“Right.” I stood too and gathered my belongings and the photos, holding them up to him. “Of all the things that you’re questioning me on, do you have photos to back them up?” I made a point of waving at the photos. “I also find it interesting that while you continue to vet and question me, you’ve failed to notice my real hesitation during that polygraph.”
He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. I knew his signs well enough to know we weren’t going to get anywhere tonight.
“I just want to know what you’re hiding from me.”
“Me too…” I dropped my arms, suddenly feeling so heavy.
An uncomfortable silence fell between us.
“I think our boomerang effect just officially broke.” I waited a beat, then I left him there and headed upstairs.
It wasn’t until much later that night when I was curled up in the seat in the guest room that I heard his car engine turn over and he peeled out of the driveway. I reached for my phone and called the one person who would cry with me into the night.
“Who do I need to kill, because my week has been shit?” I broke down, unbelievably happy he answered.
“I need you, Wyatt.”
“That’s a damn good thing because I’m five minutes from you and I need my Sienna.”
My heart surged with happiness as I wiggled into some comfy clothes and raced downstairs. I nearly tackled him as he got out of the car.
“If that’s not a greeting.” He hugged me back just as hard.
“How did you know I needed you tonight?” I sobbed.
“Elio called me.”
“What?” I pulled back, confused.
“He doesn’t sound good either, but I think he’s more concerned about you right now.” I dried my tears, trying to make sense of what he was telling me.
“I need to know more.” I took his suitcase, and we headed inside where we were soon curled up on the couch with a bottle of wine and some cheese.
“Wait, so he told you to come and told you he needed to deal with something but didn’t want me to be alone?”
“Yeah, when I asked him what was wrong, he just said the gate had my name and license plate and that I would be escorted here by those two guys who follow me everywhere.”
“Nothing else?”
“Not from him, no.”
“Meaning?”
“I called Vinni on my way here and asked what was going on.” He nibbled at some cheese. “Apparently, Elio told the guys he was going out and not to follow him. What the hell happened, anyway? Because when I left, you two were all Fifty Shades of Elio, so what gives?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed, feeling the weight of our mess on my chest. “So many secrets are surfacing, and I just feel that someone is working against us.”
“How so?”
“You saw how we are together. I mean, we have a history that’s built on a solid foundation, we fit, we work, and suddenly he went all dark and doubting. He’s questioning me about my history and how he needs to understand my past in case I’ve done something that can hurt the family.” I brushed a tear away.
“Could it be he’s nervous of your mother showing up?”
“I think we’re all a little nervous of Elenora, only because she comes with her own bag of secrets. I still have no idea what she even does for a living. Francesco assures us we are safe from whatever she was afraid of, so there’s that, at least.”
“And you trust him?”
“I do.” I nodded without a doubt. “He was there for me when she wasn’t.”