“You know the death warrant stands on the man who killed Angelo even though Grandfather is dead,” I remind him.

I see the infinitesimal change come over his expression.

“I’m going to ask you one more time. Where is my wife?”

“And I’m going to tell you one more time you should ask her brother,” he says, standing to move out of the way as he signals to the soldiers. Before they get to me, I hit play on the phone, and Sonny’s voice rings out, always recognizable, as he strikes a deal with The Reaper to assassinate his own son. And in the moment that the soldiers hesitate as they hear the recording, I reach into my boot and take Vittoria’s pretty little knife, advancing on my uncle and plunging it into his gut as I pull him to me, driving the blade to its hilt and hearing the gurgling sound of him choking on his blood.

I tug his head backward, draw the knife up to slice his gut and look him in the eye as I do it, as, in the background, he laughs as the deal is struck, the date agreed.

“Bastian was right. I should have done this years ago,” I say and thrust him away, letting his body fall onto the couch, then slump to the floor. I turn to the soldiers who look beyond me to Sonny’s body. “Get the word out. Sonny Caballero is dead. Anyone who wants to join me is welcome. Anyone who stands against me will meet with the same end Sonny just did.”

24

BASTIAN

After settling my mother and Emma in Palermo, I go straight to Uncle’s apartment in the city. Word is breaking about what Amadeo has done. Bruno is already here and waiting upstairs, and there are more soldiers than I’ve seen gathered at one house since the death of our grandfather. The elevator is blocked by our men. I ride up, and once the doors open to Sonny’s floor, I see half a dozen soldiers armed with automatic rifles standing in the hall.

Eyebrows raised, I bypass them, enter, and am directed to Sonny’s study, where I find Bruno. He’s the one who called and alerted me to what happened. What my brother did. I’m only sorry I wasn’t there to see the life bleed out of that bastard’s eyes myself.

Bruno is on a call. I nod in greeting and walk over to where Sonny’s body is splayed half on the floor, half on the sofa. I lift the blanket covering him and whistle at the amount of blood.

“New bag?” Bruno comments.

I cover the body and turn to him. I’m carrying Vittoria’s tote, which I’d found in the library. I set it down.

“Vittoria’s. Where is Amadeo?”

“Sent him to take a shower.”

“Find anything on Vittoria’s location?”