Page 32 of Loyalty

So was another guy.

She recognized Andino Marcello instantly. Of course, she only knew of the man, and very little else. He usually came to have meetings with one or both of her brothers every couple of months for Cosa Nostra business.

Something about crews, or streets.

Siena didn’t really know.

She wasn’t supposed to.

“Oh,” she said, taking a small step back. “Sorry about that.”

Kev cocked a brow at her. “You don’t know how to knock today, or what?”

“I’m late.”

Darren scowled. “Again.”

“How about you two do even half of the stuff I have to do, and then tell me how well you’re able to manage your fucking time.”

That quieted her brothers.

Siena mentally patted herself on the back.

“I’ll just wait outside until you’re done,” she said.

Kev sighed, and stood from the chair. “No, it’s fine. We were going to continue our discussion over a meal, anyway. Better for you to get to work while you’re actually here. And don’t even think about taking off before the changes are made to the books, Siena.”

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, or tell her brother off. She only opted not to because Andino was there, and it wouldn’t lead to anything good for her in the end. One of her brothers would tell their father that she had disrespected them in front of a man from another organization, and she would never hear the goddamn end of it.

All of these rules suffocated her.

It never ended.

Siena moved to the side of the doorway as her brothers moved past her to leave the office. Andino followed behind them. He gave her a tight smile, but nothing else.

She wasn’t sure why, but her mouth decided to open up and ask something she had no business knowing. Andino was a Marcello, after all. He would have to know Johnathan. Cousins, or something.

It had been two weeks since she last saw Johnathan on the busy Brooklyn street. She had been so busy that when he got another phone call, she didn’t mind letting him rush off even it was the second time he left her hanging.

Sort of …

“How’s John, Andino?” Siena asked.

The man’s steps halted instantly.

So did her brothers’ in the hallway.

“Pardon?” Andino asked.

“Johnathan. He’s like a cousin of yours, right?”

Andino nodded. “He is, yeah.”

“How is he?”

“Busy,” Andino said, chuckling. “I didn’t know you knew him.”

She could plainly see the way he probed for information without outright asking her, but she didn’t mind indulging him. If only because she was hoping to get a little bit of her own information, too.