Page 170 of Niccolo (Mafia Kings #7)

W hen we arrived back at the palazzo, our foot soldiers greeted us out front like conquering heroes.

“You’re alright?!” Giorgio asked as our men swarmed around us, laughing and cheering.

“We’ll have everything ready, Don Rosolini,” Giorgio promised. Then he ordered the other men to gather all our luggage and belongings.

As soon as we entered the palazzo, all the wives rushed into their husbands’ arms.

“Are you alright?!” Alessandra cried out.

“We’re fine,” Dario said with a tender smile as he caressed her cheek. Then he put his hand on her baby bump. “Is the little one alright?”

“Yes, but please don’t ever do that again,” Alessandra begged, right before they kissed.

We’d told the women there was going to be a massive ‘false flag operation’ and not to believe anything they saw –

But it must have been difficult after hearing all those gunshots right outside the front door.

“Fucker,” Lucia snarled, smacking Massimo’s arm –

And then jumped up in his arms and kissed him passionately.

Bianca, Cat, and Mei-ling were a bit more on the I’m just glad you’re okay end of the spectrum.

“Welcome back,” the Widow said. “You’re quite the celebrities.”

“What do you mean?” Valentino asked.

She pointed at the 98” flatscreen television on the wall of the living room. “At first you alarmed the media – and then you completely flummoxed them.”

Recorded footage played onscreen as a news anchor narrated. A text block at the bottom read, Apparent Shootout A Hoax?

A news helicopter had gotten video of screaming tourists running across the Palatine Hill. The camera zoomed in on multiple dead bodies lying on the ground –

And then, all of a sudden, they leapt up and started running across the ruins.

The news program bleeped out the cameraman’s surprised, “What the fuck?!”

“You’re famous,” the Widow said drily. “Congratulations.”

“Wonderful,” I grumbled.

At least our individual features hadn’t been clear. I knew it was me, Roberto, Adriano, and Dario pictured onscreen – but I wouldn’t have been able to tell from the grainy footage.

The Widow looked at Sofia standing next to me. “So… we meet again.”

All the women in the room turned to look at her.

Sofia winced. “Sorry about everything that happened in the Council.”

No doubt my fiancée remembered the rather brutal – and dismissive – way she had questioned the Widow.

“My dear,” the old woman said, “I rarely meet anyone who impresses me as much as you did.”

“If Nonna says that about you,” Lucia chimed in, “then you are one badass bitch.”

The entire room laughed, and Sofia joined in.

“Language,” the Widow said to her granddaughter, then turned back and gave both me and Sofia a mischievous look. “If it doesn’t work out with your husband-to-be, come find me – I’m in need of a consigliere.”

Sofia grinned.

“Never,” I said to the Widow, pulling Sofia close to my side. “She’s already locked down.”

“I’ll pay more,” the Widow joked.

At least, I think it was a joke.

“You’ll have to top 20 million euros, then,” Roberto said.

The Widow looked like she was about to have a heart attack. “Oh my – on second thought, congratulations on your impending marriage.”

“Speaking of which, we’ll get the money to you once we’re back home,” Roberto said.

“No,” Sofia said, shaking her head.

“We honored the deal Fausto made with his foot soldiers. We’ll honor the deal he made with you.”

“Actually,” Sofia said, looking up at me with a slight smile, “all I require in payment… is a ring.”

“Lucky for me, then,” I said, “that I have one right here.”

I pulled a clamshell box out of my pocket.

I’d brought it along for this very moment.

Sofia looked shocked –

And then she grinned as I got down on one knee in front of her.

All the women gasped.

“You’re going to do this in a bloody shirt?” Sofia asked jokingly.

“Bloody shirt and all,” I confirmed. “Sofia Toscani… you are the most fascinating, beautiful, brilliant woman I have ever known. Ever since the moment I met you, I have found you utterly and completely enthralling. You truly are a beautiful, glorious, life-lighting star. If you’ll have it, my heart is yours – forever. Will you marry me?”

She grinned – and then nodded yes, leaned over, and kissed me.

The women all went awwwww! and the men cheered.

“Let’s make it official,” I said, still kneeling, as I pulled the ring out of the box.

“Too bad you couldn’t do it in the Sistine Chapel,” Sofia joked.

“Funny you should mention that. Massimo?”

Massimo walked over with a coffee table book I’d found in the palazzo’s library.

It was a collection of gorgeous shots of the Vatican.

St. Peter’s Basilica…

The Vatican Museum, including the Gallery of Maps…

And the Sistine Chapel.

Holding the book open to a two-page spread of the Chapel’s ceiling, Massimo suspended it high above our heads.

As soon as she realized what he was doing, Sofia burst out laughing –

The most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.

“Your wish is my command,” I said as I slipped the ring on her finger.

She leaned over, smiling, to kiss me again –

When we heard a man’s voice, angry and cold, from the other side of the room.

“So glad I could make the engagement party.”

Don Severino.