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This whole thing is a sham.
But a sham we must go along with in order to maintain the proper image.
“He served for a long time, reminding us of the code of this family: honor, trust, and community.” I widen my eyes in humor and look at Teresa again.
Her face mirrors my own.
I understand what he’s doing—reminding the room of mourners of who Carmine should have been and what the family once was, so when change happens, it’s fresh on their minds.
So that when the changes happen, people are happy to see them, happy to see that Dante is the one who brought them upon us.
My husband is nothing if not wise.
“My father—”
Before he can finish his sentence, there’s a noise.
The door slams open, banging against the wall as it does, and in the doorway stands Paulie.
A Paulie who clearly is completely unhinged, dots of blood on his white dress shirt, his eyes showing . . . nothing.
Not anger.
Not rage.
Not even sadness.
They’re blank as if he’s gone from the world.
A hint of true fear shakes through me when I see him.
“This is all a fucking scam,” Paulie shouts.
Confusion and shock roll through the room, and I hear Teresa mutter a curse under her breath. But I don’t look to her. Instead, I look to Dante, his jaw tight, his eyes narrowed on his nephew.
“Paulie, man, let’s—”
“I’m tired of talking. Tired of this bullshit. They’ve been planning this for months. Years, for all we know.”
“Paulie—”
“He’s fucking her, you know,” he shouts, pointing at me, and I look to Paulie and decide I truly fucking hate this man.
“Paulie, you’re making a scene,” I say, the words tired even to my own ears.
“Good! They should know you’re a whore and that he’s a backstabber.”
“The family was meant to be his all along, Paulie,” I say, trying to both reassure the room of onlookers and calm Paulie in any way I can.“Carmine just saw you as a new opportunity to play games and an easier puppet to control than Dante.”
“Where’re Jason and Tino, Paulie?” Dante asks, and then I remember that they were watching him. I look at the specks of blood on his shirt.
Oh fuck.
“Tino is out of commission right now, the fuckin’ traitor. And Jason—”
A breath of relief leaves my chest as the man in question runs into the room, his chest heaving, his own shirt a bit more blood covered than Paulie’s.
“Paulie, you gotta stop this shit,” Jason says, looking to the man he once thought he’d be working right under with an expression of panic.
