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“You frighten me a little.” Niccola grinned, impressed. “You’ll make one hell of a Don wife. Oh, here.”
He handed me the bag to put over my head, and I hesitated but put in on then peeked out to see him pull down a mask to hide his own face.
“Okay, be ready,” he warned. The tires squealed as we came to a screeching halt at the curb. Niccola opened the door, slid out, and roughly pulled me out onto the pavement. I fell to my knees—that was my idea—and I waited for the car to speed off. With shaky hands, I yanked the bag off and blinked around and saw a man drop his bag of groceries as he rushed to my aid.
“Are you all right, miss?” He helped me to my feet. “Should I call for help?”
“No.” I started to cry, and then, in a panicked voice, “Please, can you call someone else for me?”
Ten minutes later, Salvo and Pippo hopped out of a car near where I sat on a bench by the side of the road, looking like I’d been through the wringer.
“Are you hurt?” Salvo touched my arm, but I pulled it back as though nervous of his touch. “Sienna, come, let’s get you to the car.”
“Tell me everything you saw, and whatever she told you,” Pippo barked at the man who had helped me.
“She was tossed out of a car by a man in a mask.” The man was visibly shaken. I felt bad that he was involved, but his part was crucial to the story. “He dumped her on the street with a bag over her head. Wh-when she saw me, she refused help but used my phone to call you.”
Yes, that’s right, tell them everything you remember.
“Make, model of the car?” Pippo urged the man for more details.
“Black, tinted, town car, the man was taller than her, black jacket and jeans.” He rubbed his face. “I’m sorry. I don’t know any more than that.”
“Salvo?” I squeezed out some tears. “Can you take me home now?” The wordhomescorched my tongue, but Elio would have been proud of my performance.
“Of course.” Salvo scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the car. I watched over his shoulder as Pippo handed the man a wad of cash, and I knew he’d make sure the poor fellow kept his mouth shut. I smiled to myself as Salvo helped me into the car, and Pippo followed, looking furious.
The ride home was quiet, and it worked in my favor as I carefully planned my words for when we got back to the house.
To my surprise, when we arrived, Nonna Rosa stood at the door, balanced on her creepy cane. After a quick once-over, she ordered Salvo to take me to the sitting room where she took a chair across from me.
“Are you hurt?” I could tell by her voice and the way she fixed her jacket that it wasn’t the first question she wanted to ask, but she had other ears in the room, so she started there.
“Nothing a hot shower and a good night’s sleep won’t fix.” I allowed my voice to become strong.
“Good.” She switched hands on the cane, and it made me think she used as more as a shield so no one could get close. “Do you have any idea who took you?”
“Yes, I know exactly who it was.” I cleared my throat, “Mariano DeSimone.”
“As in Stefano’s contact at the Capri house?” Salvo cut in.
“That’d be him.” I gently touched my jaw like it was sore. “Apparently, the Capris killed his parents, and since I used to date Elio, he came after me.”
“What did he say?” Pippo moved farther into the room.
“I guess Elio’s been laying low for the past few days, and Mariano thought by coming after me he’d flush Elio out.” I chuckled darkly. “He was wrong. He never came.”
“How did you get away?” Nonna’s cold eyes pierced through me, so instead of saying it, I held up my hand to show my ring.
“He finally listened to me and when he called Stefano, he confirmed it.”
“Stefano knew about this?” Salvo’s voice boomed through the room.
“I don’t know if he actually did,” I winced as I reached for a glass of water one of the maids had brought me, “and I’d really like to think he didn’t.” My voice was sincere as I talked of Stefano’s possible involvement. “Regardless, Elio didn’t come, Mariano didn’t get what he wanted, and I came out all right. It’s a win in my book.”
“I thought you forbid Stefano from seeing that train wreck,” Pippo snapped at Nonna Rosa, and she turned her wicked look on him, but he didn’t back down.
“Come on.” Salvo helped me to my feet. “You’ve had enough tonight, and you don’t need to hear these two go at it.”
