Page 325 of Niccolo

“Three weeks after that, Massimo killed Aurelio. Why? He wouldn’t have done it out of nowhere. But he might’ve done it as revenge for Aurelio trying to kill Dario. Or because Aurelio tried to kill Massimofirst.

“Not to mention it was Dario who called the Council, not Fausto. So Fausto either tried to kill Dario, or he had Aurelio try to kill Massimo – or both.”

I looked around us, searching for eavesdroppers. Satisfied we were alone, I turned back to Dante.

“Youknewwe were going after Dario and the others,” I whispered. “You told me that the first time we talked.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know we’d ALREADYgone after them,” Dante snarled.

“Does that change anything?”

“It changes ahellof a lot.A couple days ago, you said you wanted to know what the rank and file thought.”

“And?”

“The rank and file think it fuckin’blows,”he said savagely.

“What are you going to do if Fausto orders you to kill Dario and his brothers?” I asked.

Dante clenched his jaw, obviously struggling with the answer.

Finally, he said, “What elsecanI do? If I say ‘no,’ Fausto will just have me whacked and give my job to somebody else who’ll do what he wants.”

“What about the other foot soldiers? Do they dislike Fausto as much as you do?”

Dante glared at me, his eyes narrowed in distrust.

“On my mother’s life,” I whispered, reminding him of my oath.

Dante hesitated…

Then spilled his guts.

“They fuckin’hatehim. We didn’t in the beginning… but after jerking us around for six months and not paying us – and nowthisbullshit – weallhate him.”

I thought about it for a few seconds…

And then I told Dante a bit of what Niccolo had told me earlier.

Asked him a few questions, like where his loyalties would come down when the shit hit the fan…

And if he’d be willing to betray Fausto… for the right price.

What can I say?

I like to keep my options open.

136

Niccolo

The next morning, Don Severino and his men arrived to pick us up in his fleet of limousines.

Lars, Alessandra, Caterina, and Mei-ling stayed behind in thepalazzo. Only the Widow, Lucia, Bianca, and Rachel would be accompanying us.

The women remaining behind looked nervous, but Dario, Valentino, and Roberto reassured them that Lars would see to their safety. After the husbands kissed their wives, we set off.

By 9:30 AM, we reached the site of the Council meeting: a massive residence near the Pantheon.

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