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That did the trick. She sobbed as she looked down at the body, then turned and ran. I hoped she’d go back to wherever the hell she came from.
“Gain,” I addressed my soldier who stood waiting for my command, “spread the word we left for our honeymoon and keep the celebration going. Harris?”
“I’m here, sir.”
“Deal with this.” I kicked Hector’s leg and turned my attention back to my family. “Let’s go pay a visit to the summer house.”
Sienna and Niccola both looked shellshocked.
“Come on, you two,” I helped Niccola to his feet and led the way to the car. A very quiet Wyatt put an arm around Sienna and followed.
The hum of the motor calmed my wild head. Though this was the life I’d chosen, it didn’t make it easier when blood, lies, and secrets spilled out and threatened harm to the ones I loved and protected. I knew Noemi’s past would come back and affect us all, but the news that Niccola was a Coppola had really thrown me. It would never change the way I’d look at, respect, or love him, but I knew it would be a blow that would do a tremendous amount of damage if not handled correctly. I glanced at the headlights in my mirror to confirm the family were following us. They had a lot to think about. We all did.
“I can’t believe this all happened on your wedding day,” Wyatt whispered over my shoulder from where he sat in the back with his arm around Sienna. I knew he was just as concerned as I was that our big day had ended with such a shock. I glanced at Niccola, who sat in silence beside me. I didn’t say a word, I just shook my head in the mirror at Wyatt. What could I say?
When we pulled up to the front door, Noemi’s car was parked in the driveway. I opened my mouth to tell them to wait in the car, but Niccola was fast and flew out the door and into the house before I got my words out. I yelled at Sienna and Wyatt to stay put and ran inside after him.
Niccola’s shoulders were high, and his arms were rigid at his sides as he stalked down the hallway, looking in every room as he went. He gave a hiss when he found each one empty. Suddenly, he turned to the wall and slammed his fist through the plaster. His chest heaved as he took a breath and rested his forehead on the wall. Papa and I kept our distance, as we knew his world had just been flipped upside down. I could only imagine what was racing through his mind. He removed his hand and looked down at his fingers, then he flexed them and muttered something and continued to search. He went into the living room, and we knew he’d found her when his footsteps suddenly stopped.
We slowly approached to make sure we didn’t draw Niccola’s focus away from what he needed to do.
Noemi sat on a chair with her packed bags beside her. She held a glass of wine in her hand. Niccola, his face furious, was facing her down.
The family, including Wyatt and Sienna, who clearly don’t follow orders, quickly joined us, and we formed a horseshoe around them. We all knew how this night would end.
“Am I?” Niccola stuck a finger in her face. “Am I aCoppola?” He said the last word with acid on his tongue.
Noemi’s face fell as she looked over at Sienna.
“I don’t know wh—”
“Tell me!” Niccola boomed and made her jump, and her glass tipped over.
“I had—”
“I’m sick of your lies, Mama!” He interrupted her again, rocking back and forth on his feet.
“Yes, Mama,” Vinni tried to help, “now would be the time to do the right thing for once.”
“Vinni, you know me. You—”
“No! Don’t you even look atmybrother,” Niccola snapped and held out a protective arm as if to shield Vinni from her. “This is between us right now.”
Noemi had the gall to look at me for help in that moment, then her eyes went to Mama, who offered nothing except to place a hand on Vinni’s shoulder.
“I had no choice but to raise you as a Capri.” Her sharp voice cut this time, and everyone stilled. “Theo was dead, and Rosa would have taken you from me. I would have been left with nothing.”
It was as if the air was sucked from the room, and we all fought to breathe.
“That was it? That was your secret?” Sienna’s incredulous words filled the room. “That’s the reason you set fire to the Coppolas’ house and tried to kill me?”
“What?” Niccola’s eyes widened on Sienna then flew back to his mama. “You were behind that?” If I ever thought my cousin would lose all sense of his sanity, it would have been in that moment.
“It’s not what you think. I thought she knew. I mean, if Rosa ever found out—”
“Tell Bosco the truth!” Sienna cut her off and stepped forward. “Let’s get it all out. Tell him how you spent most of your pregnancy at the Coppola house, not at your aunt’s. Tell him you did and will always love Theo Coppola. What was the plan, Noemi, keep Bosco on ice until you knew what you were having? I mean, you’d kept your pregnancy a secret from the Capri family right up until the very end, right up until my father was murdered.”
“Yes. I was pregnant. I needed a home. I didn’t care who the father was!” She slammed her empty wine glass on the table, and when it shattered, she lifted the stem with its broken end and held it out at Sienna. I stepped out and pulled Sienna tight to me.
