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I glanced over at the other men, who watched us intently.
“What about you?” I locked my gaze on one of them. After a moment, the light in his eyes faded and his lids lowered as he spoke.
“I stand with the Coppola family.”
“Drop them all,” I shouted as I turned and raced out of the room.
I didn’t have time for pathetic pride or useless wails.
“Someone pissed off the devil,” one of the rats called from one of the cells, so I pulled my gun and shot at him without missing a stride. I hoped his screams of agony would add fear to those who were left.
I lowered my sunglasses as I burst through the door to the outside. Anger coursed through my blood, making me see red. I was tired of the secrets and lies, tired of not knowing what the hell was going on until it was too late to do anything about it.
“Boss?” Niccola caught up to me, huffing. I held up a hand to keep him at bay.
“How could I not have known?” I boomed.
“None of us thought there could be someone else involved. We just assumed it was Stefano…” He paused and joined my side. He changed his tone. He knew there was so much more than this eating away at my core. “It’s just a name, boss. She’s still Sienna.”
He lowered his eyes when I glared that he even went there.
He cleared his throat, knowing he was pushing all my buttons. “Don’t let a name change a lifetime of feelings between you.”
I wanted to lash at him for harping on a topic I didn’t want to discuss but stopped myself. I could ride this out alone or…I pulled out my wallet and handed him the paper Sienna had found in Nonna’s car.
“What’s this?”
“I think it’s time you knew the truth about Nonna.”
The hotel ceiling had swirls that went off in different patterns. Since I was on a two-day cry binge, it didn’t take me long to discover that it was a maze. With a heavy arm, I lifted my hand to trace the paths and found my way out. Now if only I could do that in real life.
I slipped into a memory.
I lay on my side, numb and cold with my eyes fixed somewhere outside the window. The murmurs from downstairs, which normally I’d find comfort in, now made me feel like I didn’t belong. My head swam with the truth, and my heart fought to care to beat anymore. I flinched when the bedroom door opened and rolled my head to see who it was. The darkness kept the visitor hidden. That was until her soft, beloved touch brushed down my arm, outing who it was.
“Cuoricino?” She spoke softly as I shifted over to let her sit next to me. She brushed my hair off my face and wrapped me in her arms. “I’m sorry, Sienna, for the way we behaved downstairs. It just took us all by surprise.”
“I swear, Andrea, I had no idea.” I struggled through the knot in my throat.
“I know.” She hugged me tighter. “Never once did I think otherwise.”
“Do you look at me differently now?” I had to know to protect myself from the blow of losing this family again.
“I look at you the way I always have, like the daughter I’ve always wanted.” She kissed my hair, and I let out a silent sob of relief. I should have known better than to think Piero and Andrea would ever think I’d keep secrets from them. Secrets were the root of all evil and never got anyone anywhere. But…
“And Elio?” I managed to get out.
“He loves you, Sienna. It’s just…” She trailed off, and I squinted to look up at her, but it was too dark to make out her face.
“Just what?”
“Maybe it’s time I shared something with you, and then I will explain what we are going to do.”
A voice pulled me from my memory. “You need to eat.” Ugo was at the edge of the bed looking down at me, concerned. I struggled to hold on to my memory, but it flittered away. I forced myself to recall what he’d just said.
“I will, I promise.” I closed my eyes as tears prickled. I loved that Andrea had come to talk to me that night. Her love and her kind words made me feel a lot better. But the fact that Elio had come himself filled me up and helped a great deal to repair my torn heart. The truth, however, was what it was, and no matter how much they tried to put a good face on it, the shock of knowing the truth was incredibly unsettling, not only to them, but to me. I didn’t blame Francesco. How could I? He’d kept me safe and brought me Elio; he gave me happiness. But my mother? How could my own mother hold such a secret from me? How could I know if that was even the last of it? Could there be even more hateful things I didn’t know about? Would Elio and I be strong enough to get through any more?
“I’m not sure how long I can keep your location from your mother. She’s growing restless.” The mere mention of my mother made me see red.
