A car turned a blind corner, surprising me, his horn honking, waking me from wherever the fuck I was. I jerked the steering wheel, and the Bugatti swerved onto the side of the road, missing the car by inches.

“Shit!”

The man in the other vehicle flipped me off.

“Fuck you!” Not that he heard me. My windows were up. My cell phone vibrated in my pocket as I slowed to a full stop. The display on the Bluetooth said it was Roman. I got out, rubbed my face with both hands, and pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes. The phone stopped, then started again. I dug into my pocket and fished it out.

“Roman,” I said after sliding the Talk button. I walked a few steps away to look over the deserted road, the dewy grass sparkling in the sun, the morning quiet apart from the birds chirping in the trees.

“Morning, Salvatore.”

“You’re calling early.”

“I wanted to talk to you. I tried to call last night but couldn’t catch you.”

“What is it, Roman?” Was this about the meeting? Luke DeMarco?

“Your father wants to be sure you’ll be attending his birthday dinner.”

“You’re calling me about that?” It was at the end of the following week, and of course I’d be there. There was no way for me not to be. Unless I wanted to give Dominic ammunition.

“He wanted to invite you and Lucia to spend the night.”

“That won’t be necessary. We’ll drive home.”

“He insists.”

I took a deep breath. The party was going to be held at the house in the Adirondacks, but I’d have driven four hours each way rather than spend more time in that house with him.

“Of course,” I said, understanding.

“Listen, there’s one more thing.”

I waited.

“Your brother.”

He paused, and I could hear him measuring his words.

“I just thought you should know he met with your father late last night.”

My father had gone back to the house in Calabria after I’d left for New Jersey. “So?” I asked, not surprised. He’d been pissed to have been left out of our meeting.

“He’s stirring the pot, Salvatore.”

“What’s new with that?” I’d known my uncle all my life. He was an intelligent man. He was also a businessman. He knew what would happen if Dominic, rather than I, took over the family. And he somehow had a calming effect on my father. Sergio had trusted him. And I trusted Sergio.

“Nothing is new, but now that you’re…distracted…with your houseguest, he’s suggesting he take care of the DeMarco problem.”

“Take care of it how?”

“Take out Luke DeMarco. Make an example.”

I shook my head, although Roman couldn’t see. “Fucking typical. This is my problem to deal with. Not his.”

“He’s got your father’s ear.”

“That’s not news.”