Page 79 of Mafia Darling

Marco shook his head. “It’s too risky until we have more information. If it’s not Vic, it will tip off the real traitor and we may never learn who it is.”

“That’s true. The men will notice,” Giulio added. “The second Vic disappears, word will spread.”

I turned the problem over in my mind, examined it from all sides. “What if we take this woman, this GDF agent? Rinaldo? We sweat her instead?”

Marco and Giulio exchanged a look. “She’s a woman, Papà,” Giulio said. “We can’t . . .”

He let it hang there, but I was already leaning forward. “I don’t fucking care if she’s a woman. She approaches Francesca? She should die for that alone.”

“It would look very bad,” Marco said carefully. “And it would bring a ton of shit down on our heads. The GDF and the press would go crazy.”

I knew this, but part of me didn’t care. “What if we take a trip to Piedmont?”

Marco pursed his lips, which he did often while thinking. “Take one of Mommo’s guys? I like it.”

“Won’t he suspect us?” Giulio asked.

“Not at first,” I said. “He treats me like I’m an idiot, like he’s a mentor in my father’s absence.”

“I like this,” Marco said. “I’ll organize a trip tomorrow, after we see who in Mommo’s crew would most likely have answers.”

“Good.” I looked at Giulio. “Sit with Francesca today. Have her write down everything she can remember from her time with Enzo, even if she thinks it’s insignificant. She mentioned some things last night during the reception, and maybe she can remember more.”

“I will, after her doctor’s appointment.”

Francesca had a doctor’s appointment today? “Why wasn’t I told she was going out?” I frowned at my cousin. “Did you know?”

“Yes. We’ve arranged security.”

“I want her doctor coming here,” I snapped. “No more trips off the estate.”

My son winced and held up his palms. “She won’t like that.”

“Too fucking bad. She should—” I bit off the words, too angry with everyone. “Forget it. I’ll tell her as soon as she’s awake.”

* * *

Francesca

I finally rolled out of bed and carried my exhausted ass downstairs for coffee. Granted, decaf because of the baby, but I wasn’t complaining. To relax and sip a hot beverage sounded heavenly right now. Fausto had really taken it out of me last night.

Our wedding night, though? Absolute perfection.

As long as I live I’d never forget the way he looked at me, the way he devoured me in the vineyards. Then he brought me inside and melted my heart by fucking me slow and sweet, hardly breaking eye contact the entire time. God. Just thinking about it gave me shivers.

Giulio suddenly appeared beside me at the espresso machine. “You’re finally awake.”

I gave him serious side-eye. “I’m usually up before you, so I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” My cup finished, so I took it off the machine and brought it to my mouth, blowing on the liquid to cool it down. “Speaking of, why are you up so early?”

“I was meeting with Fausto and Marco.”

“Your new security role?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t say anything else as he started to make another cup of espresso, so I nudged his shoulder with mine. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

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