Page 355 of Marcello

The other looked like a devil from hell.

It was Dario, of course –

But in a way I had never seen him before.

He was stripped to the waist, exposing the tattoos on his muscular chest and arms.

There was a gash across his stomach, and his abdomen was wet with crimson.

That wasn’t the only part of him that was red, though.

Both his hands dripped with blood…

And one seemed to be carrying a human head.

I could only see the back of the skull, but from the close-cropped buzz cut, I knew it was Cesare Caproni.

Dario appeared to be carrying the head like he would a bowling ball. I shuddered to think what holes he was using.

Lars, Massimo, Adriano, and everyone else watched in shock as Dario walked up to us, his eyes demonic with rage…

Reared his arm back –

And with a mighty roar, flung the head through the air.

Between the top spikes of the wrought iron gate and the stone arch above them, there was a gap of three feet.

The head sailed through the opening –

And then hit the ground in the courtyard with a dull CRACK!

The Camorra exploded with horrified curses.

“You wanted to speak with me,” Dario yelled. “Well, here I am. Now SPEAK.”

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Ahush fell out in the courtyard…

And then the deep-voiced man spoke first.

“Dario Rosolini?”

“Yes. Who are you?”

“That’s not important. What IS important is what happens in the next few minutes.”

“I agree,” Dario snarled. “You and your men should withdraw so you don’t wind up like Cesare.”

I looked at my brother in disbelief. What the fuck are you DOING?!

He’d apparently decided to go with Lucia’s brand of diplomacy.

Luckily, the deep-voiced gangster chuckled. “Bold words from someone who’s vastly outnumbered.”

“I sent Cesare to hell,” Dario shot back. “I’m more than happy to send the rest of you to join him.”

This wasn’t going well –