chapter 6

AngeloGiorgio nods, then asks, “About the debt, sir. Is a month okay?” For now. I nod and wave a hand at the door, indicating for the fucker to leave. As soon as he’s gone, I glance at Tiny. “I want to know everything about Vittoria Romano.”“Yes, boss.” He hovers for a moment, then asks, “What do you want me to do with Duncan’s body?”“Drop it off at his house so his family can bury him.” Pulling my phone out of the breast pocket of my jacket, I add, “Pay for the funeral and give his wife fifty thousand. God knows she needs it after putting up with him for so long.”Big Ricky comes into the office as Tiny leaves. “The girl left with her brother.” I nod as I scroll through all the emails and messages.“I don’t think she’ll talk,” he mentions. I nod again while I look at the meeting scheduled for Tuesday at five p.m. Every two weeks, the five heads of the Cosa Nostra meet. In the beginning, it was to keep the peace, but over the years, we’ve become friends. Now we play poker while talking business. My cousin was supposed to take over the Rizzo seat in the Cosa Nostra, but he was assassinated by the Quintero cartel when they tried to move into New York. I was nineteen when I took over so my uncle could retire as head of the Rizzo family. He still helps with the businessin Sicily and keeps an eye on everything for me, which is something I want to discuss with him. It’s time for him to step away from the business so he can enjoy his old age. Fuck, has it already been fifteen years? Time flies when you’re making money. No wonder Uncle Maurizio’s been on my case about getting married. He’s scared I’ll be taken out before I get the chance to give the Rizzo family an heir. The only problem is the women from suitable families are either older than me or still in school. Uncle Maurizio’s been dropping hints that I should marry Valentina Toscano, who’s from an influential family, but that’s never happening. She’s six years older than me and batshit crazy. Vittoria’s beautiful face pops into my mind, but I shake my head because the Romanos are way beneath the Rizzos. At least she’s fucking Sicilian. I shake my head again because I sure as fuck don’t want Giorgio for a brother-in-law. My gaze lowers to my right hand, and I rub my fingers together as I recall the feel of her silky hair. She flinched as if she thought I was going to hit her. A woman only has that reaction when she’s been beaten before. My eyes narrow as my thoughts turn to my parents.Before they were killed in a hit-and-run, my father used to beat the shit out of my mother. Every other night, her blood coated the walls.The world I grew up in has made me a hard man, but I’ll never hit a woman. Again, the memory of Vittoria flinching ghosts through my mind. I begin to tap my fingers on the desk as she fills my thoughts.I’m easily twice her size. Her heart-shaped face is framed by golden brown curls that look like they refuse to be tamed. Her doe eyes hold a mysterious power that has the ability to grab my attention. The woman is fucking beautiful.“Boss?” Big Ricky says to get my attention.I forgot the man was still in the office, and shaking my head to rid my thoughts of Vittoria Romano, I tuck my phone back into my pocket. Letting out a sigh, I stand up and mutter, “Let’s head over to the club.”Every day, I’m surrounded by beautiful women, but none of them has grabbed my attention like the little fawn with her wild hair and doe eyes.