The Pawn novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: The Rest of the Vow

"Not tonight," I said. "And not in a restaurant."

Cosimo's face did not change, but something behind it went still.

"Tomorrow at dawn," I said. "At the church on the end of Taylor Street. And I have terms."

"Of course you do."

"Three. You'll hear them there."

The priest came out of his rectory for the second time in our lives, in a coat over his pajamas.

He looked at the pale stone of his church, at Cosimo and at me, and sighed.

"Not another one," he said.

A dozen of us sat in the pews at six in the morning.

Rocco, in a clean gray suit, with his eyes red.

My uncle, in his Sunday jacket, with a bruise gone yellow around one eye.

Eight of Cosimo's men, who had stayed after the table broke, the oldest capo among them with his hat in his hands.

I had put the white dress back on, because I wanted to finish what it had started.

I walked down the aisle on my uncle's arm, and nobody dragged me out.

Cosimo waited at the front in a black suit, with his shoulder freshly bound and his hands loose at his sides.

The priest cleared his throat.

"Before he says anything," I said, "I have three terms."

"Go on," said Cosimo.

"One. No lies, ever. Not the kind ones either."

"If you have to hurt me, you tell me, and then you let me hurt back."

"Yes."

"Two. Nobody speaks for me. Not you, not Rocco, not any man in this room, and not on my behalf at any table."

"Yes."

"Three." I took a breath.

"The shop under the flat is mine. I'm going to open it, and I'll put my own name on the door."

His mouth moved.

"Not Ruvolo?"

"Castellane."

"Castellane," he said. "Rocco already called my cousin about the lease. Yes."

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