While everyone else was partying, Romeo ordered a dozen men (who all bitched nonstop about having to stay sober) to guard the perimeter in case we’d missed anyCosa Nostrafoot soldiers.
He made other men carry all the corpses in the house outside before they began to stink.
“There’s a well out back in the garden courtyard,” he’d told Cesare. “I think it’s just ornamental, because it doesn’t seem to feed into the house’s water supply. Do you want me to drop the bodies in the well? I don’t think they’ll ever be found if we do – ”
“Stop fucking bothering me about bullshit and just do it!” Cesare had screamed at him.
So he left in silence and supervised it all getting done while Cesare got drunk.
Like I said, thank God for Romeo.
I was irritated with my brother for throwing a huge party and getting plastered – but I knew it was coming, at least. Healwaysdid this sort of thing after a big victory.
After we’d forced the Mingozzis to give us half their territory four years ago, Cesare had partied for three days straight.
Same when he’d assassinated Tommaso Caracciolo, the head of the Sarno clan.
Same when we’d outfought and outsmarted the Lago clan, Di Biasi clan, the Potenzas, the Galassos.
When the dog shits on the rug a hundred times in a row, you don’t think it’s magically going to behave the hundred-and-first.
You either get rid of the fucking dog, which wasn’t possible in this case…
Or you put fucking newspaper down.
I’d planned for Cesare’s bad behavior.
And once he was tired out…
I knew he’d be evenmorepliable than usual.
I ordered my bodyguard to take me home, where I did some research on my computer.
Then, at daybreak, he drove me back to the Amatos’ castle.
Romeo’s men were still on guard duty when we drove up. Romeo himself was manning the gate.
When we drove up, I rolled down the window.
“Any news on the Amato girl?” I asked.
“No,” he said dourly.
“Don’t worry,” I reassured him with a smile. “I’ll make sure my brother forgets all about it.”
“Thank you,” Romeo said, his tone somewhere between gratitude and irritation.
As I rolled up the tinted window, I took a long look at Romeo.
He wasverygood-looking.
I’d playfully made some passes at him before.
I would have gone a lot further than that…
If I didn’t think my brother would put out myothereye.
Other people didn’t understand why I still slept with Cesare after he blinded me in my left eye.
