Page 40 of The Red Queen

Vitto helped her into the boat, then climbed in himself, followed by the bodyguards. He told her it would transport them through the canals to the area where she could go shopping.

“Has Giovanni lived here his entire life?” she asked.

Vitto admitted he didn’t know, since he’d only been part of the organization for the past five years.

“The Savino family has held land in the area for centuries,” one of the other men spoke. Desi twisted around to look at him, trying to recall his name. Paulo maybe. He was older than the others, closer to Giovanni’s age. “The Signore has not lived here his entire life. He spent several of his formative years in Palermo, Sicily, where he worked for a business associate of his father’s.”

“How old was he?” Desi asked curiously.

The man took his sunglasses off so he could give Desi his full attention. His gaze was direct but respectful. “Twelve, Signora.”

She nodded, her heart going out to the child who had been forced to leave his family at such a young age to learn the ropes of a brutal business. He was probably returned to his father a much tougher young man, but also scarred. It was like her own situation. Taken by the cartel at a young age and forced to grow up too fast.

“By the time the Signore was old enough to take the reins of the Savino family business, his father was still very much in charge and had no intention of stepping down.”

Desi nodded, deeply interested in the story. She wondered why Giovanni’s men were so comfortable gossiping about their boss. Perhaps Giovanni had told them to be free with information when she asked, desiring his future bride to be well-informed. If so, then she was going to take advantage of the opportunity. “What did he do then?”

The other three men scanned the walkways and other boats as they motored through the canals. Desi ignored the new experience, which would normally have held her spellbound, but was now peripheral to Paulo’s story.

The man was willing to accommodate the boss’s soon-to-be wife. “He spread his wings and set out to take over the world.”

Desi laughed at the dramatic statement, but the man kept a straight face.

“First Florence, where he took out the head boss and installed his own people to run the city’s underworld. Then Rome, then he crossed borders and went into Athens. After that, he looked to our Asian neighbors, spending time with a Serbian arms dealer who lived in Jakarta. He finished his twenties in Hong Kong where he worked closely with a Triad boss.”

“Twenties?” she whispered, shocked. He’d done all that before he was thirty.

Paulo nodded seriously. “Si, he came home to marry, then left again, coming back only to see his family. He didn’t move back permanently until he was almost forty and his father was on his deathbed. His wife died a few years later. Now, he has connections all over the world he can call on.”

The depth and geographical spread of the Savino organization blew Desi’s mind. She’d been blinded by what she saw in front of her. Of course, she knew Giovanni was a big deal in Italy. He was called the Italian Godfather for a reason, but she hadn’t realized his influence went far beyond that.

She wasn’t sure what to make of her new knowledge and lapsed into silent thought.

By the time Vitto helped her from their boat, she had her mind back on the task at hand. Find the biggest, sparkliest engagement ring she could find and test both Giovanni’s supposedly limitless credit card, as well as his resolve to take a new wife. He was going to find out that she would be one very expensive acquisition.

Somehow, she knew he wouldn’t care, which made her smile as she went into shop after shop, spending his money like it was endless.

Desi had never really had an experience like that before. The shopkeepers catered to her every whim, fawned over her. Treated her like she deserved everything she wanted. It was novel and intoxicating. Of course, when she’d lived with Nico, he’d given her an allowance. It was expected that she conducted herself as befit his level of wealth, but he’d never given her free rein with his resources.

Despite having a full wardrobe at the mansion, she purchased several new outfits and damn near bought out a leather boutique. Vitto looked on with amusement, trailing after her, carrying her bags, and checking change rooms before allowing her to enter. The rest of her guards waited on the street at each shop, two in the front and one behind if there was a rear exit.

As she finished setting fire to Giovanni’s credit card in a nail and hair boutique, she turned to Vitto. “Where should we have lunch?”

“The estate?” he suggested, a pleading tone in his voice.

They’d been walking for hours, and it was clear he was ready to be finished with their shopping excursion. Too bad Desi wasn’t. She hadn’t gotten a ring yet, and she hadn’t seen all the city had to offer. She felt like a kid in a candy store. As Nico’s second-in-command, she had done some travelling while negotiating business, but she’d never spent much time in any single destination, nor had she ever done the tourist thing. It was… fun.

“Nope,” she said with a wicked grin. “Let’s go to the club. To Banditos. Do they serve lunch?”

Vitto looked skeptical, no doubt because Giovanni’s associates frequented his club and most were known criminals. Still, Vitto answered in the affirmative. “Si, there are meals at Banditos. The food is good.”

“Perfect, let’s go,” Desi announced, setting off toward their boat.

“Here, Signora.” Vitto handed her into the boat and waited for the rest of the bodyguards to pile in before nodding for the pilot to take them to the club. He turned to tell the rest of their men where they were going.

“Problema,” one of them grumbled, shaking his head.

Desi looked at him. “I will be on my best behaviour. No trouble this time.”

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