Page 105 of Niccolo (Mafia Kings #7)

Niccolo

B efore I roused Dario and Adriano, I found Giorgio, the foot soldier who would be picking Lars up in Florence. I knew he would be leaving soon, and I wanted to catch him before he left.

“When you pick Lars up, bring him DIRECTLY back here,” I ordered. “As fast as you can. No stopping for food or anything else. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” he replied. “Is Massimo okay?”

We’d told all the foot soldiers that Massimo and Lars would be returning soon.

Since I hadn’t mentioned anything about Lars being in trouble, Giorgio must have deduced that Massimo was in hot water.

“Let’s just say things could be better,” I told him before I went up to get my brothers.

After I woke Dario and Adriano, we all went to the parlor. I had six foot soldiers stand guard just in case.

Just in case what, I didn’t know – but I was fucking paranoid at the moment.

I researched San Michele on the internet and printed up maps. Lars was going to need them if Massimo couldn’t be dissuaded from his suicidal plan.

As Dario, Adriano, and I waited, we pored over the maps and discussed the situation.

I was against attacking San Michele. It was obviously a trap, and a vicious one.

Adriano was 100% for it. He argued that Massimo was going after the woman he loved – however crazy that sounded to us right now – and that nothing would stop him, so we had to back him up.

Since Lars had been Special Operations, Dario wanted to hear his opinion before the final decision.

Just after 2AM, we heard a car drive up outside.

A minute later, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in!” I called out.

I was overjoyed. Lars was our ace in the hole – our secret weapon. He had been the key to our family’s survival over the last three weeks. The fact that he was home filled me with confidence that we could bring back Massimo unharmed.

I started speaking before Lars was even all the way inside the room. “Thank God you’re here! Massimo’s in trouble and – ”

I suddenly stopped.

Lars had his arm around a woman –

A very attractive brunette, tall and athletic.

I frowned.

This was not part of the fucking plan!

He hadn’t mentioned anything about a woman on the phone!

“Who’s this?” I asked, displeased at being blindsided.

For the first time since I’d met him, Lars seemed nervous.

“Everyone, this is Rachel. My – ”

Rachel –

“BAUER?!” I roared. “The woman who tried to KILL DARIO?!”

Adriano was the first to react.

Less than a second later, his gun was pointed at the woman’s head.

The woman tensed –

And then Lars stepped in between her and Adriano.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” he said, holding up his arms. “Hold on – ”

The foot soldiers were still frozen in place.

Made sense. Lars was their general – the man they trusted with their lives.

The fact that Adriano was now pointing a gun at him must have been incredibly confusing for them.

I didn’t give a shit.

“GUARDS!” I screamed.

That lit a fire under their asses.

Every man pulled his gun and pointed it at the woman.

“Niccolo!” Lars yelled angrily. “It’s not what you – ”

“STOP!” Dario suddenly roared.

Everyone went silent.

I waited for Dario to rip Lars a new asshole.

Or, at the very least, to ask him what the hell he was thinking.

It didn’t quite happen that way.

“False alarm, everyone,” Dario said to the foot soldiers. “Please go to the foyer so we can talk in private.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “DARIO! She’s – ”

“I said,” he repeated coldly as he stared right at me, “false… alarm. Gentlemen… please go to the foyer.”

WHAT THE ACTUAL GODDAMN FUCK?!

The foot soldiers looked confused for a second, then holstered their pistols and left the room.

Only one person hadn’t stood down yet, and was still pointing his gun at Lars and the woman.

It was unusual for Adriano to be the most sensible person in the room, but I guess there’s a first time for everything.

“Adriano,” Dario said quietly. “Put the gun away.”

Adriano looked confused, but he slipped his pistol back into his shoulder harness.

Dario gave a small smile. “Lucky my wife is in bed already, or that would have nearly frightened her to death.”

Then he gestured at Rachel as though to ask, What’s going on?

Lars opened and closed his mouth as though trying to find the wherewithal to speak…

And then he gave one of the most astounding speeches I’d ever heard.

“Don Rosolini, it’s true… this is the woman who tried to kill you. But I beg of you, hear me out before you decide.

“Fausto hired her. She didn’t know who you were, and she had no idea I worked for you. There was no personal animus on her part. She was just doing a job.

“Please… consider everything I ever did for you during our time at San Vittore. If you will only forgive her, the slate will be wiped clean. I will release you from our previous agreement and will do anything you ask in the future, without question. Your word will be my command.

“Please, Don Rosolini… I beg you… spare the life of the woman I love.”

Lars was normally a cool customer – steely and calm under extreme pressure.

But the passion in his voice –

The sincerity –

He seemed nearly overcome with love for this woman.

Not only that, but he’d always been rather informal in dealing with Dario. Certainly not the traditional Don/Enforcer relationship.

But now he was using elevated language and a distinctly formal address – the height of respect.

I looked over at Adriano, who looked just as astounded as I was.

Dario stood there for a moment…

Then circled around the desk.

But instead of approaching Lars, he went to the woman.

Everything in me wanted to scream out, STOP! –

But Dario anticipated that and held out his hand to silence me.

Instead, he addressed the woman. “You didn’t know who I was?”

“No,” she said in a respectful tone of voice.

“And Fausto hired you?”

“I didn’t know his name or his relation to you… but one of my contacts back at MI6 figured out who he was.”

MI6.

Now British Intelligence was potentially mixed up in this.

Fucking wonderful.

Dario turned to Lars and asked, “La sola e unica?”

It was a phrase Papa had often used.

It meant, The one and only?

The One?

“Yes,” Lars said.

Dario smiled, then said to the woman, “All is forgiven.”

She sobbed as her body relaxed. “…really?”

Dario nodded and smiled. “Really.”

I could not believe what I was hearing.

“WHAT… THE ACTUAL… FUCK?!” I roared.

Dario shot me a look. “Niccolo…”

“Why the fuck are you giving her a pass on this?!” I demanded.

“Because Lars trusts her, and I trust Lars.”

“Oh – so people can try to KILL you now, and it’s FINE!” I shouted.

Just the sheer idiocy of allowing an assassin who had already tried to kill you within striking distance –

But Dario had decided. “Calm yourself, consigliere.”

Fuck.

I knew that tone of voice.

It was his Shut the fuck up and don’t say another word Mafia Don voice.

He’d decided to forgive her, once and for all –

And there was no going back.