Chapter 90

Mafia Kings: Valentino: Chapter 90 My cell sat on the desk between us. I put it on speakerphone and hit the Contact for Alessandra.

She answered after just a few rings.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Alessandra.”

“Valentino! How are you?”

“Not bad. I’m here with Don Vicari.”

‘Not bad’ was a code word we used when we called each other.

Lars had come up with a list of them.

Outstanding let you know that the speaker didn’t have a gun to his head and that nobody was listening in who shouldn’t be.

Not bad, though, meant Proceed with caution.

I’d told her that Don Vicari was listening in, yes, but I’d used the code word to emphasize extra caution.

I knew Alessandra was familiar with Lars’s code.

I just hoped she realized I was using it.

“Good,” she said. “Hello, Don Vicari.”

“Hello,” he said gruffly.

“How are you?” I asked.

“Outstanding! Massimo’s out of bed and walking around all on his own!”

Outstanding!

So she did get it.

“That’s awesome,” I said, and I meant it. I was happy to hear my big brother was okay – and that nobody was listening in on her side of the conversation. “Will he be able to come to the wedding?”

“I’ll be honest... all of us think he should stay in Venice and rest, but he absolutely insists on being there. I don’t think anything but a direct order from Dario would keep him away – and maybe not even that.”

I chuckled.

“Tell him thank you.” And then I said something she knew was out of character for me: “I really want everybody I love to be there at the chapel.”

The last time I’d used those words – everybody I love – was the night I’d found out Massimo was shot.

I had specifically been talking about Cat.

In fact, ‘everybody’ might as well have been code for ‘Caterina.’

Alessandra had picked up on it then; I was hoping she would pick up on it now.

From her reply, I was pretty sure she got it.

“I’m sure everybody will try. What’s going on?”

“I wanted to know when everybody was coming.”

“Last I heard, we’re flying over to Sicily the morning of the wedding.”

“Would it be possible for everybody to come 24 hours ahead of time? I’d really like to see everybody.”

“No,” Don Vicari interjected.

I’d planned for that.

“Come on,” I asked him, pretending to plead. “What’s 24 hours ahead of time?”

“NO,” Vicari snapped. “Don’t ask again.”

I hadn’t been trying to convince him.

I’d been emphasizing ‘24 hours ahead of time.’

Alessandra got the hint.

“I think it would be possible, Valentino, but if your father-in-law doesn’t want it – by the way, Don Vicari, what time IS the wedding on Saturday?”

He frowned like he couldn’t quite decide if something was up or not. “Noon.”

“And it was at that little chapel near – what was the village? Retusanno?”

“Resuttano.”

“Right, Resuttano.”

Alessandra was letting me know she’d tell Cat to be at the chapel outside Resuttano at noon tomorrow –

Twenty-four hours before the wedding.

My heart leapt in my chest, but I managed to keep a poker face.

“But you’ll be flying into my private estate,” Don Vicari said dourly.

“Oh – wonderful! I can’t wait to see it!”

“Hrm,” he harrumphed.

“Did Roberto get back okay?” I asked.

“He did! He brought someone, too!”

“Who?” I asked, surprised.

“A woman from Hong Kong.”

“What?!” I said, shocked.

I wondered if she was the one with the 50 million euros.

“Who is she?” I asked.

“Her name’s Mei-ling. She’s very nice, but I’ll let you ask him about her. You know he’s extremely private, and he’s been a bit cagey about her.”

Holy shit...

Had Roberto – a boring stick in the mud, if there ever was one – hooked up with some chick in Hong Kong?!

If it was true, then I was seriously pissed off.

Here I was, about to get forced into an arranged marriage, and Roberto was chasing pussy in Hong Kong.

But I let it slide. I’d find out more later.

Alessandra and I chatted, and I asked a bunch of questions to camouflage my intentions about Cat.

At the end, I said, “Thanks, Alessandra. For everything.”

“You’re welcome. I can’t promise Massimo will be there... but I’m sure he’ll want to be.”

I knew she wasn’t talking about Massimo.

“I look forward to seeing everybody.”

“And I know everybody wants to see you. Take care. Goodbye, Don Vicari.”

“Goodbye,” he said coolly.

When Alessandra hung up the phone, Don Vicari looked at me. “Well? Satisfied?”

I would be if it worked.