Page 186 of Vita Mia

Carlo winked at her. She tried to stand but he grabbed her wrist. She sat again looking at him as if terrified. He leaned in. “You know who I am don’t you.”

She nodded her answer.

“Then you know that I am always here, I am everywhere. If anything changes in your story, or anyone breathes my name and what really happened this night not even death can separate me from you and your family.”

“I swear on the Madonna I will never speak a word against the family,” she said. “Please, signore, you are hurting my wrist.”

Carlo loosened his grip. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. “We’ll be gone soon.”

He got up from the table. He could hear his man trashing the place. He glanced at the knife and considered leaving it. But he’d want some entertainment on the long drive out. The knife could come in handy. He picked it up with his gloved hand and walked out.

***

“HAVE WE HEARD FROMthe Camorra cunt today?” Ludwig Ivankov who was also known as the Russian Tarzan asked.

Brian Smith, smiled. “Not as of yet. But I expect to hear from the new Don, Dominic Battaglia soon.”

“Tick-tock,” Ludwig chuckled and struck his lighter.

Brian sipped his vodka.

“Do you think they will kill him?” Brian asked. “Assassinate the President of the Campania as we asked?”

“I don’t give a shit if they do or don’t,” Ludwig said before he exhaled smoke through his nostrils. “Giovanni is done. And it’s time we put a bullet in your pet. Lorenzo Battaglia has had his final taste of freedom. I need the chaos. It’s all I need.”

Brian smiled. “I’ll fly home and do it myself, personally.”

“For your father?” Ludwig answered.

“For principle, you are my father. The only father I know,” Brian replied.

Ludwig nodded. One of his men approached and whispered in his ear. Brian observed them. It irked him that there were still conversations had with his mentor and surrogate father that excluded him. If something were to happen to Ludwig, Brian would inherit it all. Still he was treated as if he was some kind of toddler fumbling through his firsts steps.

“Something wrong?” Brian asked when the man stepped away and his uncle fell into a brooding silence.

“Riot,” Ludwig said.

“Riot? Where?”

His uncle’s cold gaze turned to him. “In the prison. The timing isn’t right. I need you to go back into Napoli. Get close to what is happening with the Battaglias.”

“You think this is Giovanni?”

“My instincts say that it could be.”

“Why do we care?” Brian asked. “Why not let them kill each other. It will only further condemn Giovanni. Right?”

Ludwig stroked his chin. “That’s what troubles me. Giovanni wouldn’t take the risk. This feels... convenient. Let’s be sure.”

Brian nodded.

“I’ll call you,” Brian said and walked out of the restaurant that was a front for one of their many businesses. Outside his car waited for him. He slipped inside and the driver immediately pulled away to take him to his hotel. There he’d make a few calls and get things moving. Brian closed his eyes and let go a deep breath. He was in the mood for female companionship. Someone to take the stress out of him. Ludwig had a treasure trove of beautiful girls. He could fuck anyone he’d like. He told the driver to take him to one of his uncle’s popular homes onviale Monza.He reached for his attaché case in the back with him and pulled out some documents he should be reading. For the next ten minutes Brian was submerged in the contracts he’d been studying. When his phone rang it nearly startled him. He answered on the third ring.

“Hello?”

“Where are you—“ came a panicked reply from his uncle.

Before he could respond a truck slammed into the front driver side of the car. The phone flew from his hand. The car he was in began to flip along the street. His head slammed against the passenger window which shattered and then he was thrown up to the roof of the car. He again smacked something hard as concrete and he blacked out.

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