The Capo Who Forgot His Beloved Wife

Vitiel

erted carriage house on the edge of the Mor

rning, I tore the dissol

ame wi

rom passing out, the metallic

water to cold. The shock made me gasp, bu

of pink water spir

the path of the liquid. It would scar. I would carry th

violently, and wrapped myself in a to

octors; they would simply report it as a clumsy accid

under the floorboards, retrieving the es

tching herself up in the trenches, numb t

I went to the bookshelf and p

dding

ry and struck a match. The flame wavered, small

ssy photo of Dante slidin

lted, warping into a grotesque smear. The f

ded inward, sending splinters

od in the

ng. He saw me. He saw the bandages on

For a second, I saw concern-a fli

burning. He saw his own

attered across the floor. He stomped on the fire, exti

charred remnant. It was a pict

at it, t

e said, his voice

taged

" I wh

chest. "You did it to yourself. To

t was a dry,

poured acid

loser. "You're losing your grip on the family

bbed m

roken

n was blinding, whi

ut of the house, throwing me over

with my good hand. "

main house, but he didn't take me inside the front

. "Dante, plea

was soundproof. It smelled of rust and blea

hrew me onto the metal table in the center

ankles. He stra

taring up at the single light

my wife,"

d pulled a lever. A hydr

"Pre

rush fingers, to extract info

ed. "You don't get to burn my

ction. He wasn't going to crush my hands. H

dial. The pl

d against

mense, crush

strain. I couldn't inhale.

anded. "Admit you

sp. The room started to spin, and

. Killed by the man I h

only person who had ever offered m

" I wh

in the silence of the tortu

is hand hovere

" he r

inched, rubbing his temple as if the

all out the name of

the first time, he saw fear. Not the fear of a

ped the

ragged breath, coughing as air r

s hands as if they were foreign o