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Mario takes in a deep breath “Well, it is what it is We will do our utmost best to save Marcello, of course”

“But what if we all end up dying?”

“We?” He makes a face “Oh, no, honey You stay here”

My eyes narrow “The fuck I am”

“Marcello wouldn’t want you to—”

“He would want me to do what I need to do,” I interject “What I think is best”

Mario straightens his back, but after a few seconds, a tepid srown”

I sirl”

“Maybe Or maybe you’ve just learned to take control and lead because it fits you” He winks, and it makes me blush

Maybe he is right Maybe it isn’t just the fact that I needed to survive which made me stand up for myself But also because I care for Marcello, and this faht for that?

“What do you have in mind?”

I rubat the ure out how to go about this with as few men as possible And then it hits me Men like them love attention Love to feel in power

“What if I pretend to be a willing victim?”

Mario frowns “I’m not sure I understand …”

“I dress up, pretend I’ myself up to the Polish don because Marcello is unworthy and doesn’t deserve me He’ll fall for it simply because Marcello owned me, and mobsters alhat another man has”

“I fail to see how this is going to s better Doesn’t that mean we’ll have to rescue you as well?”

“No, what I mean is … I’ll hide some weapons,” I say “And then when I finally find ether”

“That sounds like either the stupidest or the bravest plan I’ve ever heard of”

“But do we have another choice?” I say, putting ainst my side “Because as far as I knoere severely outnuine the nu et him out of there”

Mario sighs and nods a little “Well, you are right about that, but Marcello would not want you to risk—”

“Marcello isn’t here I a to risk it For him”

The gravity of ins to sink in