Page 66 of Secret Baby for the Mafia Don

Roman gets up and grabs a pastry from the tray. "After what happened with Salvatore Abruzzo, we've been watching several individuals who had connections to him."

"Salvatore," I repeat, the name familiar from conversations I'd overheard. "He was working against La Corona?"

"He thought La Corona was outdated and could benefit from re-organizing in which he would be the supreme leader.” Roman’s expression darkens.

I wonder if he’s thinking of his wife, who I’d heard had been kidnapped by Sal.

“That was stupid.”

“Fatal,” Roman says, returning to his seat on the couch. “We’ve done some culling of anyone who might have similar thoughts in the Calabresi family.”

I don’t ask what that means because I know the answer.

Those men are dead and gone.

The casual way he references ending a man's life sends a chill through me.

I've always known what our families do, but being directly involved in these conversations feels different.

"There are others," Marco continues. "People with grudges, ambitious captains, rival families from outside our territory."

“But there’s someone inside, right?” I was sure Marco and I came to the conclusion that there was someone within La Corona wanting to destroy it from the inside out.

“In La Corona, probably, but the Calabresi family is clear now.” Roman takes a bite of his pastry.

“That someone could be feeding information to this FBI agent, Blackwood,” Marco says.

“How do you think they’re working?”

“Roman’s assessment is that they're working to turn the families against each other. I’m not sure if they had a plan already or if the death of Don Ferraza’s wife was the catalyst. They made sure Isabella Ferraza?—”

“Ginetti,” Roman interrupts with an arched brow.

“Ginetti,” Marco indulges him. “believed that I ordered the hit on her mother.”

I work to track the story. “But it was Sal, right?”

“Right, but not by my order.” Marco’s expression tightens. “I’d have no reason to want her dead.”

“But Isabella was convinced, accusing me of killing her mother on Marco’s orders. I suspect they hoped Don Ferraza would also believe it, but he didn’t. Whoever this is, they don’t understand the bond between the La Corona families.”

I’ve seen firsthand the bond between my father and Marco.

My father never once considered my accusations against Marco.

While Isabella could have lost her life for making accusations and going to the FBI, La Corona respected her father enough not to do that.

And now look at her, happily married with a new baby to the man who’d been ordered to keep her in line.

“So the plan didn’t work. Is that when they targeted my father?”

“I think they’re targeting Marco,” Roman says.

I look between the two men, not understanding. “But it’s my father’s businesses that are?—”

“The goal isn’t to ruin your father’s business, per se. The goal is to destroy La Corona from within,” Roman explains. “Whoever this was got to Sal, made him think he could take over. Isabella’s accusations were against Marco.” Roman arches a brow. “So were yours.”

My eyes widen. “You think I’m being manipulated by whoever this is?” I shake my head. “No, this started because I overheard you planning to take over my father’s business.”