“Right-hand man, that’s also known as hisconsigliere, right?” He nodded. “And you’ve been in love with my mother since forever.”
“Yes.”
“You’re not my father, because my father was murdered.”
“Correct.”
“But you’ve been around the Capri family for nearly a lifetime.”
“Yes…” He eyed me for a moment, trying to catch up to where I was.
“Which means you know his family like you would your own?”
“If not more.”
“Is there anyone you don’t particularly like?”
He pulled into the driveway of the hotel and left the car on for the cool air.
“Sienna, did someone do something?”
“I…” I paused, unsure I wanted to pull at the thread just yet. “I guess I’m just a little confused over a conversation I had with someone.”
“What was said?”
“They told me I needed to leave. They acted like they knew me, but I had never met them.” I flipped my hair out of my face, needing something to do. “It was their tone and anger toward me that was so confusing.”
“Can you share with me who it was?”
I bit down on my lip and chewed the inside of my cheek. My nerves got the better of me, and I couldn’t say it.
“All right.” He held up a hand. “You don’t have to say, but tell me, whoever is saying this, are they part of the Capri family?”
I held his gaze for a moment then reached for my purse and politely thanked him for the drive. Dashing across the parking lot, I headed inside. The maid was just coming out of the door, and I stepped around her.
“Mama?” I called. After a moment, I realized she wasn’t there. I sat on a chair and waved the maid goodbye. She didn’t question me as she closed the door behind her. If there was one thing I’d learned in all my years of chasing stories, it was to look like you belonged, and no one questioned you.
I went into her bedroom and sat at the vanity and admired her makeup and perfumes. I removed the cap to one of them and breathed in the heavenly scent of roses. I liked being in her space. Like a child seeking comfort when they didn’t feel good, I just wanted to feel her.
I held an earring up and watched it sparkle in the light. I loved her fashion sense. She was just an older version of me. I placed the earring with the other and knocked over a lipstick.
“Shoot,” I muttered and reached under the chair for it. When I bent down, I saw a stack of papers under her suitcase. Curiosity got the best of me, and I pulled them free. A copy ofFabMagazinewas on top. I felt something stiff between the pages, so I tipped it upside down and caught a card before it fell to the floor.
Scribbled in black marker was, “You couldn’t hide her forever.”
I blinked at the sentence and stood. I felt frozen and barely registered the door being opened and my mother’s gasp.
“Sienna what are you doing here?”
“Who sent this?” I held up the card and watched her eyes close as she let out a long breath.
“I don’t know.”
“Why are there people after us—after me?”
“Because a bad thing happened, and we were part of it.”
“What bad thing?” I shouted.