The room is tense for a moment before Elio releases a booming laugh. I cringe away from that too – because it’s clearly fake. Too loud, too brash – just meant to break the tension in the room.
We all turn towards him, Christian’s threat still alive in the tense lines of his body.
“Oh, you two never could take a joke,” he sighs, glaring between Giuseppe and Christian like they’re the ones in the wrong.
“None of this is a joking matter, Elio,” Christian snaps.
“Damn right it’s not,” Elio snaps right back, tightening his arm around Giana. “Considering you f*****g killed our father and our brothers yesterday. Made this fine woman a widow. And now you’re asking us to what, quietly accept your rule, little half-brother? Accept your stripper b***h as our Donna?”
Christian pushes away from t
