Carmela POV
I watched the Greco girl slip down the east corridor out of the corner of my eye, her spine stiff enough to snap. Good. Let her look for a place to bleed in private.
With a subtle tilt of my chin, I signaled Gianni to step back, releasing her handsome companion from the security escort I’d placed him in. The boy—Renzo—instantly adjusted his cuffs, his posture coiled like a spring as his eyes tracked the empty hallway where Valentina had disappeared. He took two sharp strides toward the corridor before I smoothly stepped into his path, a fresh flute of crystal champagne held between my fingers.
"You look tense, Mr. Caruso," I said, letting the warmth in my voice mimic genuine maternal concern. "The Ricci hospitality isn't to your liking?"
Renzo stopped short, his face flatte
