But while I kept Carla’s photo in my drawer, her memories lingered. They weren’t easily forgotten, nor did I want them to be.
In the next few weeks, Valentina proved to be a capable asset in the casino and a more and more daring lover in bed. We fell into a routine that suited me well but that obviously bothered Valentina. I pretended to be unaware of her dissatisfaction because it allowed me to ignore my own annoyance with myself. Part of me wanted to seek out Valentina for more than sex, but my stubborn nature kept me rooted to a promise I should have never given.
In an attempt to show Valentina in subtle ways that I appreciated her, I went to our family’s jeweler and asked him for a necklace with emeralds. He had several on display. Since almost every Made Man from the Outfit bought jewelry for their wives and sometimes mistresses there, he always had a wide selection to choose from.
I picked the one that had almost the same shade as Valentina’s eyes. Despite her breathtaking body, her eyes haunted me more than her curves.
On my way back home, my phone rang with a call from Tommaso. I picked up, my lips thinning. He was a remnant from my father’s reign, a disgusting waste of space and air. Unfortunately, he wasn’t involved in attacks because of his back, so he couldn’t find an unfortunate end through a Bratva bullet. “Yes?” I clipped.
“Sorry to disturb you, Dante. Is my wife at your house? Your wife picked her up without my permission.”
“My wife only needs my permission, not yours,” I said in a low voice.
Tommaso cleared his throat. “Of course. But Bibiana is my wife.”
“I’m sure Valentina is having coffee with her.”
“I’d appreciate it if you could give me a call if you know more.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” I hung up.
When I pulled up in the driveway, Enzo was already waiting for me.
“She took the car without you?” I guessed.
He nodded, looking unnerved. “She was gone before we could act.”
I walked into the house and as expected I found Bibiana and Valentina in the hallway. Valentina shifted, shielding her friend from my view as if she worried I’d hurt her. Bibiana was a poor woman. She certainly didn’t have to fear me.
“Good evening, Bibiana.”
She cowered, not meeting my eyes. “Evening.” Her face and arms were littered with bruises. It was a fate I’d protected Ines from. If she’d married Jacopo, she would have been a broken shadow of the woman she was now—like Bibiana. I had to consider options to dispose of Tommaso at some point.
After I’d informed Tommaso that his wife would spend some time here, I retreated to my office to give Valentina and Bibiana some time.
I sank down in my desk chair and twisted the small satin box in my hand. A Valentine’s day present always evoked emotions in women. It had been the case with Carla. She’d always gushed and cried when I’d given her something. Sighing, I set the box down on my desk. My eyes darted to the drawer where I kept the picture frame. I’d resisted looking at it today.
Instead of giving in to my need to drown in the past, I picked up my phone and called Pietro.
“Dante, what a pleasant surprise.”
“Hello Pietro.”
I opened the box and stared at the emerald pendant. Valentina’s eye color… God, those eyes.
“Is anything the matter?”
“How’s Ines?”
“Getting bigger every day,” he said with a small laugh so full of tenderness that my heart lurched in my chest. “Only two more months.” He fell silent. “How are things with Valentina?” His voice was careful. He knew how reluctantly I shared any private details.
“Things are going well,” I said evasively. “I assume word about her new job is already making the rounds.”
Pietro laughed. “Well, what did you expect? It’s the first time a Capo’s wife is working. So far even the wives of Underbosses always only stayed home.”
“Valentina is eager to work and she’s got leadership qualities.”
“You’ll have to do a lot of convincing in the Outfit, you realize that?”
“I do, but I also don’t have to explain my decisions. The Outfit is under my rule.” It wasn’t as easy as that. I needed the support from my Underbosses and Captains, so I’d have to tread carefully, especially about our traditions.
“How are things going in Minneapolis?”
Pietro easily followed my topic change. I’d never regretted my choice to support his quest to marry Ines, and he was one of the few men I trusted. I closed the box with the pendant, unsure if I should give it to Valentina.
Valentina was still asleep when I got up. As usual, her face was twisted toward me, gorgeous in sleep and without a touch of makeup. She deserved more than I gave her. It was a truth I knew without a flicker of doubt. I set the box with the necklace and a handwritten note down beside her then left.
I had a busy day ahead of me. My Underboss from Detroit was in town and we wanted to discuss his problems with the Bratva.
Later that day, I was on my way to check in on Valentina in the casino. Leo and Raffaele still needed clear instructions from me. Their reluctance to work under a woman was very apparent. My phone rang when I was only a block away. “Enzo, what’s the matter?”
“We have a problem, boss. Valentina’s just left the casino without telling anyone and is meeting with an unknown man.”
Fury followed by startling jealousy washed through me. Valentina was alone with an unknown man?
“I’ll be there in a minute. Wait for me.”
Enzo was already in the parking lot when I pulled up. I didn’t waste any time and followed him to a warehouse next to our casino. Glancing around the corner, I found Valentina talking to an outsider. He definitely wasn’t one of my men. He was barely taller than my wife and had reddish hair. My eyes narrowed as I tried to stifle my jealous rage. This overwhelming sense of possessiveness was new to me. Enzo and I crept closer, keeping close to the building.
The man grabbed Valentina’s arm. “Valentina—”
Suppressing the urge to shoot the man on the spot, I said, “Hands off.”
Valentina whirled around with a startled cry, her eyes wide. The man did the same but then tried to run away. Enzo grabbed him and pulled him into a headlock.
I stalked toward Valentina and gripped her arm. It took a lot of effort not to let my anger out on her. I’d given her lots of freedom, more than most Made Men gave their wives, and she seemed to abuse my trust in her.
I motioned for Enzo to take the man to the warehouse, away from prying eyes, and followed with Valentina. “So this is what you do when I’m not around? Meeting with other men?” I asked in a deadly voice.
Valentina gave me a shocked look. “No! It’s not like you think.”
“He’s been lurking around the house twice now, boss,” Enzo said, then grunted when the man’s knee hit him in the groin.
“Explain,” I snarled, my grip on Valentina’s arm tightening even further, even as she winced.
“It’s Frank.”
I relaxed my hold on Valentina. A flicker of hurt shone in her eyes.
“Antonio’s lover.”