Duchess Trilogy: Book 1: Mafia

Chapter Fourteen: Hidden Secrets and Curious Discoveries

Carmine Galante's POV

Earlier that afternoon...

Three days passed, and I was beyond pissed that the Sicilian family had completed the Latorio drug heist before me. But what made me madder was taking out our two inside spies from my family. They were new to the community, and I gave them a lifetime of the deal to be a spy for me. I knew most families would take them in out of a "fresh start" reset to life. But I was over the moon pleased when the Don of the Sicilian family took them in so I could get more intel on the family.

I instructed the two to be my inside men and to let me know of the family's plans so I could be one step ahead of the family. But oddly, the guys were dumbasses and barely made it a whole month before they got killed within the family. Something, or somehow, they got caught working for me, and I want to know who was responsible for this one. It was completely foolproof. But nobody came for our family, so I presumed that the Sicilian still didn't suspect me of ruining their plans or our Skull Sex Trade business.

I get out of my office chair and glance at my consigliere and my underboss. "Anything new to report?" I say in an unpleasant tone.

"Nothing new of sorts. Other than we are invited to a dinner party with the Sicilians. I presume it is for our 'small' cut of their heist." Marcos, my underboss, says.

"I'm sure it is." I stare outside, looking around the backyard of our estate home. "I wanted more of the drug money side of my business to grow, but for now, I'll just have to settle for our Skull Sex Trade business." I walk back to the desk and sit back down, looking at new files of some new girls that we recently kidnapped. I flipped through them, not having an interest in any of the girls.

"Would you like some more of our recruits to help out with the trade business? It would give our other men a break for working overtime." The consigliere, Brandon, says openly. I glanced at him with a stern in his eyes and then walked around the desk and gripped his shirt tightly, pulling him close to me.

"The reason why I have a handful of your dumbasses is because I don't trust anyone mentioning we have the only sex business around. If other families find out, all of the community will have our heads! It's better to be in the dark than to let a crack through!" I say to him in an angry tone. He nods of understanding and fear; then, I let go of his shirt.

"For now, go ahead and sell these girls off. Have we heard back from the Dolls from Vittorio's business to be working in our strip club for us this weekend?"

The underboss spoke up. "Yes. We paid Vitto's deposits for the strippers. They will be here later today. Cara, one of Vitto's best, will be here momentarily for you."

I nod in approval of confirmation for our weekend plans and Cara. I then tell them to leave as I prepare for her arrival. I grab a pill from the desk drawer, take one, and then take a drink of water as I put the pills back in the drawer. I feel the pill kicking in within minutes and hear a knock at the door.

She walks in with a pleasant short, red dress and tall, red high heels. I see she wore a red hair wig this time; as I mentioned the last time, I have a thing for redheads. She glances my way, and I ask her to lock the door. She does it seductively and then grabs the key and taunts it in a teasing way.

Throughout that hour, we enjoyed one another's company through steamy intercourse. When I finished, she walked around the desk, grabbed the key from the desk while trying to hold a smile of enjoying our sex, and then put her clothes back on. I offered her water, but she declined and seemed eager to leave. I thanked her for her time as I watched her unlock the door, grabbed her money bag, and left. My mood changed dramatically from all that's happened. And now I was ready to go to the Sicilians to enjoy their dinner party. I fixed my boxers and pants, then walked around my desk while buttoning up my shirt to leave my office.

*-*-*-*-*-*

We arrived a little after seven in the evening, and we were greeted by 'The Don' Jake Sicilian and John Castellano. I thought it was odd not to call John "The Don," but he says that he would like to start a new family tradition. For a fella in his thirties, he was a little too young to be one, in my opinion anyway.

We walk into their beautiful estate. I couldn't help but admire the scenery in the foyer and the dining hall. The meal was served pleasantly like any gentleman would want for their family. After the big meal, we were gestured to the backyard patio to enjoy cigars, cold beer, and some poker rounds.

As the hours passed, I pleasantly enjoyed drinking and smoking cigars with Marco and Brandon. We had a polite chit-chat with the other families, but they mainly kept us reserved, merely observing everyone.

Soon, Ryan and Simon came over to talk to us. Ryan's back was toward the open doors, and they talked about the upcoming wedding and were passing out the invitations. "We are more than excited for the Don and Donna. I believe it will be just the ten of us. A lot of our family will be out on vacation as the summer is ending, and kids are heading back to school soon." I say in a relaxing tone.

"Likewise, for ours. A lot of these kids are growing up. Soon, they will take over our business someday." Ryan says jokingly.

"Yeah, well. The future always changes. You would be surprised what will come about in ten years with all this new technology." I say honestly as I take a drag of the cigar.

Ryan nods, then takes a swig from his beer bottle and is ready to grab another. He stands up and continues talking about their fall plans for the building of the Horse Racetrack and Casino. I was highly impressed about it, but something else caught my eye, causing me to hold my breath. I looked past Ryan and could have sworn I saw a curly, red-haired beauty walking by inside the estate, leaving out the front doors in a casual pair of jeans and a T-shirt. My heart stopped. "Is that the girl?" I thought. I saw Ryan catching my look and glanced into the foyer, trying to see what I saw. He seemed not to have seen the girl as I did.

"Something troubling you, Carmine?" He asks questionably as he adjusts himself back, facing forward.

"No, I probably was imagining things," I say, lying and taking another bottle of beer from the table. I took a sip and then excused myself from the patio and walked back into the estate. I walk towards the foyer, walk by the front door, and look outside the side window, not seeing anybody out there but seeing someone afar driving away from the estate. I let out a questionable sigh and noticed that Ryan followed behind me.

"Is everything alright?" He asks politely, with his posture stiffer than earlier.

"Oh, it's fine. My old brain just must have been seeing things. But do you have a red-haired girl in the family? I could have sworn I saw her walk in here and then leave out the front door." I ask impatiently, waiting to see if he would lie or not.

He let out a small sigh and seemed to know whom I meant. I wait for him to answer in his choice of words. "She is new to the family. Her name is Brie Sicilian. She was just named for one of the heirs of the Karatz restaurant business on the other side of the city that was run by Glo and Dominic James about a couple of months ago." He says in a neutral tone.

"Ou, I see. I just couldn't help but admire her from afar." I say in a friendly manner. "Is she, by chance, seeing anyone? Forgive me for being formal and upfront in asking the consigliere, but I was just wondering."

"She is acquainted with our family doctor, Alex Sicilian. But I don't think they are official. I can ask the next time I run into him?" He says, finishing his beer.

"That would be so kind of you. I would love to be introduced to Miss Brie at her earliest convenience," I say politely with a grin on my face that I couldn't hide.

Ryan then nods and walks into the estate halls, leaving me alone in the foyer. I then get out my phone and text Marco and Brandon to find out more information on Brie Sicilian.

One way or another, if it is the same girl, she will finally be mine. She may have escaped me once, but she will not escape from me again. And this time, she will become my wife.