Chapter 103

Mafia Kings: Valentino: Chapter 103 I didn’t go down to breakfast. I would have thrown up anything I tried to eat.

Nobody bothered me until 11 AM when a foot soldier knocked on my door. “The boss wants to see you in his study.”

I shuffled downstairs to see what the Devil had to say.

Don Vicari looked up at me angrily when I walked in –

But I guess the tuxedo took him by surprise.

“You’re already dressed,” he said, almost in wonder.

“Didn’t you hear? I’m getting married today.”

I meant it sarcastically... though it came out more depressed.

Vicari looked at me for a long while.

He must have decided I was finally broken because he didn’t push it further.

He just stood up behind his desk and said, “Your brothers will be here in a few minutes. Do you want to go meet them?”

“Why not,” I muttered.

Might as well go see the people I’d sacrificed the rest of my life for.

Our SUV was part of a fleet of black cars that drove to an airstrip several miles from the house.

I noticed the runway was in the exact opposite direction from the chapel.

I wished we could drive past it and keep on going forever.

No such luck.

The cars parked about 200 feet back from the airstrip.

Don Vicari and I sat in the back seat of the SUV.

Nobody spoke until we heard the low roar of an approaching plane.

“Here they come,” the driver announced.

I watched out the window as a passenger jet came in for a landing.

It was a brand new Gulfstream – completely unlike the outdated relic Nicolo and I had flown over in.

I started to get out of the SUV –

“Wait,” Don Vicari commanded.

We sat there until the door of the plane opened up, and two men walked out onto the airstrip.

When I saw Lars was the first man, relief washed through me.

Niccolo was the second –

And all my relief turned to rage.

“Let’s go,” Don Vicari said.

A dozen of his foot soldiers accompanied us as we walked towards the plane.

“Stop here,” Don Vicari said when we were 30 feet away.

I ignored him and kept on walking.

What was he going to do – refuse to let his daughter marry me?

Lars grinned at me – then frowned as I got closer.

“What the hell happened to you?” he asked. I knew he meant my bruises and cuts.

“It was a rough week.”

“Jesus,” Niccolo said. “You look like death warmed over.”

“Nice to see you, too... bro,” I snarled.

Nic looked surprised – but if he had a comeback, he bit his tongue.

I hugged Lars. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Likewise.”

After I let go of Lars, Niccolo moved to hug me –

But I stepped back out of reach.

Nic just stood there, a stony look on his face.

“Hello, Consigliere,” Vicari said mockingly. “Where’s your Don?”

“Still onboard the plane,” Niccolo answered.

“That’s a shiny toy you have there.”

“On loan from Signora Ferretti.” Niccolo smiled politely. “She sends her regards, by the way.”

“How nice of the Widow to do so,” Vicari sneered. “Tell your boss he can come out now.”

“First we need to lay down some ground rules.”

“Really,” Vicari said.

I knew that tone of voice.

It was the way he’d addressed his own consigliere back in the barn... right before he’d burned him alive.

Careful, Niccolo, I thought nervously.

“I know it’s customary at weddings for the guests to arrive unarmed,” Niccolo said.He was talking about Cosa Nostra weddings.

Nobody had come to Adriano’s wedding because they thought we’d betrayed the Agrellas, so it was a moot point –

But tons of families had come to Dario’s wedding, and they’d all checked their guns at the door.

On wedding days, all differences were put aside. If you couldn’t do that, you just didn’t show up.

For a mafia don to allow his guests to be harmed at a wedding he was hosting would be an infamia – and the rest of the Cosa Nostra would kill him for it.

“However,” Nic continued, “this is anything but a customary wedding, and the circumstances are anything but ordinary. So we need to hold onto our guns.”

“The hell you will,” Vicari barked.

“I’m afraid, given the situation with my uncle, it’s non-negotiable.”

Vicari’s face grew red. “You insult me by insinuating I would let something happen to you on my daughter’s wedding day?”

Like you give a shit about your daughter, I thought.

“Blame me,” Lars said.

Vicari stared daggers at him. “And who the fuck are you?”

“Don Rosolini’s head of security. Given that he and his brothers have survived several assassination attempts over the last three weeks, I can’t allow them to be unarmed. I’m sure you can understand.”

“So you’re the Enforcer,” Vicari said with an ugly laugh. “What are you – a Swede?”

“I am.”

“You speak pretty good Italian for a Swede.”

“Thank you.”

“So you should understand it when I say this, Swede: FUCK OFF. This is Cosa Nostra business. Shut the fuck up and keep your goddamn nose out of it.”

I held my breath.

For a mafia don to say that to another mafia don’s Enforcer –

It was basically the same thing as spitting in the Don’s face.

Lars didn’t react to the insult.

I noticed Niccolo clenched his jaw, though.

Vicari turned to Nic and said, “Here’s the deal, Consigliere: my men will take your guns now. You have my word that no harm will come to you or anyone else on that plane today. I swear it on the soul of my departed wife. That should be enough for you.”

“I have no doubt that you will do your best to keep us safe, Don Vicari,” Niccolo said, “but you can’t swear on behalf of my uncle.

So we’re keeping our guns... or I’m getting on the plane with my Head of Security and we’re flying back home.”

I stared at Nic in shock.

Vicari shrugged. “Fuck off, then.”

He turned towards the cars and signaled his men to follow him –

“And we’ll be taking Valentino with us,” Niccolo said.

My heart stopped when he said that.

YES –

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE!

This whole shitshow might finally be over, and I could go get Cat!

Vicari turned back slowly and glared at Niccolo. “The hell you will.”

“Relax, Don Vicari. You’ll have guns... we’ll have guns... it’ll be an old-style mafia wedding where everyone’s packing,” Niccolo said with a cold smile. Then he dropped the smile. “Or there will be no wedding at all.”

Vicari stared at Nic hatefully for another moment...

And then a cruel smile crept across his face.

“An old-style mafia wedding,” he said with a dark chuckle. “Why the hell not.”

My heart plunged.

My fate was sealed.

“Then it’s agreed?” Niccolo asked.

“Agreed,” Vicari said. “Bring out your family.”

“Everyone,” Niccolo called out loudly, “Don Vicari has graciously agreed to our request. You can come out now.”