“Whatever you say,” I mumble, out of her reach as I walk through the curtain entry doors. I head back into the cool autumn air, heading to where Rufus is parked and waiting to bring me back to the brownstone.
Vanessa does not scare me. What does scare me, however, is who the fuck is trying to talk to her, aside from my father. If there truly is another rat in our midst, then it’s going to be a fucking problem. I don’t have time for another snake in the garden.
I phone Alex on the way to the brownstone. “So, your girlfriend was at the Sandy Claws,” I joke.
“Very funny, fuckface. If you’re referring to Vanessa, yes, I know. She made a huge stink, as I knew she would, when Armando didn’t show to their meeting.”
“Yea, well, that’s insignificant to me. She can’t prove anything. However, she did mention that there is someone else that’s talking to her. Know anything about that?” I ask.
“Fuck would I know?” Alex asks.
“Well, look into it, because if I go down, so do you, cop or not. You are in this for life.”
“You are like a brother to me. I will look into it,” he says with genuine love. It’s true, Alex has always been more like an older brother to me than a cousin. I have never doubted his loyalty to me.
“Good. Alright, well, I have to go. Sienna is coming over soon,” I say as I unlock the front door to the brownstone.
“You finally going to admit what the fuck you did to her?” he asks.
“Depends how the night goes.”
Chapter46
Sienna
“Did you know?” I ask Titi Lana, afraid of the answer I am about to hear. I lay on my bed, just staring at the ceiling, wishing this was just a bad nightmare.
“Yes, honey,” Lana confesses with a sadness in her voice.
I drop the phone and stare at the picture of Leo still in my hand. I hear Titi Lana ask into the phone if I am there. I don’t pick the phone up yet, I feel paralyzed with reemerging grief.
I take a deep breath and reach for the phone. The sadness and anger I feel simultaneously mixes in my gut, making me feel as though I am going to be sick.
“That’s it? Don’t you think you owe me a better explanation than just a simple yes?” I don’t bother hiding my anger. At this point, I am seething. I feel so betrayed.
“I don’t know where to start, Sienna. The Riccis go back a long way with the Morettis, there is a lot of bad blood there,” she says with a sigh
My head is spinning. I knew my family had secrets, but this, this feels like too much to comprehend in a day. How could any bad ties have anything to do with Leo? I search my brain of all the years I knew him, trying to think of anything that could have hinted there was something wrong.
“How does Leo fit into that, though?” I ask, genuinely confused.
Lana takes a deep breath. “Like I said, there is a lot of bad blood between the families. Leo was caught in the crossfire,” she finally says.
“Of what, Carmine’s wrath?” I snap as warm tears begin to pool in my eyes, and then uncontrollably spew down my face.
I feel nauseous, this is all too much. I suddenly realize this job wasn’t given to me because I deserved it, it was given to me because I needed to be here. I’m a puzzle piece in Carmine’s sick game. He’s been watching me, waiting for me, fucking playing me. My parents’ deaths didn’t excuse me from the made life, they just catapulted me into it.
“I think it’s best that you calm down and talk to Carmine about this. He will be able to explain things better than I can to you.” The calmness in her voice turns my tears into rage.
I somehow doubt that he can explain anything to me that will put my mind at ease. This man has had twisted motives with me from the start. Not to mention, he has a literal box of secrets he has been hiding in his home. A box that I am going to make him own up to, whether he wants to or not.
Lana continues to talk, trying to ease my mind, but it’s not working. My brain is moving a mile a minute, thinking of all I have learned today. “It’s a fucked-up tradition in made men’s families. Carmine’s mother leaving made it complicated.” Lana stops. “I’ve already said too much. Listen, call me later once you talk to him. I love you, Sienna.” She hangs up. Not with a warning, like everyone else has given me about being careful around Carmine. Just a generic goodbye, as if my world hasn’t just caved in on me … again.
I hang up the phone and stare in my closet to find something to wear tonight for another evening meeting at Carmine’s. I sift through the crowded hangers until I find the sexiest dress I own. A black, form-fitting, off-the-shoulder dress that hugs my curves with a slit on the thigh, much like the one Carmine tore off me last night. Except, tonight, I am not dressed to impress; I’m dressed to kill. Kill him for what he stole from me.
I want to make sure I have him groveling at my feet, begging for his life with a hard dick when I put the barrel to his head. I will seduce him and get one last blast of pleasure before I end him.I need to end him. There is no other way. How can I go on fucking the man who killed my Leo? Carmine stole the last good thing I had in my life and now I will make him pay for it.
All these years, I have been tormented by grief for the man I loved, not knowing what happened to him. Not knowing the reason why he left me so unexpectedly, only to find out I am screwing his killer, who also happens to be my boss?
