Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Before speaking, he worked his mouth several times, resembling a cow chewing cud. “What is so important that we had to risk an unplanned meeting?”
I yelled over the crowd's cheers at Peppe Nappa's head burning to a husk. “You have to arrest my father now. Tonight! We’re out of time.”
His long fingers dug into my upper arm, pulling me close enough for his puckered lips to hiss in my ear. “Lower your voice!”
I bristled. Using the middle of Carnevale as cover for this meeting was his suggestion, not mine. “You promised if I stole those files, you would arrest my father for my mother’s disappearance. I’ve done my part.”
After years of my father telling me my mother was a whore who abandoned us, I had grown suspicious.
In secret, I provided information about my father's mafia activities to Judge Marzio Delluci in the Anti-Mafia Investigations Directorate. The purpose was to convince him to launch an investigation into my mother’s disappearance. But when I reached out to the Judge’s office, it was Fino Buratti, his associate, who responded, telling me it was too dangerous for me to communicate directly with the Judge.
“It’s not that simple. There is a legal process we need to follow.”
“You’ve been telling me that for months. I have no more time. My father is going to force my sister to marry Matteo Cavalieri if we don’t stop him.”
Fino worked his jaw in slow circles, his raised eyebrows giving his sallow face a ghoulish appearance. “Matteo Cavalieri? Of the Cavalieri family?”
“Yes.”
“From Abruzzo. The winemaking family?”
I threw my arms up in the air, not understanding why the identity of the person my father was forcing my sister to marry held any importance. “Yes! Yes! Now, are you going to help me?”
He worked his jaw again. “Can I presume your sister will travel to Abruzzo for the upcoming nuptials?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Not exactly.”
He stared at me.
The last thing I wanted was to give him another option to weasel out of his promise, but he was determined. “She wants me to switch places with her to stall for time while she convinces her”—my nose wrinkled as I tried to find the correct word for my sister’s lover—“boyfriend, to marry her instead.”
I pointed a finger at his chest. “But that is our absolute last-resort plan. I’m expecting you to arrest my father so we don’t have to resort to it.”
He stared off over my shoulder, his eyes shifting left and right. “The Cavalieris have operated above the law for decades. This could be our chance.”
“Chance for what?”
He waved his hand in front of me. “I need to take this information to the Judge.”
When he turned to go, I grabbed his sleeve. “What about my sister?”
Stepping far too close to me, his gaze traveled to my chest before meeting my eyes. “You’ll need to travel to Abruzzo in her stead. It can’t be helped. This is too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
“And what about the investigation into my mother’s disappearance? You promised to show me the file.”
I flinched at the coldness of his spindly fingers when he touched my shoulders.
His touch was nothing like Matteo's warm, calloused hands.
“Just be patient. I will say this. If you don’t continue to do as we say, then you can forget about any investigation into your mother’s whereabouts.”
It felt like a lead weight settled in the pit of my stomach. Just because they were the law didn’t mean they operated any differently than the mafia.
Everything was a power play.
Everything was about influence.
Everything was about greasing palms and exchanging favors.
No one cared about the people who got crushed by all their schemes, mind games, and manipulations.
Like my mother.
Before I could respond, I spied Matteo over Fino’s shoulder, shoving his way through the dancers, a look of cold, hard determination in his eyes.
My eyes widened.
Ducking from under Fino’s clammy hands, I gathered up my heavy skirt and pivoted on my heel, disappearing into the crowd.
CHAPTER 4
MATTEO
No sooner had I laid eyes on my runaway bride than a man stumbled into my path. Shoving him aside, I raced forward but lost her again.
When I next caught sight of her, she was in the northwest corner of the piazza. She had ditched the skirt and peasant blouse and was now displaying her every curve in a pair of thigh-high boots, a tiny skirt, and a white lace corset.
Che due palle!
The woman was already in the arms of another man.
Worse than that, she had her legs wrapped around him like a fucking bitch in heat.
Storming up to them both, I twisted my hand into the back of her hair and pulled her off him.
As she fell back into my arms with a cry, I rumbled into her ear. “What the fuck did I just tell you about other men?”