Page 242 of La Dolce Vita

Renaldo had to take a seat.

"Carlo?" Giovanni said. "Do you remember Carmine's death? Do you remember the story Lorenzo told you?"

Carlo frowned.

"It was a lie. Carmine was with Lorenzo when he went in search of these tapes. Carmine was killed by David Capriccio? There is no way he could have been. Not at Lorenzo’s side. Lorenzo killed your brother to protect this secret."

" I don't believe that."

"Believe it," Giovanni said through clenched teeth. "And bury the loyalty you have for him or get the fuck out of my sight. Because tonight we find Lorenzo and you all will help me get justice. Do you understand?"

The men slowly nodded their heads.

"He's close. He thinks he can reason with me. I know he's still close. He hasn't left the country. Not yet. Check every vacant farmhouse. Every one. Find out who would sell him a hiding place. Find it and kill him..."

"Boss?" Carlo spoke up.

Giovanni fixed him with a silencing glare.

Carlo put up his hands to indicate he meant no disrespect. "Can I speak freely?"

Giovanni nodded.

"Marietta is pregnant. A delicate pregnancy. She's with him. If the men go out shooting for Lorenzo, she could get hurt."

"Carlo is right. We need to bring him in alive,” Nico said.

"Too late. I've already put a hit on him. It's a matter of time."

"Then we need to find Marietta. Right Boss? You don’t want her hurt.”

Giovanni glared at the men.

“Let us try," Carlo said. "However, you want to deal with Lorenzo we support you. But let us try to find Marietta and bring them both in. Maybe the Donna knows where she is?"

Giovanni scratched his brow. Lorenzo had called for a meeting, but he didn't take that seriously. He had to think past his rage. He had to be smarter. But with all the alcohol in his bloodstream it was hard. If his anger brought about the death of his wife's sister, his wife would never love him the same again. He saw the disgust in her eyes when she took Catalina from him. He could barely look himself in the mirror.

It wasn’t a battle he could win easily. He just wanted the anger and pain to stop. Giovanni closed his eyes. He sighed. Lorenzo had years to plan his escape. He was too smart to be caught by the Tacchinis or any of his men. Maybe this war between him and his cousin should end as Lorenzo proposed. Between them.

"Boss?" Renaldo said.

"I don't want..." his voice choked with emotion. "I don't want to risk the life of Marietta or the baby. I should have considered... her."

The men stared at him.

"She's in danger if she's with him," Carlo said. "Especially if the Tacchinis have your blessing to kill him."

"And after last night, with the Benicia’s," Nico said. "Boss, we've heard of what went down. Is Isabella dead? There is a lot of chaos today."

Giovanni checked his watch. Isabella wasn’t dead. Not until the mad scientist he hired pumped her with enough poison to find a cure for his Bella. e. He had one final move on the chess board to make. The phone rang. He got up from his seat and went and answered it.

A woman spoke. She gave him the information he wanted. To hear her voice was the first time he smiled. He had a debt to pay her, and he intended to set everything right. Suddenly his head was clear. He exhaled, hung up the phone and sat again in front of his men.

“Carlo, find Marietta. Lorenzo trusts you. Convince him to give her over to you and bring her here."

"And Lorenzo?"

"Tell him if you see him I will meet with him. Alone."

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