I feel the stress and anger beginning to well in my spine as I think of our current situation. There is still no word from Dominic or Federico. Fucking slimy bastards. They are laying low, so low, in fact, that we can’t flush them out. We have uncovered a few pieces of information but are constantly hitting dead ends, as they still prove elusive. If I could find them and kill them, then she can leave and will be safe. We will all be safe. Leo and Maria have targets on their heads as big as Little Red’s now, if not bigger. I know these two brothers won’t stop until they end me, and they know that Leo is the gatekeeper to my soul.

It is not only the issue of the money they have stolen—there is no coming back from that—but our personal vendettas against each other, which have been building to this crescendo since Angelina started entertaining them years ago.

At the start, I didn’t think anything of it. She met most of our associates, either through business activities or by chance. Although our marriage was arranged and there was never any love from either of us, she did attend dinners and other social engagements where business was conducted. And that’s how she met both the brothers at different times during our short poor excuse for a marriage. But Dominic took a particular eye to my ex-wife when they met and whilst at the time, she was stunningly beautiful, I know the only reason he wanted her was because he wanted to be me. He wanted to be embedded in the fold. He wanted to be part of the head family. He wanted Sebastian as not only an ally, but also a brother. He wanted my life. Jealousy is a curse, and he was cursed from the moment he met me.

My role is a significant one. I protect, I serve, I make deals and I break them. I kill, I threaten, I manage a large task force of soldiers and strategize our war moves, all for the greater good of the wider family and also our head family. I follow tradition. I am Italian by blood and a brother by choice. I chose this life, and I made it my mission to lead alongside Sebastian and create the wealth and connections we have that many people are jealous of.

When it became apparent that Angelina and Dominic were spending too much time together, I had my team follow her. The reality of the situation called me back from Italy when it was uncovered that she was doing serious drugs in front of Leo, and her and Dominic were fucking behind my back. Again, in front of Leo.