I stepped back, running a hand through my damp hair, frustrated that although so much time had passed, whenever I was near her it felt like no time had passed at all. That she was still mine, to love and touch.
“He’s not right for you.”
She shook her head then quickly glanced back with an angry glint. “Then, who is?”
“Me!” I nearly yelled.
“You had your chance.” She shrugged sadly.
“Give me another.” I took her hands in mine and kissed her fingers.
“How can I trust that you won’t leave again?”
I switched gears. “Sienna, I’m nervous what he might expose you to.”
Her face slipped, but she recovered quickly, and something dark fell over us.
“Has he?” I licked my dry mouth. “Exposed you to something?”
“I should get back.”
I let her go, more because I knew my temper might scare her away.
“Elio,” Francesco made me whirl around as he approached from the back door, “I think we should talk.”
“Yeah, okay.” I reached for my shirt, and we both headed to my office.
“I never thought we’d see her again, let alone here.” He put his files on the desk so he could settle in for our daily meeting. Francesco was our eyes and ears, and over the years he had been at my father’s side, even before he met my mother. He was one of the bestconsiglieresI had ever known. He had also proved to be excellent at hunting down people for us.
“Kind of like seeing a ghost.” I sighed, remembering how true her statement was about whether we were real or not, because many times the photo was all that kept things real to me. A thought popped into my head, and I frowned.
“What is it, Elio?”
“I hate that she’s searching for someone who clearly doesn’t want to be found.” I was referring to her mother. “Do you think she’s still out there?”
He chewed the inside of his cheek as he thought. “Sienna put herself out there with that article. If her mother is out there and wants to be a part of her daughter’s life, she’ll show up. If not…” He gave a sad shrug. “Sometimes things are better left in the dark.”
“Yeah.” I glanced outside and shook the feeling away. “What do you have for me?”
“Well,” he opened his leather-bound notebook, “Stefano and his two cousins are staying at the La Tegolaia villa. They checked in three days ago and apparently packed enough to presume they are staying for a while.”
I had learned that Stefano had been appointed the head seat in the Coppola syndicate in Rome when his father got sick. His father had stepped in as head boss for his brother, who had vanished years ago. There had been many theories on what might have happened to Teo Coppola, but nothing concrete. The Coppola family had been trying to rule the north for decades now, and when we made the quick move from Sicily to Florence and joined forces with my uncle’s family, we became extremely powerful and untouchable. Up to now, Stefano had been very quiet, but his power suddenly seemed to go to his head, and he had become more and more aggressive. He wasn’t hiding the fact he’d been encroaching on our territory.
“I have a tail on them and will report any findings.”
I leaned forward and removed the envelope, handing it to him filling him in on what happened.
“And you haven’t opened it?” He seemed to still be reeling from what I’d shared. “May I?” I nodded and watched him open it and scan the paper.
“It’s just numbers.” He handed it back, and I let go of the breath I was holding. Rows and rows of numbers lined the page, each seven digits long. “A tracking log maybe?” He shrugged.
“Whatever it is, it must have been important enough to use one of my men to deliver it.”
“Or maybe he was testing him?”
“Perhaps.” I rubbed my head, trying to make sense of it all. “If he is threatening our people to force them to do things,” I held up the numbered sheet, “or testing them, then we need to get Niccola to do some more digging.” I flicked a pen through my fingers.
“You don’t think that’s risky?”