Chapter 3

*Lorenzo*

There would be no other logical explanation; I returned to my table and remained thoughtful.

"What's wrong with you, Lorenzo?" said Camilo.

"Nothing, I need you to investigate Fabrizio for me," I said as I finished my shot of whiskey.

"Fabrizio, you mean Santelli , old Giuseppe's son?" said Camilo in surprise.

"Yes, is there a problem with that," I said, rather annoyed, having to repeat my orders.

"No, of course not."

"Perfect, I also need you to find out if he has any mistresses or girlfriends, ask for today's security video to be handed over to you, and I want to know who is that blonde that was in front of us a few minutes ago, and I mean I want to know everything about her."

"Alright, I'm on it."

24 HOURS LATER

I was in my main office, the one I have in one of my casinos, from where I run my business; besides dealing drugs, I have several hotels and strip bars, which I regularly visit to make sure everything is running properly.

I'm sitting in my chair, in front of my desk. I can't help thinking about that woman, her legs, and her sexy body; damn it, just thinking about her, my dick is already hard as a rock, I'll have to summon one of my regular boody calls to handle this fucking problem.

I was about to call when there was a knock on my door, "Vai avanti" (go ahead).

"Lorenzo, I hope you are in a better mood; you have a minute," said Camilo smiling; as usual, anyone would say he is not my best torturer just by looking at him, but if they knew the reality, it would make their skin crawl.

"I hope it's worth it; I was about to get laid, but tell me I'm listening."

Camilo sat down in front of my desk and took out a file with photographs. He handed me everything, and I could see that they were of my mystery woman; among them, there were several from the Santelli's house and of her with Fabrizio and old Giuseppe.

"Who is she?" I asked him as I continued to look at all those photographs.

"That woman, my dear Lorenzo is nothing more and nothing less than Fiorella Santelli," Camillo answered with a huge smile, for having gotten the information I asked for.

"She is the daughter of Giuseppe Santelli, remember I told you about her, she is the one he protects so much as if Fiorella was the light of his eyes, the last time they saw her was when she was 14 years old, just before her father sent her out of the country." He said, very smiling.

"And as we could see yesterday, she's back and! Damnl! What an exquisitely attractive woman she has become," Camilo said, and I couldn't help but shoot him a possessive look for the way he addressed her.

"So she's the sister of........." I said hesitantly.

"Fabrizio Santelli's sister, that swindler who stole his father's money to spend it on gambling, and I found out something else quite interesting, the very idiot already owes a lot of money to Dante Mancini, and this one threatened to kill him if he doesn't pay him back every last penny."

"What an asshole, it was to be expected; God bless him because he just dug his own grave with Mancini."

"Maybe he doesn't need the blessing, after all," Camilo said, and I didn't like what he was implying.

" Continue...." I said, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms; something told me that what he was about to say to me was not to please me at all.

"Apparently, Miss Santelli's return, at the insistence of her father manipulated by her idiot brother, is not a coincidence."

"What do you mean?" I said, curious to know more.

"That her father asked her to return, trusting his son's lies, that he had everything under control and that there was no danger to her, which is the complete opposite."

"According to the spy we have in Mancini's family, Dante offered to spare her debt and her life if she would give him her sister as payment."

Hearing those words, I stood up and hit my desk with my fists, "And what part does old Giuseppe play in all this? Didn't you say he was unaware of his son's movements".I said, furious at the mere thought that Mancini would get his filthy hands on my conquest.

"And it's true, he is unaware of his son's true intentions, and with how delicate his health is, I doubt very much that Fiorella would tell him anything that could worsen his father's situation."

"So she is in her brother's hands, with nothing to do but pray that the imbecile will desist from his intentions to sell her."

"I really doubt that Fiorella is aware of all this, although there is nothing she can do now, it is too late, and the Santelli's don't have enough money to pay Dante, and most likely, they will lose their property and prestige.

If that imbecile Mancini thinks that I will let him keep Fiorella, he is very wrong; she is my woman from the moment I set my eyes on her, and I will not allow anyone to take away what is mine.

Nobody takes away the Devil's wife; that's why they call me the Devil because I stop at nothing and nobody to get what I want.

*Fiorella*

"How are you feeling, Papa?" I asked as I looked at him with a better countenance.

"Much better Fiorella, having you here makes me feel calmer, my daughter."

"I'm glad," I said, smiling to myself.

"How nice that you are both here; I wanted to tell you, Papa, I received an invitation from Don Luciano. Apparently, his daughter is getting married to one of the Bellucci's, and they are having a big engagement party. Obviously, we are invited," Fabrizio said.

"It's the perfect occasion for Fiorella to return to social activity."

I was so surprised to hear my brother say that until a few days ago, he forbade me to leave the house because he didn't want anyone to see me.

"A party, and are you sure it is convenient for me to go, Fabrizio?" I asked him, expecting to hear his refusal again.

"Of course, dear, because it would be a problem," he said, but I didn't understand anything, why that sudden change in him.

"Your brother is right Fiorella, it's about time we forget the past, and this event is the perfect occasion; even I will attend, I feel better already, and I would love to see some friends."

"Fabrizio, I want you to hire the best make-up artists and send them to make a dress for your sister, she has to look impeccable, so everyone can meet the new Fiorella Santelli," Papa said. I could see how excited he was.

"Say no more, you heard Fiorella; we can't deny our father anything."

*Lorenzo*

I was wiping the blood from my hands a few days ago; we caught one of Mancini's men spying in one of my casinos; no one knew we had him because Camilo arranged for them to find a charred body in his car.

After 3 days in my hands and suffering the treatment I give to traitors, I was already singing like a bird. Apparently, Dante planned a pretty strong coup to assassinate me and take the reins as Don of the Italian Mafia.

A Mancini in the main chair, that dream will never come true, throwing the piece of cloth on the floor and leaving that room that smelled of blood and humidity, I climbed the dark stairs to the basement of my house and headed to my office.

Camilo walked in and sat down in the chair across from me as I was going through some papers with my white beads.

"I still can't believe Dante thinks he can mess with you and get away unscathed," he said, visibly annoyed.

"What can you expect from that asshole? He thinks he can kill me at any moment, and he is very wrong; I need you to keep an eye on him and be on the lookout for the embargo that will arrive tomorrow from Russia," I told him and continue with my work.

"That is not the reason for my visit to your office at this time of the night."

"Is something wrong?" I asked him, putting the papers aside and giving him my full attention.

"Luciano Contti will be holding a party to officially present the engagement of his daughter to one of the Bellucci's, they just brought the invitation, and if my contacts don't fail me, the Santelli's will also be attending."

"There, you will have a chance to get to know Fiorella, personally."

I snatched the invitation from his hands, and a smile came to my lips; Camilo was about to leave, but I stopped him, "Wait!".

"Find out if Dante Mancini is also invited," I told him seriously and the accent with his head.

This kind of party was not something new to me. Arranged or contract marriages were very common and were closed with blood ties, the new alliances between the mafia family.

Since I was a child, I knew this; being an orphan of my mother, my father was always firm about my marriage, constantly repeating that I should take advantage of it.

My family owned a quite considerable fortune; after my mother's death, my father concentrated on business; even though he was already in his sixties, he was always respected among the Dones until the day of his death.

My father and Giuseppe were the most important, but my father's character was more fearsome; when he died, I accepted my destiny, and Giuseppe knew that the place of the Don of the Italian Mafia was mine by right and did not question it.

I grew strong and became the most feared and violent Capo; at night, I lived intensely in my casino and business, no woman resisted me, that's why I earned the name of "The Devil," a man without scruples, strong and ruthless, the Devil in person and the worst nightmare for my enemies.

I didn't have many friends, because in this environment anyone can stab you in the back, that's why Camilo became my best friend, he was the son of my father's right-hand man who died murdered, he knows perfectly well the price to pay to be by my side, and he is still here.

I never needed to have a woman by my side. I could not afford the luxury of pagan distractions; my business came. First, I could not trust anyone; no woman deserved my heart or my affection; they all sought only one thing, my money and my power.

I never fell into temptation, nor the offers of other Capos to marry their daughters; no woman would tempt me to settle down or consider worthy of being by my side; in this milieu, family is a powerful bond, and no woman was worthy of being called the Segora Razzo.

Until the day I saw Fiorella for the first time, something in me was transforming, the need to possess her, to claim her as mine in front of everyone, to have her by my side no matter what.

This party was perfect, to see her again, her father would also be present, and her stupid brother could take the opportunity to talk to old Giuseppe and offer him a good deal for Fiorella's hand, one he couldn't refuse.