety. Would you not agree,signore?”

“Y-yes,padrone,”my father stuttered.

“Good. What was the victim doing in your café?”

My father gave a forced laugh that was full of fear. “Why, the same as anyone else, I suppose! Just having a meal.”

“Your café is rather off the beaten path. He didn’t come in for another reason?”

“No! I mean… not that I know of.”

Suddenly I thought of the ugly man’s strange words:

Tell your father my compliments to the chef.

I also thought about how I had suspected the ugly man knew my father –

But I was afraid to voice those suspicions.

I was also afraid of lying to themafiosoagain –

But he hadn’t asked me anything.

So I wouldn’t technically be lying if I held my tongue… which I did.

The stranger looked at my father like he was trying to see deep into his soul. With those piercing eyes of his, I almost believed he could.

“Let me take him out back,” the Hothead snapped.“I’llloosen his tongue.”

The don raised one hand, and the Hothead went back to seething in silence.

But the handsome stranger never looked away from my father.

Finally he said, “The man who visited your establishment tonight… the one who died over there…”

He gestured to the curdled pool of blood.

“…I received word that he was part of a plot against me and my family. But I don’t know what the plot entailed.”

“That’s horrible,” my father said earnestly.

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