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"What about the people that were in the fellowship?" Starla asks. Everybody looks at her in surprise. Clearly she hasn't gotten the memo that you don’t speak up in meetings like this, or maybe she just doesn't care. God, I love my sister.
"Those that survived are in jail," Romeo says. "We have connections with the police, and we have it on good authority that every member of the fellowship that began this façade has paid their dues." So they're dead, and their associates are the ones in jail.
"And the women and children?" Starla stares at Romeo. Timeo smiles at her. Rico quietly lays another log on the fire.
"I don't know." Romeo is honest, if anything.
"I won't ask you for much," Starla says. "But those are my friends. And Eden’s. And we have a lot we could offer them. I want to find them. I want to get them the help they need.”
Sergio nods, his voice husky when he responds, "Consider it done."
Romeo nods as well. “The Rossi family will join you in whatever situation comes about because of this. We support you, Sergio. You did the right thing. We will not only not allow the cartel to get a foothold in New England, they're not gonna fuck with our family."
Our family. That's me and Starla now.
"How are things at the club?"
He’s changing the subject. I'm assuming then that they've already covered everything that pertains to us. Fair enough.
"Club’s fantastic," Sergio says. "We've met all our quotas for the second quarter and are well on our way in the third."
Romeo grins. "Atta boy."
Only Romeo can talk to Sergio as if he's younger than he is. Even his own mother doesn't get to.
I look to Starla. I don't like her knowing anything about the club, though I can't shield her from it forever. "We're going inside now," I tell Sergio. He stands.
“Let's all go inside. I know Tosca has a lot to talk about when it comes to planning this wedding."
Sergio opens the door for me, and I enter with Starla holding on tightly to my arm.
"Son of a bitch.”
"What is it?”
"Well if it isn’t Mrs. Montavio herself."
"Your mother? Why is that a problem? I can handle her." Sergio turns to look at me, his eyes twinkling. "Why, I believe you can."
"I need to get some rest," Starla says. "So excuse me if I take my leave." Her eyes twinkle at me too, but for an entirely different reason. She is endlessly amused by me and Sergio together, and even though she's starting to understand who this family is that we're dealing with, she still decides when and how she'll learn more. She’s had her fill today, then.
I help her to her room, easily situated near the kitchen, so she doesn't have to walk too far, and I head out with Sergio.
We hear the voices before we even arrive. One tight and in command—Tosca. The other sharp and assertive. His mother.
I'm not afraid. Sergio gives me a look, one eyebrow quirked.
"She's probably going to grill you. I know why she’s here.”
I smile at him, my heart warming at the concern in his face. "I know why she's here, too. I can handle this."
I handled being abducted, abused, and a sham of a marriage that was meant to strip me of everything. I've seen my parents buried, and I have escaped from an actual, legitimate cult.
I can handle a grumpy lady who doesn’t want me to marry her son. It isn’t about me, really, not at all. She doesn’t even know me. I know who I am now, and I won’t ever let anyone take that from me.
I hold my head high and take my place right where I belong: beside Sergio, holding his hand.
When we enter, they all look up, as if someone unfurled a red carpet in front of us. I practically want to curtsey.
