The Mafia Trilogy Read Online Free PDF Page A

whispered an apology to Rosina. The woman didn’t look at Darwin. The scowl on his face would have unnecessarily upset her. He was tired of people at that moment. People walking all over others, doing things their way, imposing.
     
    Those men on the highway, and the organization they belonged to, were trying to kill him. They would kill more than just him if they achieved their goal. They’d kill a lovely marriage and break the heart of a wonderful woman.
     
    It was time to get angry. It was time to deal with the issue at hand. In fact, it was past due. He’d let things go on too long.
     
    “Are you sure we should be doing this?” Rosina asked.
     
    Darwin snapped out of his reverie. “What? Doing what?”
     
    “This. Flying to Greece. Maybe we should just go home to Toronto.”
     
    “What? Why?”
     
    She took off her shoes. Then she set them on the conveyer belt. “You haven’t been yourself lately. Even now, you’re pale, and at the same time, you look angry. I just don’t know that side of you.”
     
    Darwin undid his belt and then set his backpack on the belt.
     
    “I’m sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
     
    “Is it the accident that has you rattled?”
     
    The accident. That was no accident. They drove down that street and tried to hit us on purpose.
     
    “Yeah, maybe that’s it. You almost got hit. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.”
     
    A security guard gestured at Darwin. “Step forward.”
     
    He didn’t like leaving Rosina with so many strangers so close to her, but he took a chance that no one would try anything in a crowded terminal with this much security.
     
    He walked through the metal detector without incident. Rosina followed.
     
    In silence, they got dressed and stepped away from the area.
     
    “I guess, since you’re unclear on what’s bothering you, I’m starting to feel that it’s the marriage. Are you sure you didn’t rush this?”
     
    Darwin stopped, grabbed both her shoulders and turned her to face him. “Don’t ever think that. This was my idea. I bought the tickets to Rome and drove to your job at Yonge and Bloor to pick you up. It was my idea to do it before anyone could stop us. I love you and will always love you. It’s an honor to be your husband. I can’t pinpoint anything in particular that’s bothering me, but maybe it’s just me formulating a new story idea. I have to always be thinking, formulating, ruminating. You know I write five to six novels a year and that’s been my secret to my success. This week off, to come here, doesn’t stop my brain. Okay?”
     
    Oh, baby, I’m so sorry. I hate myself for lying to you, but I have no choice. Your life hangs with this decision.
     
    Rosina looked down and twiddled with her fingers. “I’m sorry, I just haven’t connected with you ever since the accident.” She looked back up at him and stared into his eyes.
     
    The accident. The one where I ran a man down in the street and the police ruled it an accident. That one. The one which resulted in us running for our lives.
     
    “I think that accident has affected you more than you know,” Rosina continued. “I think it’s killing you on the inside and you aren’t talking to me about it. I just want you to include me. I’m your wife now, that’s all. Don’t deny me.”
     
    It’s not just killing me on the inside. Those men are trying to kill me on the outside too.
     
    Darwin released her shoulders. “I’m sorry. You’re right.”
     
    Together they turned and started toward their gate.
     
    “I’m right about what?”
     
    Rosina looked so beautiful in that moment. With all that had been happening, he’d had a hard time enjoying himself. The whole time they walked the Coliseum, he’d been watching over his shoulder, wondering when a bullet would enter his head. They were almost run over by a car two streets from their hotel. A gun went off somewhere in the street and took a chunk of cement out of the wall by them