Page 363 of Marcello

“Yes,” Dario confirmed. “Forever.”

“Well, at least from us,” I added.

Everyone looked at me like I’d farted at a funeral.

“What?” I asked, incensed. “There’s bears, and diabetes, and all sorts of things!”

Marcello gave a brief chuckle. “We’ll be sure to watch out for those.”

He opened the door, then looked at us one last time. “Thank you.”

We all nodded…

And then he and Laura got in the SUV and drove away.

141

Giorgio started driving me, Lars, and Dario to the hospital to see our wives.

I cleared my throat. “I hate to bring up business – ”

“Then don’t,” Dario said.

“Unfortunately, I have to. We should discuss what comes next, because it needs to happen as soon as Alessandra and the baby can be moved.”

Dario grimaced. “What’s on your mind?”

“With all of us living together under one roof, we were far too easy a target. It was only because of Alessandra’s medical emergency that we weren’t all there when the house was attacked. If we had been, it’s likely someone would have died. In fact, we were insanely lucky that no one in the immediate family was injured. We can never put ourselves in that vulnerable of a position again. We need to split up.”

Dario stared out the window at the early morning darkness. Finally, he asked, “What did you have in mind?”

“The cops and politicians already want to crucify us after the attack on the Ponte Vecchio. We should get out of town until things quiet down. Dante can handle operations in the countryside, and Adriano can eventually come back and establish control over Florence. It could take years to rebuild the mansion, so we should use the opportunity to establish ourselves elsewhere.”

“Where do you suggest we go?”

“The Amalfi Coast and Capri. We can figure out exactly who goes where at a later point in time – but in the future, no more than two or three couples should be in the same location at once.”

“Hm,” Dario murmured, though he didn’t say no. “Why do you think Lucrezia wanted the Amalfi Coast?”

“I don’t know, but she was an excellent strategist. I’m sure she had a reason… and I intend to figure it out.”

The reunion with our wives was an emotional one.

Dario kissed Alessandra as she lay in her bed and held her as she cried.

Sofia trembled in my arms as I hugged her tight.

Adriano and Bianca, Mei-ling and Roberto, Lars and Rachel, Valentino and Caterina…

A lot of tears were shed. It was a joyous but intense moment, to be sure.

Massimo and Lucia just held on to each other and grinned as they watched all the reunions.

I noticed that throughout it all, Giorgio had a forlorn look on his face.

When Dario, Adriano, and I left Alessandra’s room, Giorgio followed us out into the hall.

“Don Rosolini,” he said nervously, “could I have a moment?”