Page 328 of Niccolo

He was such a homophobic asshole that the thing he feared most was everyone in theCosa Nostraknowing his daughter was gay – and that she had married a woman instead of Valentino.

Vicari was convinced that the other dons would laugh at him behind his back. Maybe he thought that his daughter being a lesbian would make others thinkhewas gay or something.

Which, for a douchebag like Vicari, was a fate worse than death.

A goodconsiglierewould have advised Vicari against antagonizing us, given that we knew his weak spot.

Too bad for Vicari that he’d killedhisconsigliere.

Now that I saw he was rattled, I couldn’t help but twist the knife.

“Your daughterdidn’task me to tell you ‘Hello,’ but shedidask me to pass on her thanks to her great-grandmother for making her, Ludavica, and Valentinosangue di mi sangue.That was the term – wasn’t it?” I asked, even though I knew that’sexactlywhat it was.

Sangue di mi sanguewas an old Sicilian blood oath, literally ‘blood of my blood.’ It meant that the recipient of the blessing was protected by threat of death if anyone harmed them.

Isabella’s great-grandmother – Vicari’s grandmother – had invokedsangue di mi sangueto protect Isabella, Ludavica, and Valentino from her grandson and all of his men.

The old lady had even put a distinctly supernatural tinge on the oath, threatening to hang around after her own death to drag anyone to hell who would mess with her great-granddaughter.

In addition, the old woman revealed that in her youth, she had loved a girl named Constantina… and when the old woman had been forced into an arranged marriage, Constantina had committed suicide out of despair.

If Vicari feared the rest of theCosa Nostraknowing his daughter was gay, he would have shat himself if they found out about his grandmother and the true love of her life.

I didn’t like using something so sensitive and beautiful as leverage…

But when you were dealing with a shithead like Vicari, sometimes you had to get down in the shit with him.

“When it’s your turn to vote, you’ll abstain,” I said coldly. “You don’t have to voteforus – I won’t demandthat –but youwill notvoteagainst us. Or everyone in the hallway back there will hear about whatreallyhappened on your daughter’s wedding day.”

I had seen rage in Vicari’s eyes before, back in the chapel where we’d nearly all killed each other in a Mexican standoff.

That wasnothinglike the demonic fury I saw in his eyes now.

“I hope you rot in hell for all eternity,” he rasped.

“Likewise,” I quipped. “Now, if that’s all, we’ll be on our way.”

“You little shit – ”

“Ah ah ah,” I said, waggling my finger. “Remember what Don Severino said: keep it civil.”

“I’ll see you dead one day,consigliere,”Vicari hissed, then turned to Dario. “And you, too – ALL of you.”

“Perhaps,” Dario said coldly. “But not today. Thank you for your time, Don Vicari.”

Vicari stood there, trembling with wrath –

But what could he do?

Dario was letting him walk away with a scrap of dignity, at least.

If he tried any more insults, it would not only make him look weak – it would invite reprisals.

Like starting a whisper campaign about his daughter and grandmother.

He finally gave us a look likefuck you and die,then stomped off.

Dario looked at me sternly.What the fuck were you trying to do?

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