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“What happened? Where’s Dad?”
“He’s at work, not returning my calls. Rory, the boys are gone.” She clasped a hand to her mouth and wept.
“Mom. What?” I jumped out of bed and rushed to hug her. “What do you mean they’re gone? They love it here.”
“Signoria Vittoria sent a car this morning. They’re off to boarding school.” She wiped her eyes. “I mean, she mentioned it yesterday, and I thought it would be a good idea, you know. For them to get a fancy education like that. But I didn’t realize she’d take them away so soon.”
“I didn’t even get to say good-bye.” I plopped down on the mattress.
Signoria Vittoria sent my kid brothers away because she didn’t like that Mom and Dad had kids. Though I had to wonder, were they gone because she was annoyed with children or had my brothers become a colateral of sorts? To make sure Mom and I stuck to our end of the bargain and kept all their mafia secrets.
This was insane. I knew nothing about their dealings, illegal or otherwise.
“The house feels so quiet without the boys running around. I called for you, but you didn’t come down. The driver said he was on a schedule and that he had to go.”
“How did they take the news though? Were they okay with leaving?”
“Yes, they were. You should’ve seen them. They were sure they were on their way to Hogwarts.” A smile pulled at her lips. “I know this is a good thing. I just thought I’d have more time with my babies to get used to the idea of boarding school.”
“Do you know where they’re going?”
“Yes, I have the packet downstairs. Some posh place in Cornwall.”
This was all happening too fast. Last week, the twins and I were at Denny’s for dinner, fighting over an order of fries. At the time, all I thought about was how I wouldn’t have to put up with their roughhousing and overall crazy antics when I left for college. How was I supposed to know it would all change in a matter of days?
“Maybe we can try FaceTiming them tonight and see how they’re getting on.” I wrapped my arm around her. “I’m sorry. We’ll figure it out, okay?”
“You’re starting your senior year in a few days. You don’t have to worry about me. Signoria Vittoria mentioned she had a few committees she wants me to join. You know, to stay busy?”
“There you go.” I smiled at her. “You’re going to make a great socialite.”
I just hoped Dad didn’t ruin this for her. The Italian mafia was serious business. They were all ruthless and deadly.
“Mom, do you think Dad is blackmailing Michael Alfera? Maybe he found out some dark secret. I mean, how else do you explain all this?” I gestured toward the apartment and the ridiculously gorgeous view outside my window.
“Of course not.” She scoffed. “Dad has been working hard. Mr. Alfera noticed his efforts and decided to give him a job within his organization. That is all.”
“What I did or didn’t do to get us here is none of your business.” Dad crowded the threshold. He lifted his phone and showed it to Mom. “I have ten panic messages from you. I call you and you don’t answer?” He stepped into my bedroom and suddenly the room felt smaller.
At six feet, he towered over Mom’s five-six frame. The lines across his forehead deepened as his dark gaze shifted between Mom and me. When Mom looked up at him with tears in her blue eyes, his features softened. For all of Dad’s rough edges, Mom always knew how to calm him.
“What happened?”
“Dad, Signoria Vittoria sent the twins to some boarding school in Connecticut.”
“Is that why you’re crying?” He ran a hand through his hair, seemingly annoyed that the situation wasn’t as dire as we made it sound.
But it was a big deal that Signoria Vittoria had that kind of say in our lives.
“We discussed this last night, Lia. You were okay with it.”
“I just didn’t know it would happen this fast. That’s all.” Mom snuffled a little.
“That’s the point, Dad. Why the rush? All my old clothes are gone. The boys are gone.”
“This is how these people work. They need us to be fully integrated.”
“What did you do?” I asked again, since he wasn’t as put out as he was when he first walked in. “How are we rich all of a sudden?”
