“Have you ever asked Piero about me?” I sat perfectly still, unsure I wanted to know what was coming my way. “Because,” she placed a photograph in front of me with an orange-highlighted date from back in the seventies, “that’s me, Francesco, and Piero.” Her gaze moved up to meet mine. “It was taken before you were born but, nonetheless, he can’t say he didn’t know me when clearly he does.”
I held the photo between my fingers and tried to make sense of what I was seeing.
“That was the day my parents met Francesco,” her voice changed, “and the day they told me I could never be with someone who associates with criminals. They recognized Piero. The Capris may be handsome, but they certainly have a reputation across Italy as ruthless men. Even though it is well known they are classy and reserved about it, they still murder.”
“So, you and Piero knew one another?”
“Francesco is hisconsigliere, Sienna, so needless to say, we didn’t have much alone time.”
“But Piero seemed so confused on who you were, and Andrea too.”
She shrugged and handed me another photo of Piero, Andrea, Francesco, and Elenora, along with three other people, and I recognized, a young-looking Elio. The air from my lungs emptied, and I found it hard to breathe.
“He was sixteen at the time, old enough to remember this day.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “I know this is confusing, Sienna,” she sounded a million miles away, “but his family sank their claws into you many years ago and have you so tangled up that you can’t see the truth.”
“But why?” I felt like crying and yelling all at the same time. “Why lie about knowing you?”
“Because they killed my brother and know I can prove it. They got their claws into Francesco and now you.” She quickly brushed a tear away. “What better way for them to keep me from coming forward when they have control over the two people I love most in this life?”
I broke.
Tears streamed down my face, and my chest heaved in pain. How could this be? How could I have been so used by those I had come to love? By the only man I had ever loved? There had to be some kind of explanation. Then Elio’s words from Vinni’s party came screaming back me.
“Wait, what do you know?”
“I know enough that you shouldn’t have seen what you just did, so keep your eyes on Vinni until whatever you saw is finished.”
No. It couldn’t be. There must be some mistake.
“Hey,” she rubbed my back as my world tilted around me, “this is why I’m so careful with what I share with you. You’re a strong woman, Sienna, but sometimes life can be even stronger with its hits.”
“But I love him.” I sobbed uncontrollably. “How could he lie to me?”
“It’s the world of crime, my sweet daughter.” She kissed my head lovingly. “Trust me, I’ve been living in that pain for years, grieving my brother and grieving for the man who would never leave that life for me.”
She pulled me to my feet and took me inside to rest on her bed. I thought I had hit the lowest of lows before, but this was something else. My eyes grew tired, and my head needed to rest before it could process any more.
I wasn’t sure what time it was when I crawled out of her bed to find the room empty. I squinted with sore eyes at the clock and saw it was six at night. Did I really sleep through the afternoon? I looked around and found my purse, wanting to be in my own room to digest everything. I swiped the photos from the desk, tucked them away, and made it to the door where Oscar was standing guard. He gave me a concerned expression but didn’t move out of the way.
“Can I pass?”
“Ms. Elenora would prefer you to stay in her room.” I was tired of people telling me what they’d prefer I did.
“Where is she?”
“She stepped out.”
“Without you?” I called bullshit.
“She downstairs with a visitor.”
A visitor? Who would that be?
“Well, I want to pass, so let me go.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Oscar,” I huffed, so tired my bones hurt, “I want to go to my room, have a shower, and be left the hell alone. Surely there’s a part of you that understands that?”