Page 356 of Marcello

So I stepped in.

“Or,” I yelled, “we can negotiate.”

Dario glared at me.

I put a finger to my lips. Shh.

“Negotiate?” the gangster called out, like it was a foreign word he’d never heard before.

“Tell us what you want,” I called out, “and maybe we can resolve this like businessmen.”

There was a pause…

And then the deep-voiced gangster said, “We want the Cosa Nostra out of Naples FOREVER.”

“Done!” I said cheerfully.

“I want to hear it from Don Rosolini, not his lapdog.”

I knew Lucia was grinning at the insult, but I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of looking at her.

Dario shook his head angrily. “I cannot guarantee that the Cosa Nostra will never again try to take Naples.”

I looked at him in shock.

WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!

Now he was actively trying to get us killed!

Dario ignored me as he continued. “But I rule all of Tuscany, and I guarantee that neither I nor my family will ever set foot in Naples again… unless provoked.”

Dario let the threat hang there for a second before he continued.

“Furthermore, our allies in Venice and Genoa will agree to the same terms. I cannot speak for Rome, Milan, or Sicily, since we are currently at odds… but I can promise you that at least half the Cosa Nostra will leave this city alone forever.”

There was a long pause.

Then the deep-voiced man said, “And what guarantees do we have of this?”

“I swear it on the souls of my wife and newborn daughter, whom Cesare Caproni tried to kill,” Dario seethed. “Which is why I came to Naples in the first place, and why his head is there on the ground before you.”

Another long pause. Then…

“Alright. You have one hour to leave Naples, and never come back.”

“We’ll need you and your men to withdraw from the courtyard,” I called out. “As a sign of good faith.”

The voice paused again.

“…agreed.”

“And we’ll need two hours. We have wounded to attend to.”

Lars frowned at me in confusion. No we don’t.

I waved him off. Lars knew I’d lied, but the Camorra didn’t.

“Fine,” the deep-voiced gangster said. “Two hours, but you had better be gone, or there’ll be hell to pay.”