“Because I was done with that chapter of my life and deserved a new one.”
“Why are you with the Capri family?”
She was relentless, and it was growing old. I threaded my purse over my arm and slowly stood. I watched as her body language showed her annoyance that I wasn’t staying put.
“You haven’t earned the right to ask that question yet, Elenora.” I wanted to be able to call her Mama, but the hurt that she was causing me was too much. “And in case you weren’t aware, your old friend Francesco is theconsigliereof the Capri syndicate.” With that, I left, hurrying out into the lobby where I came face to face with Elio and Vinni. Elio reached for me as Oscar and another man caught up to me.
“Ms. Sienna, you must stay.” But as he reached for my arm, Elio blocked it.
“Today was the one and only time you will ever touch her,” Elio growled, and his stance made him appear to grow to almost double his normal size.
“If she has questions,” I stepped in and spoke directly to Oscar, “she can ask Francesco.”
“Sienna,” Elenora called as she approached us. She glared at Elio, which only fueled my fire more. “I think that’s enough for today, but I want you to meet me here tomorrow, after we’ve cooled off. We need to talk more. Please, we must try this again.”
I thought for a moment, fighting my need to lash out at her. I had waited too damn long for answers. I wasn’t about to brush off this opportunity, but now it would be on my terms.
“All right.”
“Good, meet me here—”
“No,” I shook my head and heard Elio shift, “if we are doing this again, it’s my way. You had your chance.” I folded my arms and raised my chin to show I was serious.
“Where?” She didn’t argue.
“My parents’ place,” Elio said over my head, “Hill House, The Sunflowers Fields Vineyard, five p.m. Take the south entrance. It will lead you to where we’ll be.”
“Don’t,” Elenora stuck a finger in his face, “get in my way.”
“Enough.” I stepped forward. “If you want to meet me, that’s where you’ll find me. But let me be very clear here.” I moved closer. “If you want any kind of relationship, you better drop the twenty questions act and start looking at me like the daughter you left behind.”
“Fair enough.” Her eyes softened when she finally looked at me. “I’ll be there at five.” She turned on her heel, and her men followed her.
“You okay?” Elio’s hands fell to my shoulders.
“No,” I headed for the door, making his hands fall away, more annoyed than when I arrived, “not even close.”
My fingers curled around the railing of the balcony as I watched them head to their cars.
“Madam.” Oscar handed me a cup of tea before leaving me alone with Francesco. I stirred the sugar cube in a figure eight with the tiny silver spoon and narrowed in on my daughter as she slipped inside the front seat of Piero’s son’s car.
“Who is he to her?”
Francesco moved into my view and took out his phone to decline a call.
“I asked you a question, Cesco.”
Francesco’s jaw flexed as he looked at me. I couldn’t see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but I could tell my showing up unannounced had been a shock to him. “He’s her friend.”
“You promised—”
“And you promised me, too.” He looked back to the car as it disappeared down the hillside. “I think it’s safe to say a lot has happened, and a lot didn’t go as planned.”
“He’s reckless,” I snapped. “Let’s not forget what he got into when he was younger.”
“He needed an outlet. There was nothing wrong with what he was doing.”
“It was illegal.”