AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Then, despite the time and circumstance, Hal let out a big shit-eating grin.
“She’s all woman, and she held herself together like a champ.” Hal’s voice held a tone of pride and ownership that not one of them missed, and no one was surprised at.
Because Valentina Abruzzi was one fine-lookin’ female andway to go Hal.
While the other brothers grinned back at him, Prosper just shook his head. He could have sworn he had made it a damn order for Hal not to get involved with Abruzzi’s daughter. Or maybe, he had made a strong suggestion—which would have put the issue in that damn gray area that Pinky was always claiming.
Jesus. Definitely —definitely—gonna think about that retirement shit again.
Then in a rare mindset ofwho gives a fuck, Prosper decided to leave it alone. If G had a problem with Hal banging his daughter then he could deal with it. Prosper had enough on his damn plate, and the mob boss was nowhere to be found.
After what felt like forever, Valentina was finally called into the Saints’ meeting room. She had had three cups of coffee and needed to pee badly, but when Hal had plopped her in front of the coffee maker, he told her to stay put. And after what had happened last time, she didn’t think it was a good idea to go wandering willy-nilly around Saints’ property. So now, there she stood in front of the executive branch of the Hell Saints MC in a thin white tee shirt that stopped mid-thigh, gold, glittery mud-riddled sandals,thosepanties, and a very full bladder. Not to mention that her eyes were still all swollen from crying, and she had a monster of a headache.
When Prosper opened his mouth to speak, Valentina put her palm up in a stop gesture, “Before you start asking me questions, I need a bathroom, some pain reliever, and my phone. The pills and phone are in my purse. The bathroom I need, like, right now.”
Silence—then someone gave out a low cough. Valentina realized she had just given out a series of orders to the National President of the Hell Saints MC. But the way she looked at it, what she was about to go through was no different than sitting through an interrogation with her father, andthatshe had perfected down to a science.
“With all due respect, Prosper,” she added because she felt she should, “I can’t concentrate when I have to pee this bad.”
She looked at Hal for help and saw he was having trouble hiding a smirk.
“First door on the left. If you want one that’s clean—third door on the right.” Prosper scowled.
With a quick nod of thanks, Valentina hurried out of the room. Then she did her business, ran her hands quickly under the lukewarm water—no soap in third door option—and wiped them off on the rough brown paper towels. She was back in a flash.
The phone, two pain relievers, and a bottle of water were sitting on the table.
She downed the pills and reached for the phone.
“You calling Gianni?” Prosper asked her.
Valentina shook her head. “Father Michael.”
“Who the hell is Father Michael?” Prosper growled.
“Calling in absent to Bread Day isn’t high on the priority list, babe.” Hal looked at her like she had lost her mind. “We’ve got to move on the shit that just happened.”
“You talkin’ about that ancient priest who runs the soup kitchen in the drug district?” Jules asked.
“Yeah. That’s him. Do you know him?” Hal looked surprised.
“Brother, every addict in the tri-state area knows Father Mike. He’s a great guy, back in my junkie days I spent some time in one of his bread lines myself,” Jules said.
“Why the fuck are we wasting time talking about a goddamn priest when we got shit to take care of…” Prosper snarled out.
“Father Michael Padini’s last name used to be Papadinio,” Valentina interrupted him.
“Antonio Michael Papadinio?” Diego asked.
“One in the same.” Valentina confirmed.
“No shit?” Diego gave a low whistle.
“God’s honest,” Valentina put up two fingers in a Girl Scout pledge.
“Explain.” Prosper ordered Diego,
Papadinio was an underboss for the … Capedillio crime family?” Diego threw Valentina a questioning look.
