Four: Don Carlo.

Carlo’s POV:

Death had a smell.

Tears, blood, sweat, and fear…

I glanced back at the traitor—Marco’s limp body being chained to a chair. 

In my world, disloyalty and lies were deadly sins. The only way to punish traitors for such an unforgivable sin was death. 

“Wake the stronzo up,” I growled. 

“Sure thing, Capo,” Enzo, my cousin and right-hand man answered as he moved to Marco, striking him hard across the face and he jerked awake. 

Marco’s left eye was ballooned shut, his lip split, and his cheek already bruising. Marco had been working for me for over ten years, yet he betrayed me. The fucker knew how much I hated traitors and yet.

“You know what happens to men like you, don't you?” I asked, my voice hard and cold. 

“Don Carlo, please…please don’t do this. I’m sorry. I was desperate, he had my family,” he cried as snot dripped down his broken nose. 

If he was desperate, he could have come to me for help. But no, the fucker took the easier way out. He stole from me and sold information to the enemy, I just needed to know which of my enemies. I had a lot. “Who is ‘he’ Marco?”

Marco looked everywhere but at me and he shook his head. “I don—”

Enzo drove his fist into Marco’s stomach. “Dare lie to us again and I’ll shove this knife up your ass,” Enzo barked. 

Marco whimpered and cried. “Gianpaolo.”

I smirked. Of course, it’s him. The pussy knew he couldn’t face me head-on. For years he has been trying to avenge the death of his family and take my place, which I respect. But he should at least come out boldly and go to war with me and may the best man win. 

Gianpaolo wouldn't do that though, I wasn't called the famous Don Carlo Moretti for nothing. 

“Please…” Marco’s cries cut through my thoughts. 

I pulled out my gun and aimed for Marco’s head. His gaze met mine and all I could see in his eyes was fear, his mouth opened, probably to beg once more, but no words could be heard over the bang of the bullet leaving my gun and piercing the air.

My hand snapped back slightly from the recoil, and I steadied once more before lowering it. Marco’s head flopped back before rolling forward. Empty eyes looked back at me. 

I handed my gun to Enzo. “Clean up this mess.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Natalia fascinated me. I couldn't tell what it was exactly but she stirred something inside me. She was beautiful, glorious even, and if she wasn't marrying Luca…

I shook my head. I can't think that way about her…

She was like a cat. Small but feisty with a lot of energy when upset, but that was okay, I've handled worse. 

I could tame her and make her the perfect wife for my son, Luca. I had texted him earlier, letting him know we'd arrived. The two had to meet soon and they both had to accept this marriage whether they liked it or not. 

That was how things were run in the Moretti ‘ndrina. My father had me married at sixteen and Luca was born a year later. My wife Luca’s mother died in a rival gang attack years later making Luca my only son. Luca had just turned eighteen and it was time for him to fulfill his role as my heir. He had to produce his own heir as soon as possible. Without grandsons, our future, and everything I fought and killed for would be at risk. 

There were a lot of other girls I could have picked for Luca besides Natalia. Hell, the other mafia families already had their daughters lining up for Luca, but I wasn't stupid, I didn't want a marriage alliance with the other families, and that was a risk too. In this part of the world, no one was to be trusted. No one at all. Natalia was a safe choice, she was my prisoner and I could bend her to my will. 

“Mio Dio Carlo,” Caterina, my aunt exclaimed as she joined me in my home office. 

I sighed knowing what she was going to say next. 

“In all these years, I've never interfered because I was born into this life and I know how things are done around here but you have done the unthinkable this time,” she said stiffly, looking disappointed. 

“I’m not in the mood for this.”

She tucked a gray strand behind her ear as she pinned me with a glare. “I passed by that room and I heard her crying her heart out. What did you do?” 

I killed her bastard father. I don't say that out loud though, I wasn't in the mood to explain myself. Antonio Bernardi had it coming, either way, I was going to kill him. When he'd offered his oldest daughter in exchange for his life, he reminded me of my father and I knew I had to kill him. 

“Carlo!” Caterina hissed.

“What?” I snapped, usually I was calmer with her. She raised me when my mother couldn’t and she’d always supported me. I loved her. Not right now though, right now she was interfering in my business. “She became my property the moment her father offered her to me! And I’ll do whatever I want with her.”

She flinched at my words but I was past caring. “But now her little sister—”

“Not another word!”

“If not for her, think about your son’s happiness. Do you think he’d like to be forced into a marriage he doesn’t want? Luca is your everything, it is your duty to make him happy,” She spat, her chest heaving from anger.

“Luca will be happy, Natalia is the best choice for him. My father chose my wife, it is my right to do so for my son.”

Caterina scoffed as she shook her head. “And how did that turn out?”