Page 290 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

Lars grinned at me – then frowned as I got closer.

“What the hell happened to you?” he asked. I knew he meant my bruises and cuts.

“It was a rough week.”

“Jesus,” Niccolo said. “You look like death warmed over.”

“Nice to see you, too…bro,”I snarled.

Nic looked surprised – but if he had a comeback, he bit his tongue.

I hugged Lars. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Likewise.”

After I let go of Lars, Niccolo moved to hug me –

But I stepped back out of reach.

Nic just stood there, a stony look on his face.

“Hello,Consigliere,”Vicari said mockingly. “Where’s your Don?”

“Still onboard the plane,” Niccolo answered.

“That’s a shiny toy you have there.”

“On loan from Signora Ferretti.” Niccolo smiled politely. “She sends her regards, by the way.”

“How nice of the Widow to do so,” Vicari sneered. “Tell your boss he can come out now.”

“First we need to lay down some ground rules.”

“Really,” Vicari said.

I knew that tone of voice.

It was the way he’d addressed his ownconsigliereback in the barn… right before he’d burned him alive.

Careful, Niccolo,I thought nervously.

“I know it’s customary at weddings for the guests to arrive unarmed,” Niccolo said.He was talking aboutCosa Nostraweddings.

Nobody had come to Adriano’s wedding because they thought we’d betrayed the Agrellas, so it was a moot point –

But tons of families had come to Dario’s wedding, and they’d all checked their guns at the door.

On wedding days, all differences were put aside. If you couldn’t do that, you just didn’t show up.

For a mafia don to allow his guests to be harmed at a wedding he was hosting would be aninfamia– and the rest of theCosa Nostrawould kill him for it.

“However,” Nic continued, “this is anything but a customary wedding, and the circumstances are anything but ordinary. So we need to hold onto our guns.”

“The hell you will,” Vicari barked.

“I’m afraid, given the situation with my uncle, it’s non-negotiable.”

Vicari’s face grew red. “You insult me by insinuating I would let something happen to you on my daughter’s wedding day?”

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