nna

us man who seemed physically

oss the mahogany surfa

his eyes darting around the room.

ouetted against the light, dre

sk of practi

the tragic soldier, sacrificing his

Luca said softly. "It

ed up

k was

man

without a flick

a Mor

ger Vi

t, not

g with a speed that betrayed him

e documents as if they were burning his

were a blur of per

ole of the perfec

g interest in old war stories

e stirred the Sunday gravy, acting

pushing her on the swing set in the bac

ld her. "But I will bring you the bigg

, innocent

now he was a

her for a life of hedonism, clubbing, and drugs. I could feel his desperat

ndow, feeling a cold, calcifi

the day

is car with f

suitcases-far too much

," he told

his eyes misty wit

the Don said. "Serve

ll, P

ned to h

eping openly, clu

boy. Call us

aid, smoothly reciting the lie. "Se

ed to m

ps grazing my cheek,

," he whispered.

, Luca,"

slide into the

ine, the sound ag

t the iron gates, and turned onto th

back because

glow of his taillights

dy pulse, I walke

he Tuscan landscape aside

n the

hanged the

ogant to t

en the heav

as e

he stale air where sta

red thousa

o

nts, his wife, and his chi

safe with a

dn't

n't s

trange, icy sense o

ken the m

he had left behind some

his seat a

going to