Page 60 of Dirty Mafia Torment

Her warning to my father comes roaring back—If I were you…

She knew.

Of course she fucking knew.

“As director of the Midwest Real Estate Trust, Carlo played a critical role in financing the Midwest casino expansion. Eliminating him required careful timing. The Eleven sank significant investments into the trust, which is tightly regulated by state and local commissions. Pulling money out couldn’t be rushed or it’d raise suspicions. Your father needed the famiglie financially fortified before carving Accardo out of the picture.”

Well, shit.

“Everything’s frozen, every cent. Multi-billion-dollar investments locked up tight. Construction in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Cleveland? Completely shut down.” Dante scrubs a hand down his face. “I lost access to at least a billion. Because of you.”

This is a goddamn disaster. “And I placed my father in a difficult position.” Undermined his power. Gave the Eleven reason to question his decisions.

“If they discover it was you…”

Yeah. Got it. I’mdead.

“I’ll fix it.”

“How?”

“I’ll divert their attention elsewhere while I work on unfreezing the trust. Use my connections in Illinois to ease the commission’s suspicions about shady activity or find the right incentive for them toturn a blind eye.”

“And you’ll call your father. Before he boards a flight to Rome and makes my life more miserable.”

I grimace. “I need two days.”

“Jesus. Fine. But no more, capisci?”

The tension in the room eases.

“You won’t regret taking me on.”

He sighs. “I already do, asshole.”

Immediate crisis avoided, I roll out of my chair. It’s time for me to make a name for myself. I leave his office just as he’s muttering the question I hoped he wouldn’t ask.

“Why in God’s breath would you kill Carlo Accardo?”

FINA

“You look moreItalian than we do.”

Camilla meets my eyes in the club’s bathroom mirror. My friends have highlights in their black hair, Bianca blonde and Camilla red, while mine’s untouched. I’m what you call the antithesis of your typical California girl. Why be average?

“Are many women in Minneapolis dark-haired?” Camilla asks, smacking her lips with a fresh coat of lip gloss.

On the walk to Club Tiberius, they asked me where I was from. And I lied. This might be overly cautious since I blend in so well in Rome and the Life is far behind me. And maybe one day, I’ll explain my lies. But for now, I keep details about myself vague.

“Minnesota has a huge Italian-American population.” Never been, and know very little about the state.

Bianca wiggles next to me, settling her miniskirt higher on her thighs.

I love this girl.

“I’d like to visit the States someday.”

I force a smile. “Sure. I’ll show you around.”