Page 36 of I Would Die For You

I nod. All in due time, though the first step is getting him back home.

The doorbell rings, and I exchange a quick look withMammawho goes to open. My surprise is strong when Don Giacomo walks into the room.

“Pardon me for intruding, but Rosa called me.”

“Of course not, Don Rossi,” Val says quietly, standing up to greet him.

We’re Mafia, and in our world, our boss or Don is always involved.

Don Giacomo places his hands on my cousin’s shoulders and embraces him. “I am sorry for your loss, Valentino.”

“Thank you,” Val replies.

I wonder how many times he’ll have to echo this platitude in the days to come.

“I took the liberty of chartering a plane for your return trip. I hope I’m not overstepping.”

We’re all staring at the Don with wide eyes.

Val recovers first. “That’s very kind of you, Don Rossi. Thank you. How can I ever repay you—”

“Giacomo, please. And there’s no need. You are family, too.”

The Don exchanges a quick glance with me. I know this extravagant gesture of his has nothing to do with my father and everything with me—I’m his godson, and Valentino is my cousin, period.

“It’ll take about two hours for the plane to be ready. But even so, the next flight out of Torino is at six-thirty in the morning,” he continues.

Val will be out of here before two a.m. Every minute counts right now. His shoulders, which had somehow deflated, square back up again. It must be a relief to know this has been taken care of. Still, how much can one man take? Everything is being thrust at him so suddenly, I can’t even begin to fathom what he is going through. The plan was always for him to stay with us for another couple of years, then he’d go back home, and the closer he got to forty, hispadrewould cede the reins of hisBorgataslowly over to him.

But the time has come, now. Is he ready for this?

I don’t know if I would be. Just look at what happened when I was activated. I always knew I’d be the Don’s enforcer, and though this job carries a lot of responsibilities, it didn’t put me at the top of the pyramid to direct everything happening below me. Yet, it also did feel like the weight of the world, and I’m still battling against the waves on most days. My job, I can do, and brilliantly at that, too. The rest is proving a bit harder to handle. Like my relationship with Kaya.

My gut tightens, and I know I must stop myself from thinking of her right now. She’s solace, yes, but there’s still so much up in the air between us. It would be so much easier if I could tell her why I’m doing all this, what I’m protecting her from. But I’m also afraid she’ll run if she knows. Someone threatened her life, and though she’s no fragile flower, it will spook her.

Where will I be without her? As things stand, losing myself in her every time I can is the only way I’ve found to regain a lost piece of myself again. Not healthy at all, but until I can find a better way to cope, it is what it is.

I just need this whole business with this fucking Albanian wrapped up, then we’ll be able to sit down and have a conversation, me and Kaya.

And now this. One thing I do know is I can’t let my cousin go through this alone. He’s got a slew of siblings, yes, but here, right now, I’m his only brother.

It’ll be the Don’s decision, though. The only thing I can do is ask.

I go to my godfather, hoping he’ll see the man and not the enforcer talking to him.

“Don Giacomo,” I ask. “Valentino going back—”

“You’ll be going with him, of course. He will need family with him.”

Both me and my cousin nod our thanks to the Don.

A thought hits. “What about Franco?”

He’s in London, just two hours away by plane. Should we get him on the way?

Valentino throws a glance at his phone—it looks like a group chat.

“Francesca’s called him. She was trying to reach Victor with no luck. He’s in Vietnam, or Cambodia, I don’t know.” His frustration is evident when he runs a hand through his hair. “Let me see where it’s at.”

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