“It’s from Bambi,” Rae explained before addressing my sister. “What would happen if you were found?”
“What’s a Bambi?” I grumbled.
My sister ignored me, and Mother shrugged, flashing anI don’t knowwith her eyes.
“I would end up like Arabella. Locked in the don’s house.” Tiziana wrinkled her nose. “My grandfather is a stronzo.”
“He is.” Rae leaned forward. There was clearly a chemistry between the two girls, and I liked to see it. If they would only talk about anything else. “But Arabella leaves the house. She’s not locked up.”
“With a heavy guard detail,” Tiziana countered. “And she only attends parties with a strong family presence. Tell me I’m wrong.”
Rae let out a defeated sigh. “You’re not wrong.”
“When papa died, I was luckily visiting my zio in New York. Mama wouldn’t let me come for the funeral, and she only escaped the burial because one of our friends, an old timer named Giuseppe, helped her sneak away.”
“So!” Mother let her voice invade the conversation with a high note. “Rae, tell us where you’re from? And how did you meet my son?”
Rae tore her gaze away from my sister and flashed me a panicked look. We hadn’t gotten around to talking about the particulars before my guests arrived. In hindsight, that was a mistake I wished I could remedy. I hated to see her freaking out in the spotlight.
“I tried to get her to let me race her car,” I smirked and stabbed a piece of steak with my fork. “She still won’t let me behind the wheel.”
Tiziana looked between us, her face scrunching up with a look of disgust. “Is that code for something dirty?”
I choked.
But Rae was back to her easy-going self. “Nah, it’s real. I have a ’69 Camaro that I don’t let boys drive. You want to take her for a spin?”
Tiziana shot up straight and let out a “Hell yes!”
While my mother and I both barked out a “Absolutely not!” at the same time.
“What?” Rae gave me a devilish look. “She’s not a boy.”
This woman was unbelievable. Rubbing it in my face that my sister was allowed to drive her most cherished possession and I wasn’t.
“And she can’t drive a manual transmission,” I said tightly.
“Plus, there’s the whole business ofwe’re not supposed to be in Boston,” my mother added, more to my sister than to my girl.
“Then I’ll have to come down to New York and teach her,” Rae decided.
And just like that, my sister became her new best friend.
Chapter 40 – Rae
“Rae, can you come upstairs with me?” Arabella asked as I cleared the Sunday dinner plates.
I paused, looking down at her. Those black eyes flashed wide for a second. Whatever she was silently trying to communicate, I decided to follow.
“I’m sure she’s busy,” Mrs. Grimaldi clipped. “Don’t bother the staff, Arabella.”
“It’s no trouble, ma’am,” I said. “Should I bring the vacuum?”
Arabella nodded. “I made a mess.”
The high lady let out an exasperated sigh. “You and your clutter. You should really think about purging it, Arabella. No eighteen-year-old plays with glue and paints.”
The girl’s jaw tightened, but she bowed her head and kept silent.
