Chapter 22

Mafia Kings: Valentino: Chapter 22 Things were going awful for Valentino. I could tell because he was distracted and worried, which never happened.

I normally steered clear of asking him anything about his family – but he was so stressed out that I couldn’t help myself.

One night, after we’d had sex in my bedroom, I was lying in his arms with my head on his chest.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“It’s great,” he replied absentmindedly. “You were incredible, like always.”

I smiled. “So were you. But I was talking about everything else going on around the house.”

“...oh.”

Val was quiet for a few seconds, but he finally asked, “What do you know?”

“Well... I’d have to be blind not to notice that Signor Massimo and Signor Roberto are – ”

I could hear the smile in his voice as Valentino interrupted me. “You can just call them Massimo and Roberto. Niccolo’s not waiting in the shadows to jump out and yell at you.”

“If he is, then he’s a pervert,” I joked.

Valentino laughed. “I’ll tell him you said that.”

I bolted up from his chest in a panic. “NO!”

Val laughed even harder. “I was kidding! Relax!”

“Don’t even joke about that.”

Valentino thought my reaction was hilarious, but he rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. You were saying – you’d have to be blind not to notice what?”

“That Signor – uh, Massimo and Roberto are gone. And Mr. Henrik– uh, Lars – is gone, too.”

Valentino frowned a little, but I could tell he was listening intently.

“And Alessandra won’t tell me what’s going on, either,” I continued. “Normally she tells me everything. When she keeps things to herself, I know it’s serious. What’s going on? Are they worried someone will try to kill Don Rosolini again?”

Valentino looked at me for a long moment, then sighed. “You can’t repeat to anybody what I’m about to tell you – understand?”

“I promise.”

“No, I mean, seriously. Dario and Niccolo would get furious if they knew I was talking to you about this.”

My stomach churned in fear.

I absolutely did not want either of them angry with me –

But if I could help Valentino by listening...

“I’ll take it to my grave,” I swore.

Valentino looked satisfied. “You remember my uncle Fausto and Aurelio, my cousin?”

“Of course.”

I’d been happy when they left the house after the death of Valentino’s father.

I hadn’t been so happy to see them at Alessandra’s wedding – and then Adriano and Bianca’s wedding just a week ago.

“He betrayed us,” Valentino snarled. “Uncle Fausto is the one who tried to have Dario killed.”

It was like he’d thrown a bucket of ice-cold water on me.

“What?!” I whispered in shock. “He’s your family!”

“I know,” Valentino said grimly.

“But – that’s horrible!”

“I know.”

“Is that why Massimo and Roberto and Lars are gone? To try to – to take care of it?”

I couldn’t bring myself to say To kill your uncle.

“It’s complicated,” Valentino replied. “Massimo is helping out another family after Aurelio attacked them. Lars went after the shooter who tried to kill Dario... and who the hell knows what Roberto’s doing.”

“So everybody’s worried,” I said, finally realizing why Alessandra always looked so nervous and pale.

“They’re trying to keep their shit together, but, yeah – everybody’s losing their fuckin’ minds.”

“You poor thing... you must be so stressed out...”

“That’s putting it mildly,” he grunted.

I stroked his face tenderly with my hand. “What can I do to help you?”

Just a second later, I felt his cock brush against my side. He had been soft as I laid on top of him – but now I could feel him growing erect, heartbeat by heartbeat.

“Oh,” I said humorously, and reached my hand down and held him. Madonn, he felt so good in my hand... thick and heavy, big and hot, and getting harder every second. “I see somebody woke up.”

Valentino grinned and said, “That’s how you can help me.”

“How?” I said seductively as I ran my fingers up and down his rapidly hardening cock.

“By helping me forget all that other shit,” he murmured, then rolled me onto my back.

I helped him forget a lot that night.

Several times, actually.