Page 77 of Princess's Revenge

“They are,” I nod.

“Well, I want you to know that I speak for all of us in this room,” he gestures to himself and the four other captains, “when I say—We won’t hold a grudge—if you know what I mean?”

“Thank you, Leo,” I nod to him.

“They were wrong for what they did. It’s been a long time coming. So—you do what you gotta do.”

There’s that line again. This time I’m on the other end of it.

The five capos take one last look around, but none of them even glance at Don Cassaduchi, then they nod, turn their backs to us and head towards the exit at the rear.

The Don shouts, “Cocksuckers! I’m the boss of this family!” Then he starts coughing and hacking his lungs up.

I wait till the five capos of the Cassaduchi family are gone, then I say to Christopher, “Giftwrap that, please,” pointing at Joshua.

Chris nods and gets to work with a roll of duct-tape.

The Don says, “I was always jealous of your father, you know?”

I don’t respond. I put my hand out to Francis in a—Bring—gesture.

“That he had sons. I was older, you see? I’d missed my opportunity. I had no sons. I knew his sons would come for me. I’m glad I killed them,” he laughs like a psycho and coughs from the effort.

Francis hands me my katana and I fasten the belt it hangs on around me.

“Bertinelli is not a gangster. He wasn’t a leader. A consigliere is cautious by nature.” He coughs up a storm.

Between his quickened breathing borne of fear and his legitimate ailments, I’m afraid he’s going to die before I can kill him!

“His kind would rather negotiate. They try to keep a cool head. He wanted to protect his sons. He was afraid to go to war.” He coughs again and takes some oxygen.

I nod to Anthony. He grabs the Don roughly, pulls him out of the chair and forces him to his knees, then the three brothers stand behind me.

“You know, Lupertazzi would have won if went to war,” the Don looks me in the eyes, “but I whispered in Bertinelli’s earover and over that his own sons would surely die in the struggle. No man wants to lose his sons.”

I unsheathe my sword. “Daughters are better. Now, let’s see if we can’t do something about that cough.”

His eyes widen. His right hand comes up halfway, “Wa—"

I’ve been practicing on trees and watermelons.

With one swift and powerful stroke, I cleave his head from his shoulders and it lands true.

Well, that’s what they say in old manuscripts…they say if the head lands just right, you can see your own headless body before you die.

I hope this sick fuck saw his…and I hope he still has that fucking cough when they set up him up with his new condo in hell.

When his body hits the floor, Joshua starts screaming, “HELP! HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP!”

He’s wrapped with tape around his ankles, knees, torso, there’s tape around his arms and his wrists as well. All he can do is wriggle like a fish.

I look at all three of my handsome, powerful captains…the men who fought for me and gave me back my life.

I feel a sense of pride, and I’ve never been more grateful. I love them all equally.We’re a family.

Josh keeps screaming damnit! He’s spoiling the moment!

“Can someone shut him up?”

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