Page 277 of Niccolo

Dario smiled. “She’s coming with us.”

Rachel looked up at him, incredulous.

“Thank you,”Lars said.

“Do you need to tell her anything else before I hang up?” Dario asked.

“I love you, Älskling.”

I was guessing it was a Swedish term of endearment because Rachel’s eyes welled up with tears. “I love you, too.”

“See you soon.”Lars’s voice changed to a respectful tone as he said,“Thank you, Don Rosolini.”

“The very least I could do, my friend. See you soon.”

Dario hung up the phone and handed it to me – then saw the handcuffs sitting on the breakfast tray opposite Rachel.

“Did hereallykeep you handcuffed to the chair?!” Dario asked her as he gave mean indignant look.

“He was just being cautious,” Rachel said diplomatically.

I knew there was a reason I liked her.

“Not like she couldn’t get out of them in five seconds anyway,” I snorted as I turned to Rachel and unlocked the cuffs. “Before we go, I want your word on something.”

“What?” she asked.

“That you won’t hurt me, Dario, his wife Alessandra, or my sister-in-law Bianca.”

“Niccolo,” Dario chided.

“No, I want her to swear.”

I figured if I trusted Sofia’s oath, then I was honor-bound to extend the courtesy to Rachel, as well.

After all, both women had tried to kill us…

And only Rachel had apologized.

That was a joke.

…sort of.

“I swear I won’t hurt any of you,” she said earnestly.

I shook my head. “Not good enough.”

Dario explained, “In theCosa Nostra,we swear on the things most holy to us. The things that we would rather die than have taken from us if we tell a lie.”

She got a look on her face likeAh – I understand.“I swear on the life of the man I love.”Dario and I exchanged looks.

As far as oaths go, that was a pretty fucking good one.

“Good enough for me,” I said.

117

Icalled the Widow, who was keeping her granddaughter company as my brother went into surgery.

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