Page 329 of Niccolo

“You handled that masterfully!” I said with faux cheerfulness. “You were much more tactful thanIwas!”

“I noticed,” Dario growled.

“We make a great team.”

“Hrm,” he grunted.

We headed back towards the main corridor –

But I immediately noticed that something was wrong.

I could see several dons andconsiglieresat the intersection of the hallways–

And all their faces were turned in one direction.

Don Vicari had already disappeared around the corner, so I didn’t think it was him.

Suddenly, I knew with dreadful certainty who they were looking at –

Even before I heard Adriano roar, “GO FUCK YOURSELF, YOU FUCKING MURDERER!”

“Jesus,” I swore as Dario and I ran for the main corridor.

As we rounded the corner, we saw Adriano being held back by Massimo and Valentino. He was struggling to get away from them as he pointed at someone 50 feet away:

Fausto.

My uncle stood there, glaring at my brothers with pure enmity.

Behind him stood Sofia, looking like a deer in headlights.

My heart leapt at the sight of her.

Fausto pointed at Massimo and shouted, “THERE’S the fucking murderer! He killed my SON!”

“YOU KILLED OURFATHER,YOU GODDAMN PIECE OF SHIT!” Adriano howled.

Dario rushed up, grabbed Adriano’s shoulder, and whispered in his ear.

Adriano immediately stopped struggling.

Now it was Don Severino’s turn to shout as he looked back and forth between us and Fausto.

“There will be no violence here! Not in this building, and not in my city! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?”

“Understood,” Dario said quietly but forcefully.

“I need to hear it fromhim!”Severino barked as he pointed at Adriano.

By now, Massimo had let him go. Adriano angrily straightened his jacket and said, “No violence.”

Severino turned and glared at Fausto.

“Perfectly understood,” Fausto said with a nasty smile, then glared at us one last time before he walked into the meeting chamber.

Sofia gave me a fleeting look, then followed her master inside.

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