“What about my things and my job?” His face showed his confusion at the sudden turn of events.
“I will have someone drive you to get your things. As for your job, I’m sure we can provide you with enough stories to keep your boss happy.”
“Shit.” He leaned back in his seat and let it all sink in.
I felt for him and the sudden change in his life. I wasn’t sure how I would cope with all this if I was in his place.
“I never meant for any of this to happen. I’m still trying to understand it all myself. There seems to be something more going on than I know. I’ll get to the bottom of it soon, and we can get your life back on track, but in the meantime…” I shrugged as if to sayit is what it is.
“I appreciate your honesty on everything.” He gave me a glance. “How is it I know nothing about the mafia? You never make it into the newspapers or any TV headlines.”
“We never do any business in public. Ever.”
We both settled into our seats and let the hum of the engine fill the silence. I mulled over our conversation, making a mental note to have someone watch over Wyatt when he was out on his own. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smirk, then when I looked over at him, he chuckled.
“What?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “I guess it’s weird being here, with a drink in hand, you know, chillin’ with a villain’.”
I laughed into my glass and went back to my emails.
After a bit, Vinni gave a soft whistle to get my attention and waved me over. I leaned over and gently kissed Sienna on the forehead, pulling the blanket up to her chin.
“For years,” Wyatt stood next to me, “that girl cried for you every day, and if she wasn’t in tears, she’d often slip into a memory and tell me about it. Anything to find a moment of happiness.” His eyes grew glossy. “Never once did she ever say anything bad about you or your family. I feel that really says a lot about what you used to have. I don’t know what your world is like now, but if it’s anything like I’m imagining, please don’t hurt her again, because I’m not sure I can put her back together.”
“I’m not going to let anything hurt her,” I promised, and I knew he believed me because he held out his hand and we shook on it. A man should keep his word, and that was exactly what I was going to do, no matter what the cost. With that, I joined my cousins.
Over the next two days, Vinni moved Wyatt’s and Sienna’s belongings to my parents’ house, and they settled in. Mama was beside herself with excitement to have them there, while I paced my office trying to figure out where the hell Mariano had raced off to just before we arrived home.
Sienna seemed to be avoiding me while she digested everything that happened, which was hard to wrap my head around because I was used to having her again.
“Elio?” Francesco stood in the doorway of my office. “Everyone is about to leave for the church luncheon. They’re leaving in fifteen. Did you still want to attend?”
I rested my elbows on the back of the chair and covered my face. I knew how important it was that the family was seen at these community events. We needed to show to our support, but I had so much on my mind.
“I know it’s bad timing, but we haven’t been out as a group in a very long time. It’ll do us some good.” When I didn’t answer, he continued. “Sienna is going.” He grinned and wiggled his brows at me when I looked up.
I rolled my eyes back at him and reached back for my phone. “Give me a few minutes to change, and I’ll meet you out front.”
I changed into my black Paul Stuart suit and slipped a gray and black silk handkerchief in my breast pocket. I wasn’t feeling it, but I knew I needed to dress up when I was in front of the public. It was no secret to the town who we were and what we did, but we were respected because we never hurt those who didn’t deserve it. Plus, we poured a lot of our oil revenue into the small businesses around the town, and in turn they grew deep roots to grow and expand.
Squinting at the sunlight as I opened the front door, I slipped on my Cartier sunglasses then stopped when I saw Francesco, Wyatt, and Sienna in the driveway, all studying me.
“Great,” Wyatt tossed his hands up, “now I feel underdressed.”
“Ready?” I smirked at her best friend, who turned out to be pretty funny at times.
“Is that a Paul Stuart?” Wyatt whispered enviously to Sienna, and she gave him a nod.
I opened the door for her, and she slipped inside, tucking her gorgeous black leather skirt down as she wiggled into the seat.
“Vinni, no stops. There and back.”
“You got it.” He settled into the driver’s seat, and I nodded to Francesco, and he joined Vinni up front. I might not have been in the mood for an outing, but I knew appearances were everything, and I was going to act like all was well with our world. I knew I needed to find out what Stefano was up to, and I would soon figure it out. Even more than that, I needed Mariano to come the hell home. He had a lot of shit to answer for.
I joined the others in the back of the car and signaled to Vinni to get moving. Once we were out of the driveaway, we waited for bodyguards to catch up, and we drove three cars deep into town.
“How’s the arm?” I peered down at Sienna’s skin-colored bandage.