AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Salvatore parked the car in the back alley of a building where two restaurants were open. I knew one belonged to him and it was pretty popular in Palermo, especially with the tourists, so Adrian used it as a front for many years. Our families used to gather here for drinks when we were kids because it was convenient. This place was filled with informants and was built like a fortress, so our fathers took advantage of that.
When he got out of the car, Sasa made a quick phone call and then told me to wait a minute before he disappeared inside of one of the supply doors, but that was at least twenty minutes ago. I was starting to feel impatient.
A bored woman is almost as bad as a scorned one, that’s what Gaspino says all the time, and Salvatore was about to learn the truth behind those words. Rolling my eyes at his nerve of leaving me to wait in this miserable alley when he made such a big deal about being late, I took off the seatbelt and went straight for the door I’d seen him walking through. I only made it two steps inside the building when I noticed the gargantuan looking man crammed behind a wood table, fixing himself a blow of coke. He was huge, with tattoos on his arms and face, and when his eyes got fixed on me, I saw his right hand slowly reaching under the table.
“I’m looking for Salvatore. I assume you’re his muscle.” The man didn’t answer, but I heard the click of the gun under that damn table. He was not friendly. “I’m Grazia, his wife.” I showed him my ring.
“Oh. Boss didn’t say you’d show up too.” His voice was so low, I could feel the vibration in the floor.
“I was in the car. I need to speak with my husband.”
“Yes, Mrs. Fiori. He’s in the office with the boys.” I didn’t move and he sighed. “Two doors down that way.” His thick finger pointed me to a corridor on the right and I walked that way without another word.
I heard Salvatore’s voice and followed it to a wooden door that was ajar, but it was enough for me to hear the conversation inside. I could tell he was with a few of his men and they were talking business, something just for their ears. That should have been my signal to turn around and walk away, but I didn’t. Instead, I leaned in to hear better.
“Are you sure?” Salvatore asked.
“Yes,DonFiori. I got word a couple of hours ago. Someone from inside vouched for this information.”
“And what do you know for sure?”
“There’s a new prosecutor at theAgenzia Nazionale Antidroga[48]. He’s young and hungry and is looking for a big score. They’re going to bust Guido Caputo tonight. The fucker might be on the island already.”
My heart turned into a block of ice when I heard my brother’s name and I bit down on my tongue to stop myself from making a sound.
“They’re going to try and catch him at his club?”
“Yes,Don. Everyone knows he sells all kinds of powders and pills there.”
The club was a hub of pleasures that my brother used to unpack his contraband; yes, everyone knew this, but he also had police protection.
“Right. Caputo has thecarabinierion his side.” Salvatore pointed out.
“This guy is bringing the National Guard with him. Straight from Rome. I think they have a chance to take Caputo down tonight.”
My pulse was frantic and irregular, making me feel dizzy. It wasn’t the first time my brothers were under the lens of an ambitious law man. They all had opened cases and charges, but nothing ever stuck. What if this was the day their luck ran out?
I couldn’t see the face of the man that was talking, but judging by his voice, he took this new prosecutor very seriously, and if it was enough to concern Salvatore’s men, then my brother was in real danger. Someone was out to get Guido’s head and he had no idea butIdid.
My palms started sweating and I turned on the top of my toes, walking back, following the same steps I took when I came inside. The huge guard wasn’t at his post anymore, so I could slink to the car without any questions or weird looks. The moment I was back in the passenger seat of the Maserati, I let out a huge sigh, finally allowing myself to breathe.
That conversation was not for me to hear, I knew that, but I couldn’t take it back. I took a deep breath in hopes of clearing my head, but I didn’t get the chance to do so because Salvatore showed and opened the car door.
“All done. I’m sorry you had to wait,Tesoro. It was important.”
“Oh.” I waited for him to keep talking, but it didn’t happen. “Is everything ok, Sasa?”
“Yes.” He answered shortly while getting back into traffic. “Grazi, no need to look worried. It was just a business stop.”
I flinched. He could read something on my face and I pushed it away. I couldn’t tell Salvatore I listened at his door without facing his anger for such childish, dangerous behavior, and I wasn’t sure it would help. He didn’t care about my brother and why would he? Giovani made it clear for everyone – we were at war and my husband was a good man, but he was no saint. He wouldn’t go out of his way to help the enemy.
By the time we made it to Pietro’s house, I got my emotions under control, but my mind was racing. There were a million things going through my head all at once and I was once again, ripped in half between Salvatore and my family.
I had to let Guido know what was going down tonight – I had to – but doing so was a betrayal to my husband and the Fiorifamiglia.My famiglia.
“Grazi, are you good?” My husband asked when he came to open the car door for me.
“Yes, sorry. My mind was somewhere else.”
