Page 20 of The Don's Secret Heir

Because what if Giovanni’s right? What if she snakes her way under my skin all over again? The thought of it makes my heart race. I can’t go through that again.

I do pour myself three fingers of whiskey while I’m waiting on Giovanni, but I’m only halfway through it when he calls back.

“You know that new place downtown, Avarice?”

“Sure, they just opened last week.”

“Alan’s brother owns it. He and his friends hang out there all the time since they don’t have to pay cover.”

“Isn’t it a strip joint?”

“Sure is.”

“You wanna come with?”

“Of fucking course I do,” he chirps, and I can’t help but laugh.

There are reasons that Giovanni and I have always gotten along, and our love for women is one of them.

“I’ll send you the CCTV footage, see if you recognize anyone besides Alan. I have a feeling he didn’t come up on this with his own.”

“Alright, boss. Send it over.”

I hang up the phone and send over the footage. I finish my drink before he calls me again.

“Jimmy Sidekick,” he says when I answer.

I groan. Jimmy Sidekick is a local who’s done work for both my family and the Gallos. He plays both sides and has a serious gambling addiction. Of course he’s the one who planned this. He’s always owing the biggest loan sharks in town money.

“Come get me. Left my car at the penthouse.”

I hang up again and head outside, waiting for Giovanni. When he pulls up I slide into his car.

“She’s staying here tonight?” Giovanni asks, seeing her sedan outside the garage.

“Don’t ask.”

“Boss—”

“I said don’t ask,” I snap, and Giovanni goes quiet. “I know what I’m doing, Giovanni.”

He takes off out of the driveway and onto the freeway.

Giovanni drives like a bat out of hell. We make it to Avarice and he throws the valet his keys as we pull up. We head inside and the music booms so loudly I can feel the beat all through my body.

The place is filled with beautiful, half-naked women but I have laser vision, catching sight of Alan’s big head in the VIP room.

I nudge Giovanni and we walk back there. The girls see me and I guess something about the look on my face scares them, because they rush out of the room.

“Hey Jimmy,” I say idly, drawing my gun and pointing it at him. Giovanni’s eyes widen but he draws his, too, always having my back.

“D-Dario.... Mr. Conte. What are you doing here?”

"Came looking for your buddy Alan.”

Alan stands, his nose still swollen. "This is the guy I was talking about, Jimmy. He hit me and Brock?—”

“Shut the fuck up, Alan,” Jimmy hisses.