"Buonanotte, tesoro." Mrs. Stone, my adoptive mother, kissed my cheek, her eyes filled with gentle, maternal worry.
I forced a slow, vacant smile, letting my eyelids heavy-flicker in the way she had grown accustomed to. "Goodnight, Mom," I mumbled back the word, keeping my voice soft and flat.
She offered a tender smile and watched me step into my bedroom, waiting until the door clicked shut before her footsteps faded down the hallway.
I straightened my posture. The vacancy in my eyes vanished, replaced by a cold, razor-sharp focus. I walked to my closet, stripped off the soft sleeveless shirt she had bought me, and tossed it onto the bed. In its place, I pulled on a heavy black sweatshirt and a tailored dark overcoat that fell to my ankles.
I stepped over to the bookshelf, pressed the hidden latch, and watched the oak panel glide open. Descending the cold stone steps into the underground, I bypassed the room and headed straight for the outer escape tunnel. I pushed open the concealed exit at the boundary of the estate, stepping out into the cool, damp night air.
The heavy iron back gate opened silently. Waiting in the alley was my black Rolls-Royce, its engine purring like a sleeping beast.
I slid into the leather interior of the backseat. "How is the city tonight, Black?" I asked my underboss.
"Quiet, Don Sullivan," Black replied smoothly, shifting the car into drive and pulling out onto the dark Sicilian highway.
"Any word from Romano?" I leaned my head back against the leather, staring out at the blurred streetlights.
"He is starting to forget who puts the bread on his table," Black noted, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror. "We haven't heard from him in two weeks."
A mocking smile touched my lips. I pulled a silver case from the door pocket, slid a cigarette between my lips, and lit it. The flame illuminated the sharp angles of my face for a split second as I inhaled the smoke.
"Turn around," I commanded.
Black hesitated, his eyes widening slightly. "Sir?"
"Don't take me to the safe house yet," I exhaled, the smoke curling around the headrest. "Make a U-turn. We’re visiting Romano."
.
The Rolls-Royce glided to a halt a block away from the Romano estate. I grabbed my black fedora, pulling the brim low to shadow my eyes and keep my face in total anonymity.
"Seems like a celebration is underway," I murmured, watching the bright string lights glowing from the gardens.
Black stepped out, opened my door, and discreetly handed me a sleek, suppressed semi-automatic. "It's his daughter’s twenty-fifth birthday and engagement party."
I cocked the weapon with a heavy metallic click, slipping it into the waistband of my trousers beneath the long coat. "Then let's ensure we don't spill blood on her dress."
We slipped past the perimeter security—men who knew exactly who I was and valued their lives too much to stop me. As we entered the gardens, the lively sounds of laughter, clinking champagne glasses, and a live band playing upbeat Italian folk music filled the air.
I kept my head down, my hat keeping me invisible to the wealthy guests.
"Get our reckless politician friend," I ordered Black, my voice a whisper. "Bring him to the olive grove at the back of the property. Let's keep this private."
I walked away from the crowd, stepping into the quiet place of the olive trees where the only sound was the rustle of leaves.
I looked up at the moon, waiting. Romano was a powerful politician now, but he had forgotten that my money bought his seat.
The sudden vibration of my burner phone broke the stillness. I pulled it out, the screen illuminating my face.
"Speak," I answered, my tone flat.
"Am I speaking to Don Sullivan?" Dr. Fiore's voice came through, cautious and hushed.
"Yes, Doctor."
"Your parents have agreed to the arrangement. They want the girl from New York."
A wave of cold satisfaction washed over me. "Excellent. I will have her escorted to your clinic tomorrow. Introduce her to my parents immediately after."
"Understood, sir."
I hung up, slipping the phone back into my pocket just as Black emerged, shoving a sweating, bald man ahead of him.
"Don..." Mr. Romano gasped, his voice cracking with sheer terror as he looked at me.
I took off my hat, letting the moonlight hit my face and his eyes widened more with terror.
"You arrogant piece of trash," I spat, closing the distance between us.
Romano tried to stumble backward, but Black stopped him with a hand on Romano’s shoulder, locking him in place.
As I got closer, I threw a brutal punch across his face. The crack of my knuckles meeting his jaw echoed through the grove. Romano crumpled to the dirt, clutching his bleeding nose.
"You made a grave mistake, thinking you could cut me out of the port import taxes," I said, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper as I squatted down to his level. "Did you forget how easily I can strip away your title, your wealth, and your life?"
"Please... Forgive me. It was a mistake, I swear!" Romano sobbed in Italian.
"I don't care about your hollow oaths to God," I sneered, grabbing his jaw with my gloved hand and forcing him to look at me. His mouth trembled, blood leaking over his teeth. "You know how I deal with betrayal. We will have a formal meeting tomorrow to discuss your new... terms."
I stood up, pulling a silk handkerchief from my pocket to wipe my glove before tossing it onto his chest. "Get yourself cleaned up before someone mistakes you for a common street thug.”
I placed the hat back on my head, turning my back on him as Black followed me out of the grove.
We climbed back into the Rolls-Royce, the doors sealing out the noise of the night.
"How had the bidding gone?" I asked, staring straight ahead.
"Successfully, Don Sullivan. Though her father is incredibly greedy. I had to raise our price significantly to shut down the other buyers, but we won. She'll be on a flight soon, and will land in Sicily tomorrow at noon."
“What are your orders when she lands?" Black asked.
"When she arrives, make sure she understands exactly who owns her now. Ensure she knows that if she breathes a single word about the auction to my parents, all of her family gets wiped out." I turned my gaze to the dark window. "And once she is placed in my house... We will see just how submissive this little New York redhead can be."