Never Cross the Mafia Don's Hidden Lover novel · Chapter 15 of 32

Chapter 15: Rocky River

I smelled the coffee before I reached the bottom of the stairs.

Vittore Massaro was sitting at the head of Elio's kitchen table.

He had a white bakery box open in front of him, full of sfogliatelle, and his camel coat over the back of the chair.

Nonna stood at the stove with her back to him.

She was holding the bread knife.

"Dr. Cerrato," Vittore said, and smiled at my bare legs. "Good morning. I brought breakfast. Family breakfast."

I was wearing his cousin's shirt and nothing else.

I didn't pull it down.

"The man on your gate let him in," Nonna said to the frying pan. "Because he's family."

Elio came down behind me, barefoot, in yesterday's trousers and nothing else.

He stopped in the doorway.

His eyes went to the box, then to his cousin, then to me.

"Vittore. It's seven in the morning."

"And you're still in bed. That's what I came to talk about." Vittore spread his hands. "Sit, cousin. Eat something. You look thin."

Elio didn't sit.

So Vittore said it to the whole kitchen.

"The capos are talking. They say the Don sits on a kennel floor with puppies. They say he runs to a vet's clinic when she whistles. They say a man who gets shot and doesn't answer it is a man who can't." He shook his head sadly. "I defend you. Of course I defend you. But they ask me, Vittore, is he soft? Over a woman who took her vows to a cop?"

Nobody spoke.

I went to the counter and poured a cup of coffee.

I put it down in front of Vittore, the way my father used to serve clients who were about to get a big bill.

"Cream?" I asked.

"Black. Thank you, Doctor."

"Can I tell you something about my husband?"

He smiled up at me.

"Please."

"Rocky River," I said. "His father keeps a boat there. A white cabin cruiser called the Blue Line."

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