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We called it the boomerang effect, the kind of love that couldn’t be broken. It could stretch and bend but always returned to its rightful shape.
Two Weeks Ago
Sweat dripped down my face, and my body begged me to quit. Aldo, my trainer, even threatened to leave if I didn’t slow down. But I wanted this, needed this. After the shock of finding out that Sienna was a Coppola, and that I had been manipulated by my own beloved nonna, my world had flipped upside down. All through my childhood, my nonna had taught me what I needed to know about my world. As she helped my father groom me to take over the family business one day, she shared her knowledge and gave me the confidence I needed to be the man they needed me to be. It was all those things that made the level of betrayal that coursed through me so untamable. If I stopped, I knew I’d snap. I was not going to leave this ring until I could no longer feel.
“Boss,” Niccola called, but all I could see was dust as I kicked, punched, and jammed at the eighty-pound bag that swung from the ceiling. “Elio!”
“He’s not listening,” Aldo panted. “He wore me out, and now he’s determined to fight his way through the bag.”
I blocked their chatter and used my arm to swipe at the sweat that dripped from my brow.
“Great,” Niccola groaned. “Well, I’ve got a reason for you to stop.” He paused. “Mariano was sighted near the dockyard.”
Good.
“I have Gain and Donatello tailing him.”
I’ve been planning my kill.
I saw him glance at Aldo out of the corner of my eye. “All right.” He stepped closer. “Sienna left.”
My punch wavered and the bag swung out to the side in a twist.
“She left a note, too.”
That stopped me mid-punch, and I ripped the tape from my swollen hands. I tossed the sticky ball on the floor of the ring as I ducked under the ropes and dropped to the floor. Aldo tossed a towel at me as I grabbed my water, downing nearly all of it.
“When?” I grunted.
“The camera showed five-fifty, sixteen minutes after Nonna left.”
“Note?”
“It’s in the kitchen at the Hill House.” Niccola nodded. “She also wrote something in flour, and I’m not sure what it means.”
I nodded once, grabbing my keys, and headed out the door to the Hill House.
Once behind the wheel, I steadied my breathing and allowed my mind to slip back to memories of the night before.
When the house finally settled after the shock of Sienna’s news, I was left with my head still spinning as I relived the night’s events one by one. I’d left Nonna in the kitchen with Abramo making calls to ensure we had extra protection. We were unsure of just what the repercussions would be once the news of who Sienna really was got out. Nonna firmly believed the Coppolas might be heading this way and that they’d planted Sienna in our lives to spy all those years ago.
“I thought you could use this.” Mama handed me a glass of rum and sat down beside me, nursing her own drink. It wasn’t often that Mama dipped into the hard liquor, but tonight was a different story.
“Elio, I—”
“Her face told me everything.” I cut her off, needing to let her know where my head was. “She found out who she was and came back to tell me.” I shook my head, unbelievably disappointed in myself. “She tried and tried to show me she was loyal, and because I’d been so well schooled by Nonna in the importance of the family and our oath, I couldn’t see it. Now…” I swallowed hard, “she’s up there in turmoil while I’m down here with Nonna’s eagle eyes watching my every move.”
“I’m so proud of you, Elio.” I turned to face her head-on, wondering why on Earth she would say that now.
“I also believe Sienna had no idea who she really was, and so does your papa. Shame on Elenora for withholding such a secret, and shame on Nonna Greta for behaving in such a way.” She reached for my hand. “I’m just so proud you can see this for what it is and not turn your back on someone who needs you now more than ever.”
“I love her, Mama.”
“I know you do, and that’s why we are going to make this right, but it will require you having some distance from her.”
“I’m not sure I can do that.”
“Trust me, son, the last thing you need is your nonna meddling any more than she has.” She gave me a knowing look, and I found myself wondering if Nonna had ever crossed Mama before. “I think it’s best for Sienna to take some time away from the house, to clear her head. She needs time to digest this news even more than we do. Surely it can’t be sitting well with her.”
