La Sposa Read Online Free PDF Page A

check the
figures. Patri Tomosino only allowed one other man the privilege of
looking in the black leather binder; and that was Rocco, Lorenzo’s
uncle, and Tomosino’s younger brother.
    “ Well? What is it?” Flavio
grumbled.
    Lorenzo cleared his throat. Carlo
warned that Flavio was not to be trusted. He could have already
tipped Patri off to his friendly bargaining with Giuseppe
Calderone. However, what he proposed was a solid deal. The Russians
were already ahead of them and dealing with the Ndrangheta. He
needed to convince Don Tomosino, the man he considered a father, to
abandon their golden rule and enter the drug trade. To do so would
mean that he’d need to gain support for his proposal from Flavio.
“I wanted to continue our discussion. Have you considered
it?”
    Flavio sat back. He wore a sly
sneer to his face and Lorenzo felt chilled when locked in on the
man’s malevolent stare. He loathed the arrogant smugness of the
consigliere, but he respected it.
    “ I’ve discussed it with
Tomosino.”
    “ And?”
    “ He’ll give you his answer
himself.”
    Lorenzo’s head turned. The older
Don stepped inside and his inhumane temper shone in his
eyes.
    “ I ca-ca-can explain,” stammered
Lorenzo. Before another word escaped him, a crushing blow was
delivered across his cheek and blood filled his mouth from the spot
where his tooth was loosened. Dazed, he dropped to his knees. The
Don brought him up with one hand to his throat and he struggled to
stand to face him.
    “ Drugs? Hai una faccia tosta! Who
the fuck do you think you are? After all I’ve taught you, you bring
this shit to my door!” Tomosino’s eyes blazed with fury and his
lips trembled with restraint.
    On the edge of hysteria, Lorenzo
gasped for air and clawed at his uncle’s hand, closing tighter on
his throat. He didn’t dare beg for mercy, but he didn’t want to
die. All he could do was plead with his eyes as he stared into
those of a predator. Neither Tomosino nor Flavio would offer him
any mercy if what they suspected was proven to be true.
    “ There will never be drugs in this
family! Never!” he released Lorenzo, who staggered backward,
sucking down deep breaths of air. He kept his head lowered to avoid
any more of his uncle’s wrath.
    “ Flavio! This is it. Send word to
my son in America! He’s to return home. Now!”
    “ Tomosino, the boy is in his last
year of law school. His studies are going well.”
    “ Do as I say! He’s my son. Not this
pretender schoolboy his mother wants him to be.” He spat on
Lorenzo, who flinched with humiliation.
    Lorenzo looked up with hurt in his
eyes. Tomosino leveled a glare on him. “You’ve had too much
freedom. Too much liberty. That ends today. Get your ass back to
Como before I send you to the bosom of my sweet departed
sister.”
    The threat was real. Lorenzo never
doubted his uncle’s ability to be cold to anyone but his children.
Giovanni, who wasn’t even worthy of what he was born into, would
have it all, and he would have nothing. It was over. Lorenzo
scrambled to his feet and left without another word. Outside the
door, he spat a clot of blood from his mouth to the floor. He
glared at the men in the hall and walked off.
     
    That night started the free-fall. His
bitterness, his stupidity, all of it drove him to Giuseppe’s club.
There would be no further discussion of his advancement. Giovanni
would return to be at his father’s side and they would deal with
the Russians. Such an insult would lower Lorenzo’s rank in the
family. He had no one to fight for him, since his mother was long
dead. There was no way to compete with his half-breed
cousin.
    He glared at the picture, remembering the
drink he shared with Giuseppe, and the stupid shit he said in the
car. Was there a recording? If it was then who had it? And why
hadn’t they used it yet? He was fucked.
     

Chapter One
    Riuniti – Reunited
     
    The cool spice of their family’s merlot
swirled into her mouth and glided