Free God's Favorite by Lawrence Wright

right,” said Tony. “I am a hypocrite, I admit it. But what good does it do me? It’s my life that suffers because I am afraid to act in my own interest. Why can’t I just do what I want with my personal life, no matter what the Church says about it?”
    â€œExactly. This isn’t the Middle Ages.”
    â€œMoreover, it is not fair to you,” Tony continued. “I should be proud to be seen in public with you. I shouldn’t be hiding the most important relationship in my life!”
    Carmen’s tongue moved appraisingly across her upper lip. “I guess I’m not sure what you mean by that,” she said.
    â€œWhat I mean is that I am ashamed of how I have treated you. You’re right to be scolding me. It should have been you with me in Paris sitting at the table with Mitterrand.”
    â€œTony, I wanted to go to Paris, but this is getting a little farfetched. You don’t take your girlfriend to a state dinner.”
    â€œAgreed. That’s why I will talk to my lawyer on Monday about getting a divorce. I’ll do everything I can to make an honest woman of you. Even divorce. Yes, even that.”
    Carmen looked at him for a moment and then ignited. “God damn you, Tony, you lie so easily it just scares me.”
    Tony’s face darkened with embarrassment. “What are you saying? Are you calling me a liar?” He shouted furiously, acting outraged, but Carmen could see right through him. She had some kind of x-ray vision for emotional truth.
    â€œYou say things just to see what might happen,” Carmen continued in her ruthless, completely accurate assessment. “Sometimes I don’t think you even realize that you’re lying. Well, it’s sick, you know that? You’re not going to divorce Felicidad! Come on, Tony, admit it! You’re so full of shit! Do you have any idea how much it hurts when you say things like that? I could just kill you, you lying bastard!”
    Tony calmly took his pearl-handled .32 from his holster. “Here, do it,” he said, handing her the revolver. “If you think I could ever lie to you, I don’t want to live.”
    Romeo shifted nervously on the coach.
    Carmen pushed Tony’s hand away. “Get that away from me! What do you think—that I’m going to shoot you in my living room?”
    â€œDo you want me to step out on the balcony?”
    â€œJust put that gun away and leave,” she said. “And take the damn bird. It’s over, Tony.”
    I T WAS NEARLY midnight when Tony returned to his office. He was feeling a little stultified from the pasta and the wine at dinner and gloomy from his fight with Carmen. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. The world was falling apart all around him, and all he could think about was Carmen! Their relationship was too volatile to last. But the thought of being without her was too awful to consider. “A long day,” he said as he sat heavily in his high-backed chair.
    â€œI think Nicky and I have come to an understanding,” said Roberto.
    â€œIs that right?”
    Nicky made a grunt of assent. A cloud came out of his mouth in the deep chill of the room.
    â€œRollins called,” Roberto said significantly. “He wants to hear from you right away.”
    â€œI really need to go for a walk,” Tony said by way of apology after a noisy burp. “Jean-Luc’s chocolate mousse is a little too rich.”
    Roberto bowed in agreement. The remains of his own sumptuous dinner were sitting on the desk between them.
    President Barletta looked ravaged and half-starved. He was visibly shaking, partly from the cold and partly from indignation. “You have the nerve to threaten me,” he said. “You hold me illegally. And then you even threaten members of my family. God damn you, Tony—you can’t get away with this!”
    Tony shook his head. “Roberto is a little anxious, Nicky. He’s