Keeping Giovi safe isn’t really my bag. But I will marry Valentina and keep Grandfather happy now that his plan to become involved in the oligarchy has become compromised. If Giovi is taken out, it will ruin Grandfather’s plan.
But first, I have to figure out how to untangle myself from the Michelis and remain in one piece because I can’t afford to get caught.
Make no mistake, Valentina will marry me. I just have to live long enough to make it to the wedding, but it doesn’t mean I’m waiting until then to sample her delectable body.
I can hardly breathe thinking of her. She occupies my mind like no other, she has from the night at the museum. I tasted her lips then, but it’s nothing compared to what I have in store for her. I imagine kissing her entire body and drinking her sweet nectar. I’m so hard my throbbing cock hurts.
On the way to see my mother I dispatch Ridolfo to the house to fill in for me as it’s too risky to show up at the police station together. I had a feeling he’d come in handy. I have to have trusted men everywhere to get out of the fix I’m in and for now, Valentina’s former guard can help out.
As I mull over the new information I received, I wonder what Dante’s next move will be. Being set up is never fun, it takes time and many manipulations to pull these events off. Someone knows more about our syndicates than they should.
It seems to me that this is the work of a dedicated person on a mission, and they can’t be working alone.
20
Valentina
Iwake up to the howl of wind and the squawking of birds. It reminds me of a Hitchcock movie. I didn’t mind sleeping in the nude last night. Between the comfortable mattress and the clean, fresh sheets with their high thread count, my traumatic day came to a peaceful ending and I’m still alive.
I call Laura. I missed her calls yesterday and need to contact her before my battery dies. Otherwise, I have to use Massimo’s bat phone.
“Hey, I was worried about you.” Her voice is scratchy from crying. “How are you?”
“As you would expect, traumatized, worried. I don’t know what killed Papa and you would not believe who my fiancé is.”
“What do you mean?”
“The man that saved me in the garden is my guy. And get this, that museum was used to auction girls off to the highest bidder.”
“What? I never heard of such a thing.”
“Me either, he saved me from being purchased by the creepy dude with the neck tattoos. So now I am forced to marry a man who took pity on me.”
“I don’t think that’s the truth of it. I mean, he saved you in the garden and you were with him at the reception?”
“Yes.”
“Sounds to me like he has a crush on you.”
“I don’t think he has enough room next to his ego for anyone.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re a catch.”
“Maybe when Papa was alive but now. . .”
“It will be okay,” she tries to reassure me, but I can’t wrap my head around anything positive at the moment.
“I have to go before my phone dies. I’ll text when I can.”
“But you’re okay? You have a place to stay? Is the guy nice?”
“Oh, yeah, Massimo is his name, and he lives in a mansion of some kind.”
“Sounds exciting. Stay in touch. I’m sorry about your father.”
“Thanks, I’ll be in touch.”
We hang up and when I get to the end of the bed, I notice a man’s dress shirt. Oh my, there’s no way we did anything. Is there?