He Replaced His Wife and Lost His Mafia Empire novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: What Paolo Wanted

Domenico came in at nine with rain on his coat and a look I did not stop to read.

"Your brother's car is two streets away," he said. "My man saw it."

"Good." I folded the third paper and put it in my pocket. "I want you in the hall, with the door open a hand's width. Say nothing."

"Cara."

"Rule two. You don't ask."

He looked at me for a long moment, and then he went into the dark hall and stood against the wall.

Paolo knocked at ten past nine.

He came in shaking rain off his pale jacket and smiling.

"Cari. You're up. Did you read it?"

"I read all of it."

"Good. Then sign."

I sat at the kitchen table with the papers in front of me and did not pick up the pen.

"You made me sign this five years ago," I said.

He stopped.

"You told me it was a standard rider for the lawyers. I trusted you."

"It was standard."

"It gives you the Greco port when I leave the chair."

Paolo pulled out the chair across from me and sat down.

For a moment nothing happened to his face.

Then the warmth went out of it.

"You read it faster than I thought," he said.

"Tell me why."

"You want the whole thing?" He took off his jacket and hung it on the chair. "Fine. You've earned it."

He crossed one ankle over his knee.

"Papa's old men said Greco was too big to touch," he said. "Eight families answered to Greco, and twelve counting houses, and a port that could swallow ours in a year. I couldn't beat that with guns."

"So you married me to it."

"I put you in it. A girl who read a ledger better than our father's men, who loved her brother and did what he said." He shrugged. "You were my eyes inside the house. Every year you told me the count, and every year I knew how long you'd put up with it."

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