Page 377 of Niccolo

“The problem is that I’ve seen how you treat people once you’re finished with them.”

“What are you – ” he started, then stopped. “The morgue attendant in Verona. The man Dante strangled.”

“Exactly.”

Fausto shook his head. “He was a nobody. I wouldneverdo that to you.”

“Good. Pay me, then.”

“There was no need for this unpleasantness,” he snapped. “You didn’t need to doanyof this.”

“I disagree. Now stop stalling.”

“Why would I be stalling?”

“Because you think Dante’s going to come through that door any second and shoot me. But he’s not – because he and I cut a deal. Isn’t that right, Dante?” I called out.

“Yup,” a muffled voice said through the closed doors of the library.

The blood drained out of Fausto’s face.

“DANTE, YOU GODDAMN TRAITOR!” he screamed.

“Oh, the irony,” I deadpanned. “Should’ve paid your men better.”

“WHATEVER’S SHE GIVING YOU, I’LL TRIPLE IT!” Fausto shrieked.

“Don’t you remember?” Dante’s voice asked sarcastically. “I’m a goddamn traitor.”

I gestured with my gun at the laptop on the desk and said to Fausto, “Stop talking to him and get over there and fucking pay me.”

He bared his teeth. “And if I don’t?”

I aimed the gun at his feet and fired.

BLAM!

Shards of marble kicked up from the floor, leaving behind a visible gouge mark.

“ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!” Fausto screamed as he scrambled over to the desk.

He bent over the laptop, his face enraged. A couple of minutes passed as he typed.

“What’s taking so long?” I asked.

“I don’t have all 20 million in one account,” he snarled, “so I have to open several of them.”

“Well, hurry it up.”

“How long have you been planning this?” he seethed.

“What, making sure I got paid? Ever since Verona.”

Fausto looked up at me, his face a picture of rage. “I shouldn’t even bother doing this. You’ll just kill me once you have the money.”

“No, I won’t.”

“Right,” he said sarcastically.

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