Page 70 of Texting My Mafia Boss

“But itwouldbe proof?”

Ruggero slams his hand on the table. “My men wouldnotadmit to this because it didnothappen.”

I nod, leaning back in my chair. “Gentlemen, I’m going to play a recording for you now. This was taken while I was having a, let’s call it, aggressive conversation with Ugo Nerli. Ruggero told him to lie low, but the idiot gave himself away.”

Ruggero starts fidgeting in his chair as I take out my phone and hit play.

“The jewelry store hit was… Bastian’s… idea. He… wanted… to… provoke… you. Ruggero found out after. He was cleaning up his nephew’s mess. Bastian just wanted… Bastian wants an alliance. It’s good for everyone. You and Vera—that was good, Mr. Bellandi. Bastian just wants you, or your little girl…”

“He wants my little girl?”

“She’s almost a woman.”

The recording ends. Ottavio is grinning. Cesare looks disgusted.

“Nobody can blame you for covering up for your nephew,” I tell Ruggero. “If you really didn’t know about this attack, I have no rights to your life. But your nephew must die.”

I want to kill this bastard too. But I have to be mature, like my woman told me.

“He’s a stupid child,” Ruggero snaps.

I think about what the loan shark informant said on that recording. How cold Bastian has always been. A born psycho who enjoys inflicting pain. And I thought Dante was the problem.

“He’s a grown man who attacked a protected business without provocation.”

“No one was hurt,” Ruggero mutters.

“I don’t give a shit. They could’ve been. And it was my business.”

Ruggero stands.

“The meeting is not done,” Cesare says coldly.

“You better listen,” Ottavio adds, chuckling. “I’ve never heard the old dog bark so grumpily.”

Cesare glares at him, then points to Ruggero’s chair. Ruggero sits reluctantly.

“Losing my nephew would mean losing my legacy. I have no sons.” Ruggero adjusts his collar. “So, I’ll make you a reasonable offer. Agree to marry my daughter, and you can have him. That way, my legacy will go on. My blood will run this city.”

I massage my forehead. In terms of strictly business, this would be the reasonable thing to do. It’s what led to me marrying Vera. But I can’t stop thinking about the fact the Calvis killed my woman’s parents. Or the fact that all his men are psychotic. I know he’s out there, hurting people, abusing them.

“No,” I say coldly.

“Have some sense,” Ruggero says. “If not my daughter, then we’ll have to seek another arrangement.”

I look at him, ice in my veins. “Such as?”

“You have a daughter. I have a nephew. Don’t look at me like that.” He shakes his head slowly. “You’re so sentimental. I’m not saying we marry the girl while she’s still a child. A promise, made in front of witnesses, that the day she turns eighteen?—”

I stand, slamming both fists on the table. “I ought to wring the life from your puny little neck right now. Look at you, no kind of man at all. I could fucking end you with a single punch.” I slam the table again. “Let me make this clear, in my Family, we don’t deal in women. We don’t deal in…”Love, I almost say. But I can’t show that side of me in front of these men. “That. My daughter isoff-limits, and you should be ashamed of yourself for not caring what your own daughter wants. Never mention this again.”

Ruggero stands. “You’re not getting my nephew.”

“You’re half a corpse already, then,” I snarl, turning and striding from the room. I kick open the door and walk out to the car, Mark rushing behind me.

“Not good?” Mark asks.

I bang on the driver’s partition. “Drive.”