Page 217 of La Dolce Vita

"Insulting me won't prolong your life," he said.

"What will?" she asked.

"Answers. I want to know what you have on my cousin," he began.

The smile on Isabella's face dimmed

"My men tell me everything. Let's just say I was disappointed my cousin didn't tell me you two have met.”

“Maybe he had his reasons,” Isabella said.

“Maybe. Hard to believe. You see, Lorenzo is loyal to me, I have no doubt about that. But he's also a self-destructing time bomb ticking in his head that can be unpredictably predictable thanks to that cunt of a mother he had."

"Don't you speak of my mother that way," she said through clenched teeth.

"Lorenzo would kill you without a thought. But he didn't. That means only one thing; it means you have something on him. Something that he doesn't want me to know. But I get this feeling that you want me to know what that is."

Isabella glanced from Giovanni to Umberto and then to the door. She smiled. Isabella stood. She revealed her hands were not bound behind her back. She had a gun, and she aimed it directly at Giovanni. Umberto raised his weapon, but Giovanni knew it wouldn't prevent the inevitable. The cold steel of a gun met the back of Umberto's head.

Benicia.

"It's ridiculous how long you've lasted. Are there no men in theCamorrawith balls enough to put a bullet in your skull?" Isabella laughed. “Do you think I’ve done all of this, won these many battles to let you just walk in a room and kill me?”

Benicia chuckled. He walked in with many of his men, possibly all of them. "She has a point, Gio. It was really stupid of you to come here tonight alone."

"Capo di tutti capi?Are you serious? This is the boss of all bosses?" Isabella laughed. "Well, Big Boss. I'm your master now. And I intend to have you begging before I'm done.."

"In culo a tua madre,"Giovanni said, and Isabella flinched. She gripped the gun with both hands.

"Calm down, Isabella. Remember the deal," Benicia said and stepped in front of Giovanni to keep her from killing him.

"Fuck the deal," she said, “Get out of the way.”

"He's yours, but not until we conclude our business. There’s no one here. Just him and a pup. None of his men. I've made sure of it." It was then more men arrived. But this time, it wasn't Benicia's men. The last to step in through the door was Don Tacchini. Giovanni cut his eyes over to his friend.

“Who are they!” Isabella shouted and swung the gun in the direction of the other clan boss and his menacing crew.

"Isabella! Calm down! They are friends, fans of yours; they are here to make sure we get what we want." Benicia turned and faced Giovanni. He snatched the gun from his hand the case from the other. “You have no friends inla Camorra. You think we want to be Mafia? That we want you to be king? We are all Kings," Benicia said. “It will be my pleasure to give that pretty brown wife of yours, my cock as she begs for the life of her children before we burn the Battaglias to the ground."

“It takes this many men to face me?” Giovanni asked Benicia with a smile.

"Where is it?" Isabella asked.

Benicia glared. He backed away from Giovanni. He walked over to Isabella and handed over the small cassette player.

"I want this to be the last words you hear before you die." She pressed play. Not only Giovanni but everyone in the room heard Lorenzo and Giuseppe bemoan their existence as second best in their families. And then both men agreed upon a solution. It was clear. Lorenzo’s betrayal went far beyond a sibling rivalry, or thirst for power. This betrayal was a shotgun blast in the sanctuary of their very existence.

The Russians didn't kill Patri...

Giuseppe ordered the hit on Patri to have his father killed...

Lorenzo laughed and gave up ideas on how it should be carried out. And then he agreed it would be an even trade...

Giuseppe said he would deliver...

Lorenzo told him to go for it... and then recanted thinking it was something neither could pull off. Giuseppe thought differently. Lorenzo said he was too miserable to care nothing ever went in his favor. Giuseppe swore to be his champion, suggested they speak again when Lorenzo was sober over the details...

And so went the bargain that would leave Giovanni’s father bleeding to death in the streets. Benicia brows lowered. Apparently, it was the first time he or any of the men in the room had heard of Lorenzo's betrayal. A deafening silence filled the room.

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