Chapter 58

Mafia Kings: Valentino: Chapter 58 I had to admit, Ragusa was pretty fucking spectacular.

We came in across a 200-foot-tall bridge that stretched for nearly a mile. A whole other town was down in the valley below.

Ragusa was a medieval walled fortress that rose up out of the steep hillside. The lower part of the town was newer (as in, built in the last 300 years); we were headed for the older part at the top.

The entire way, our SUV had to weave through cobblestone streets that could barely fit two cars side-by-side.

The buildings looked like they were all built 800 years ago, and they marched up the hill in tiers, with steep steps connecting the different levels.

Paolo parked the SUV, pulling it up on the sidewalk. All the other cars did the same.

“We gotta walk from here,” he announced.

We strolled up a couple of side streets until we reached a gigantic square – although it was more like an uneven rectangle that sloped 600 feet up to a big-ass church.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“The Duomo di San Giorgio Ragusa.”

It was massive – at least three stories tall, with ornate columns and arches all over the yellow stone exterior. Since it sat at the top of the hill, on one of the highest points in town, the church towered over everything else.

The presence of such an overwhelming symbol of religion didn’t bother Rocco, though. He sat with his boys outside a café, acting like assholes – talking too loud and laughing even louder.

“Hold on,” I said to Paolo. “Hang back until I know what’s going to happen.”

Paolo didn’t say anything, but he waited about 30 feet away as I walked over to Rocco.

“Oh, look – it’s Mr. Fuckin’ Movie Star,” Rocco sneered.

“Can I talk to you a second in private?” I asked.

“Whatever you wanna say to me, you can say in front of my boys. Unless you’re embarrassed you’re on your period.”

All the guys howled with laughter.

I just looked at Rocco coldly. “Like I said – in private.”

“And I said, you can say it in front of my – ”

“It’s about your father.”

Fear flashed across Rocco’s face.

It didn’t last – he quickly went back to his same old bluster – but he stood up and snarled, “Well why didn’t you fuckin’ say so?

Hold down the fort, boys.”

I led him over to a side street, far enough away that his friends couldn’t hear us. A few tourists drifted past us from shop to shop, but it was early enough in the morning that there weren’t that many people around.

“What’d Pop say?” Rocco asked in a quiet voice.

“Nothing. I just wanted to get you away from your men.”

Now anger twisted Rocco’s expression. This time, it didn’t disappear.

“What the fuck?! Why the fuck are you – ”

“You don’t want me here,” I interrupted. “And I don’t want to be here. So what do you say we come to an arrangement?”

He narrowed his eyes. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I don’t want to go around breaking drug dealers’ legs or harassing shopkeepers. So if your father asks, why don’t you pretend like I was here...”

I pulled out the wad of 10,000 euros.

“...and I’ll give you a little something for your trouble.”

Rocco looked at the money greedily and literally licked his lips.

That told me everything I needed to know.

All that money he collected every day? He didn’t keep much of it. The lion’s share went to his father, and a chunk of the rest went towards paying his men. He was probably lucky if he was clearing 10%.

Unfortunately, when I mentioned Don Vicari, his face went cold. “You want me to lie to my father?”

“A little white lie. Not to mention you’ll get me out of your hair.”

“And you think I’m gonna lie to my father for – what, a couple thousand?”

“Ten large.”

Rocco unconsciously licked his lips again.

He might have been a mafioso and the Don’s son, but he was probably on a fairly strict budget.

Whatever vices he was into – hookers, alcohol, cocaine, who knew – ten grand could buy him a good time.

But in the end, fear of his father won out.

“Fuck you,” he sneered. “I’ll let Pop know you tried to bribe me to get you out of work.”

I still hated Niccolo, but he’d taught me something else valuable over the years:

If your first offer gets turned down, find out what the other person truly desires. Because there’s always something.

“If you don’t want the money, then what do you want?”

Rocco paused for a second like he was afraid to name his price –

And then an ugly smirk curled across his face.

“I want to punch your fuckin’ lights out in front of my boys.”

Ah.

So that was it.

I’d humiliated him that first day by standing up to him.

I’d made him lose face.

His buddies probably didn’t look at him quite the same way.

They knew he wasn’t top dog anymore – that the new guy could fuck with him and get away with it.

And if I could, well...

Maybe they were starting to push back, too.

It was probably little things...

Like moving a little slower when Rocco ordered them around.

Maybe muttering under their breaths.

If he didn’t nip it in the bud, soon he’d have all sorts of disrespect flying in his face...

At least until he made an example out of somebody.

But Rocco struck me as the kind of guy who couldn’t make an example out of anybody.

Not unless they were weak and powerless.

So if he could punch out the guy who started it all...

That would solve all his problems, wouldn’t it?

Normally, I would have told him, Go fuck yourself.

No way I would have taken a fall.

No way I would allow myself to get humiliated by a fuckin’ loser.

...but.

If it meant being able to be with Cat...

If it meant being able to hear her come again...

Then I would swallow the bitter taste of bile that rose in my throat.

“You can punch me in the gut,” I said. “Once. I’ll sink to my knees, you scream some shit at me, and you’ll make your point.”

“No. I want to – ”

“You punch me in the gut once and tell me to hit the road, or I’ll just spend the entire day with you and your boys.” I ran my thumb along the edge of the bills with a soft frrrrrip sound. “And I’ll pay off anybody’s debts I want to until I run out of money.”

Rocco stared at me in shock – then outright hatred.

He knew I was offering him two choices:

Play it MY way...

Or I’ll fuck you over in front of your friends even worse.

“...alright,” he finally agreed. “One in the gut.”

“And tell me to get lost.”

“Okay.”

“And don’t go getting cute and try to hit me again, because I will get back up,” I warned, “and I will fucking put you down.”

“Okay, okay,” he said angrily.

“Good.”

I started to pocket the 10,000 euros –

“What’re you doing?” he barked. “I want the cash, too!”

I glared at him. He was pushing it.

But the money was nothing to me.

Cat was everything.

And if it helped seal the deal...

“You better keep your side of the bargain, or so help me God, I’m taking the money back by force,” I hissed as I handed it over.

“Okay, okay,” he said happily as he stuffed the money in his pocket. Then he stood there looking hesitant. “Um... how do we...?”

“You can’t run this fucking outfit!” I said angrily, loud enough for his buddies to hear me. “You can’t run SHIT!”

He stared at me like a deer in headlights.

“Hit me,” I whispered from between clenched teeth.

He finally reared back his arm and socked me in the stomach.

Two things.

One: he telegraphed his punch clear as day.

Using what Lars had taught me about hand-to-hand combat, I could have easily sidestepped him and broken his jaw before he knew what hit him.

But I just stood there and let him do it.

Two: his punch was weak as shit. Barely even hurt.

I had to act like hell to sell it –

But extra time with Cat was on the line, so I did what I had to.

I grunted loudly, doubled over, and sank down on one knee.

“Yeah – yeah, that’s what you get!” Rocco yelled at me like the worst actor in the world. Then he warmed up a little bit, letting his true feelings shine through. “The only reason I don’t beat the shit out of you is because you’re marrying my fuckin’ sister, you goddamn pussy – so get the fuck out of here and don’t let me see your face again!”

Then he turned and stomped back to the café.

Our little performance, however fake-looking to me, apparently convinced the Neanderthals.

They all stood up from their seats and watched in alarm, apparently wondering if they should jump in and stomp me in front of all the tourists.

“Hey boss,” one of them called to Rocco, “you want me to – ”

“No – fuck that piece of shit,” Rocco snarled as he stormed past his goons and headed down the street. “Leave him and let’s get to work!”

Every single guy immediately fell in behind Rocco, their respect for him fully restored.

He’d definitely made a good deal for himself.

But seeing as I was going to get Cat all to myself for the rest of the day, and every day –

And all I’d had to sacrifice was a little bit of my pride –

I figured I’d made a better deal.

I stood up and walked over to Paolo, who stood there smirking.

He had obviously figured out what was going on.

Paolo might have been a traitor, but he wasn’t dumb. I’d give him that.

“Well,” he said. “That was interesting.”

“Yeah,” I muttered, watching Rocco and his dipshits as they disappeared into their first shop a hundred feet away from us. “You hear from Cat yet?”

“As a matter of fact, I did,” Paolo said. “And I think you’re gonna like the place she booked.”