Page 107 of Secret Baby for the Mafia Don

“But I haven’t purged your business. Or Don Monti’s, or Don Ferraza’s.”

“Considering the troubles I’ve been having, it’s possible the culprit is in my business.” Antonio holds his head up high, but I can see that was a difficult admission.

“Our traitor is a master of manipulation and misdirection.” I look at Dom and Leo in turn. “We can’t be sure whose businesshe’s in or how many of them there are. But we believe Blackwood can help.” I nod to Gabriella.

Dom shakes his head. “The FBI, help us?” He scoffs.

“Agent Blackwood calls me regularly indicating that he can protect me and my family if I help him with his case against Don Calabresi.”

I lean forward. "We have an opportunity here. Blackwood wants Gabriella to feed him information about the Calabresi family. We can use that, give him something that will expose whoever's working with him."

“What’s your plan?” Dom asks.

“I meet with Agent Blackwood and feed him bogus intel and then we see who acts on it.” Gabriella meets each Don’s gaze, showing she has the strength to pull this off.

Leo's eyes narrow, his voice dropping to a dangerous pitch. "Let me get this straight. When my daughter talked to the FBI, La Corona demanded she marry your enforcer as punishment. But Gabriella Monti gets to continue her little chats with Agent Blackwood and we're supposed to call it strategy?"

I meet his angry gaze. “The situations aren't comparable. Isabella was actively informing Blackwood.”

“You’re buying this?” Leo asks Dom.

“When it was discovered that Agent Blackwood approached me, I was threatened with marriage—to you, Dom.”

Dom’s eyes widen and he turns pale. “I wasn’t?—”

“Or to be shipped off to my brother. The compromise is that Don Calabresi watch over me, keep me in line. So yes, I sufferedconsequences even though I hadn’t actually sought him out.” She shakes her head, and I’m sure her mind is racing with unkind adjectives about us and our ways.

Leo’s eyes are still dark, but he doesn’t respond.

“You all know that Ms. Monti is well versed in our way of life, our business. Plus, she has a law degree. She can assess just how damning the evidence Blackwood has is and give him information that could lead us to whoever is undermining La Corona.”

“Who else knows about this?” Dom’s question gives me hope that he’s on board.

“Only the people in this room, and that’s how it needs to stay. Whoever this fucker is, they’re close to us. No low-level soldier.”

“I’m not sure I like that you’re insinuating someone I trust in my business is trying to ruin me,” Leo says, incensed.

“I’m not insinuating anything, and this isn’t about you, Leo, or me or Dom or Antonio. It’s about La Corona.”

Leo's gaze shifts to Gabriella. "And you're willing to risk this? If they discover you're playing both sides?—"

"I understand the risks," she answers. "I've spent a year trying to protect my father's interests. This is an extension of that."

Dom blows out a breath. “I’m okay with a meet. But we need to be informed of the information shared and what happens in the meeting.”

We all look to Leo.

"This isn't how we operate." Leo leans forward with his hands clasped tightly on the table. "Women don't play these roles in our world. They never have."

"With respect, Don Ferraza.” Gabriella gives him a placating smile. "I'm not asking to be anyone's consiglieri. I'm a daughter of La Corona who happens to have legal training and an FBI agent trying to use me against my family."

I try not to smile with pride as Gabriella steps fully into her power.

"The old ways served us well," Leo counters. “Men lead. Protect. Defend.”

Gabriella doesn't flinch. "And yet someone infiltrated our families. Someone who knows exactly how we operate and is using it against us. Perhaps what we need now isn't the old way but a new approach. One they won't expect."

Roman nods slightly. "She has a point. Blackwood approached her because he thought she'd be vulnerable. Easy to manipulate. I think we can see that Ms. Monti is smart and strong enough to hold her own.”