Giovanni was very much aware of Rossi’s annoyance and disappointment when it came to his son.
If it hadn’t been for Leonardo acting on his own decision when it came to terminating the engagement with Valentina, Giovanni had already been ensuring it happened.
“He has a temper,” he said. “I took care of the maid.”
Rossi cursed. “Another one.”
“This time he raped her and allowed two of his men to use her as well.” Giovanni hated Leonardo. He was growing tired of cleaning up after the little shit’s messes. “It won’t be long before he does something you can’t clean up.”
He spoke freely, as Rossi and he had an understanding when it came to the man’s son. Leonardo had already put himself in so many difficult situations that Rossi had to arrange to get him out of them. It was putting strain on the Rossi line. This wasn’t good for business.
It also meant several capos were also unhappy. Each time Leonardo did something, it ran the risk of a takeover attempt. Thomas Rossi was a good man. Brutal but fair. When it came to Leonardo, it meant potentially cutting off his only son and heir.
“I know.”
“I don’t like the way he looks at Valentina,” Giovanni said.
“I saw.” Thomas ran a hand down his face. “He will not touch her. I swear.”
Giovanni didn’t need to remind the man that each woman he touched and abused was a violation of his instructions.
“Have your honeymoon. Enjoy the time with your wife, and when you get back, we will talk. In the meantime, I will handle my son.”
He knew when to keep his thoughts to himself, and now was one of those times. Thomas held out his hand, and Giovanni shook it.
They were good friends. He’d taken a bullet for this man more than once, and would gladly do it again and again. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for this man.
He found Valentina at the main door of the house, her family close by. After shaking her father’s hand, her brother’s, and then pressing a kiss to her mother’s, he placed a hand on Valentina’s back and walked out the front door.
As per tradition, they had wanted to mess with his car, but he’d put a ban on it. He told them simply, bloody sheets or abusing his car. One or the other. The men decided it was more suitable and traditional to stick with the car not being damaged.
If it had been him, he’d have made sure the car was trashed, but that was another reason he was so different from the other men in this world.
He noticed how tense Valentina was as he placed a hand on her back. He didn’t know what he’d done to warrant the sudden change, and if he was honest with himself, he didn’t like it. The only people he wanted afraid were his enemies. Not his wife. She had no reason to fear him.
Giovanni helped her into the car, securing the seat belt, and then, he rounded the vehicle, giving one final wave to the crowd that had gathered. He took note of Leonardo with Victoria. The couple was a nasty pair. Probably the worst two to come together, but that was a mess he’d deal with when they got back home.
After climbing into the car, he turned over the engine and took off, heading out the secure gate, and then he didn’t look back.
He kept a constant look out in case anyone followed him. There was no one close by as he navigated the roads. “Are you okay?” he asked.
Valentina glanced at him, and he saw her shaking.
When he placed a hand on her thigh, she flinched. “Valentina, what’s wrong?”
“I didn’t … encourage … he… I’m so sorry. Please don’t hit me.”
As an accusation, Giovanni was so stunned, he nearly drove the car off the freaking road. He found a safe spot to pull over, and the moment he did, he parked, unbuckled his seat belt, and climbed out.
Valentina stayed in the car, not moving, and he couldn’t stand to see her like this. She was shaking.
It had been three years since he’d seen her like this, and if he could, he’d go back and kill Leonardo for making her feel this way.