Page 107 of Urgent Vows
"She is not returning home, but we will discuss that later."
"Oh. Okay." The easy acquiescence bothers me.
Something is wrong, but I do not know what.
"Your sister is unsurprisingly shocked and devastated that Francesco is dead. I hope I do not have to tell you that neither she, nor your other family can be told how he really died."
"Of course not," Catalina says with vehemence. "Not only would it not be safe for you and the other made men that were there that night, but it would hurt her to know the truth. She saw our father very differently than I did."
"His treatment of you was disparate." Francesco had spoiled Carlotta and been a monster to my wife.
"Yes." Catalina bites her lip again.
I cannot stifle my growl of displeasure and make no effort to stop myself tugging her lip from her teeth.
"Um...was there anything else you wanted to tell me?"
I want to tell her about her uncle, to ask her what she thinks of the fact that when he was a capo he had a relationship with the Gutierrez Cartel. He'd been in charge of the clubs in Detroit and used the cartel to source designer drugs for his customers.
The nephew that took over from him shifted to another source.
Even if Giovi is not the rat, he needs to be questioned for intel on the cartel. I will not burden my wife with this reality. She has enough on her plate as it is.
"Do you want to know where we found your sister?"
Guilt flashes in Catalina's eyes again and I wish I had not asked. She nods though.
So, I have to tell her. "She thought she was slumming in a chain motel with room service."
"What do you mean she thought she was slumming?"
"Your sister acted like she'd been living in poverty for a lifetime, not a moderately priced hotel for a week."
"Did you go to get her?"
"She's not important enough for me to see to personally. I sent a team with Luigi. He reported back." Catalina needs to understand that she's the only member of that family that matters to me.
Giovi never swore loyalty to my father, or me, keeping his affiliation withla famigliain Detroit. Lora is his wife, therefore still Don Russo's responsibility. And Carlotta is only still alive because Catalina loves her.
Unaware of my harsh thoughts, Catalina smiles a little. "I'm glad you found her before she ran out of money."
"She should be too. She's not equipped to survive on the outside."
"Most mafia princesses aren't."
"You could."
"I'm not a princess."
"You were a princess, now you are a queen."
My wife looks so lost when I say that, I have to kiss her. I am happy to see that she looks more turned on than upset when I finally lift my head.
I cup her cheek. "Beautiful."
"Time to go, boss." It's Carlo.
He and Aldo will be our point bodyguards today.
