Page 352 of Niccolo

“Why’s everyone being so quiet?” Lucia asked.

The Widow sniffed. “The meeting with the Council was… unusual.”

“Unusual how?” Lucia demanded.

“Well,” I said with a smile, “I made my uncle blow his top by making a pun about Aurelio ‘taking a fall.’”

“Ha!” Lucia said, more an exclamation of triumph than a laugh. “Good –fuckthose motherfuckers!”

“Language,” the Widow said wearily.

At least Lucia was on my side…

Because Dario and Massimo both glared at me.

The big showdown happened when we were all gathered in the Rome mansion’s parlor – just me and my brothers. No one else.

“What the FUCK, man?!” Adriano roared as he paced back and forth.

“You’ll have to be a little more specific,” I replied. “I don’t know which part you’re talking about.”

“YOU SLEPT WITH FAUSTO’SCONSIGLIERE?!”

“Oh…thatpart.”

“What the FUCK were you THINKING?!”

“I had a plan.”

“You had a fucking PLAN?!”

“See, that’s funny – because itwassort of a fucking plan – or a plan that included fucking, anyway – ”

“Nic,” Adriano snarled, “you keep making light of this, I swear to GOD I’m gonna punch your fuckin’ teeth down your throat.”

“Alright! Jesus! Yes, I slept with her. Happy?”

“WHY?”

I shrugged. “I wanted to fuck her.”

Adriano lunged at me –

Everybody shouted angrily –

And I raised up my arms to ward off the blow.

Adriano pulled back at the last minute, but he loomed right above me.

“One more fuckin’ joke,” he hissed. “Justone more fuckin’ joke.”

“Adriano,” Dario snapped. “Back off.”

Adriano stepped away from me and looked angrily at Dario. “I don’t understand whyyou’renot furious about this! He’s out there fucking the…”

Dario stared coldly at Adriano.

“…you knew,” Adriano said in shock. “You KNEW.”

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