Page 264 of Marcello

“The Russians are almost here!” she shrieked. “They’re literally minutes away!”

“Russians?” I repeated in shock.

Why the fuck are Russians coming?

“You said that half an hour ago!” Cesare roared at her. “Thirty minutes, twenty minutes, blah blah blah – Dario Rosolini is getting away, and I’m sick and tired of fucking waiting! Now let’s GO!”

Lucrezia stepped in front of Cesare and pressed her hands against his chest. “Cesare, listen to me – listen to me! – this is a mistake. The Russians will be here any minute – if we just wait, they’ll kill everybody but Dario, and we can mop up right after!”

Oh shit –

I have to tell Fausto!

Before I could do anything, though, Cesare grabbed Lucrezia, threw her savagely to the ground, and started screaming at her. She cowered beneath his fury like a little girl.

As much as I hated Lucrezia, it was terrible to watch.

“YOU FUCKING BITCH – HE’S GETTING AWAY AND YOU’RE TELLING ME TO WAIT?!”

Then Cesare pulled back his hand to punch her.

Oh SHIT –

He’ll KILL her!

Lucrezia was the only sane one in charge.

If she died, then the inmates really would be running the asylum –

And my odds of getting back to Giulietta would drop to zero.

I grabbed Cesare’s wrist before he could cave his sister’s face in.

He immediately whirled around, looking unhinged.

I wondered if I’d just signed my own death warrant.

“WHAT?!” he screamed.

I had to save my own skin so I could save Giulietta.

This is the part where the hero appeals to the only thing that matters to the villain.

“We’re wasting time,” I said, and pointed in the direction of the seven departing cars. “We’re going to lose them if we wait any longer.”

Cesare’s face twitched as the animal part of his brain warred with logic.

Thankfully, logic won out –

But I knew he wasn’t going to let me off the hook.

I tensed my abs to prepare, but the punch still hurt like hell. I dropped to my knees as the breath rushed out of me.

“Don’t you EVER lay hands on me again,” he hissed. Then he screamed at the rest of the crew, “LET’S FUCKING GO!”

Cesare got in the backseat of the lead Cadillac. Ciro smirked at me as he slipped behind the wheel.

As she stumbled to her feet, Lucrezia glanced back at me with an odd expression.