Page 29 of The Agreement

“Val?”

“Luciana, you don’t mind going to the house right?”

“Your dad’s?”

“No, I’m, well, staying at Vinny’s.” Luciana broke into a wide grin.

“And nothing has happened to you and no one has said anything?”

“Guess it’s been felt all around that it would just be easier if I was there,” Val answered.

“I will not say no to checking out that man’s house.” Val unlocked the car and slid in.

“Trust me Luciana; this is so not what you will think.” Val started the car and pulled out of the spot. “I can have someone bring you back for your car.”

“Whatever. Not like anything can happen to it.” Val smiled and threw the gear into third, quickly tearing off down the busy street. In her click of friends, she was probably the only female who liked a stick shift. The power and the speed those types of cars gave her meant she would forever enjoy it and long for it, it was an adrenaline rush she didn’t get elsewhere.

Val checked her mirror, frowning as she saw a black Bentley merging a few lanes over. She turned down a side street, letting out a breath when the car didn’t turn as well. She pulled through a few more intersections and turned back onto the main road, frowning again when she saw the same damn car.

“What is it?” Luciana asked, checking her own side mirror.

“We got a tail.”

“The black B?”

“Yup,” Val said as she watched the street before she flew into fifth, watching the car push 80. Her silent prayer was that there were no cops around or she would be fucked.

“Slow down and make a right then a hard left.” Val listened to her friend and then nearly freaked as the car came around again. Val grabbed her phone and then punched the number for Joey.

“Ciao?(hello)”

“Joey, it’s me.”

“Val? What the hell is going on? Are you okay?”

“No, there’s a black Bentley following me and I can’t shake him.”

“Fuck! I’m on my way now. Try to find a garage of some sort that you can lose them in.”

“Okay….ah!” Val dropped her phone and pulled over, her back window being shot at. She looked up as the black car came speeding towards them.

~ Chapter 24 ~

“You don’t think Val would have done something, right?” Vinny looked over at Frankie.

“Like spy and then ratted us out? No, not at all.”

“Your dad thinks that.” Vinny took a sip of his whiskey and shrugged. His dad could go on thinking whatever he wanted, so long as he didn’t say anything. However, if he did, then Vinny would have a problem.

“What would Val have gained? It’s not as if she has a lot of offers for marriage or a lot of time for anything anyway. And if not that, then what, freedom from me? It wasn’t as if I was there. And she’s smart enough to know that if this was her, this would only start back up a war we are trying to stop.” Frankie laughed and Vinny just stared at him. “What is so God damn funny?”

“Never thought I would see the day that Giovanni Constantini would claim that Valentina De Luca was smart; usually you were pretty good at putting her down.” Vinny would actually agree with that. Not that he was perfect and he was still trying to curb his annoyance with her, but he wouldn’t take with anyone putting her down. Which was why he was really trying to figure out how to have a meeting with her dad; and he knew that no one was going to like it but he had no choice.

“Yeah, things tend to change when you are forced to marry the one you don’t like.”

“Seems you and Val are getting close; your cousin told me he walked in on you two making out.”

“My cousin has a big mouth and you two gossip as bad asdonne anziane(old women). Worry about your lives and leave mine alone.” Frankie laughed again.

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