“Will it?” I challenged. “I appreciate that Mama went to speak to her, and that Sienna is taking some time for herself, but there’s something else. Papa, I really need to share something with you.”
“Hang on.” He pulled his glasses from the top of his head and held them up to the phone screen. “Francesco says the lead on Mariano was a dead end.”
“I’m sure he’ll show up soon looking for Sienna.” I snickered. “Are you sure Francesco is even looking?”
That made Papa lower his phone in a hurry. He stared at me with an expression I’d never seen before and knew I’d hit a nerve, but I was tired of not getting answers.
“Pardon me?”
“I’m living in a den of secrets, taking one hit after another, and Francesco knew all these years who Sienna was, and he chose never to share it. I guess I’m just trying to understand why he’s still here.”
“Are you saying you want him gone?”
“No, not really.” I shook my head, feeling my own confusion for the painful things this life sometimes brought. “Papa, you want me to take over the family business, but you won’t share why the man you consider to be your best friend kept one of the biggest secrets from us.”
“I knew.” He cut me off, and my face dropped. “Sit down, son.”
I lowered myself into a chair while my ears rang painfully. I wasn’t sure what I was about to hear.
“Well, I didn’t know.” He took back his words, and I was sure he said it that way just to grab my attention. “But I wasn’t completely kept out of everything.” He waited for me to nod for him to go on. “I barely remember meeting Elenora once years ago. She didn’t seem to have much interest in us, so I didn’t take much notice of her. I guess something happened between Elenora and Francesco, and he chose us over her. About two years later, he came to me and asked for a huge favor. He wanted a few months off, said if there was ever time to trust him with something it was then. When I asked what was going on, he said he couldn’t tell me, but that it was about a child who needed help. Said he’d made a promise to someone, and for the safety of all of us, he couldn’t share it.”
“And you accepted that answer?”
“If Niccola or Vinni came to you with that, you wouldn’t have trusted them?” He had a point, so I nodded for him to go on. “Regardless, if I knew who Sienna was or wasn’t, he felt it was his duty to save her, and to be honest, I think I would have gone along with it even if he had told me.” Suddenly, his gaze moved over my head, and I turned to find Francesco standing there with a pained expression on his face.
“I just wanted to let you know the DeSimones have arrived.”
“Thank you,” Papa responded.
“Elio.” His face spoke volumes. Clearly, he’d heard some of our conversation. “I don’t expect you to understand why I didn’t tell you the truth about who she was, but just know this. I gave up my love to give you yours.”
He left, and Papa shook his head.
“Like I said, son, I have and always will trust that man. Mafia rules or not, he’s staying, because he’s family.”
I sat in the corner of the little pub sipping a drink Ugo had ordered for me. It was bitter and packed a good punch, which helped ease my nerves. Wyatt had to return to his assignment, and there was a part of me that was happy he’d left. I had a feeling things were going to get a whole lot worse before it got better. I shuddered as I relived the last few hours.
Turns out all high-powered nonnas were utterly terrifying. Ugo had warned me that his welcome would be an unwanted one, since he’d left years ago in disfavor. Apparently, he was considered a traitor to the family, but now, since he had brought me to their doorstep, he hoped this good deed would be our ticket in.
I leaned back and stared out the murky window at the door Ugo was now behind. I let my head go back to the events of this morning in an attempt to ease my rattled nerves.
“If we’re going to do this, Sienna, you need to know the truth about me,” Ugo said hesitantly.
“I’m listening.” I placed my espresso down and crossed my legs.
He stood and brushed his hands down his pants uneasily. “My mother is Theo’s younger sister by seven years. Like most females in our syndicate, they are forced to the sidelines and do as they’re told. Very different than the Capris,” he muttered, and I saw him wince at the mention of Elio’s family. Though the wound was raw, it was something I’d lived with for years. I waved him to go on. “My mother was told who she was going to marry, a son from a family close to our syndicate, of course. It was all about the money. Despite the two of them hating one another, they were married three months later and lived in our main house, under my nonna’s rule. If you thought Mariano or Nonna Greta Capri was scary, you’re in for a rude awaking with my grandparents. Just be glad Nonno was murdered six months after your father was.” He shook his head as if the memory of his nonno still haunted him. “Anyway, Mama loved a baker who worked in town. She’d slip away whenever she could and meet with him when her husband was away. I’m sure you can see where this is going?”
“I can, but I’d rather not guess.”
“I was conceived six months after Mama married. Instead of keeping it quiet, Mama tried to use me to get out of her marriage. Nonno wouldn’t have it and roughed her up pretty good. I still think he was trying to get rid of me, but I was here to stay. Soon after, my papa was found dead, shot in the head, down by the water’s edge.”
“Oh, Ugo, I’m sorry.” I covered my mouth, feeling his pain as he shared his story.
“I regret that I never got to know him. I heard he was a good man, who worked hard and fought for what he thought was right. As the son of a bastard baker, you can imagine I had a hard time all through my childhood, living in that house. I was hated by all.”
“I actually can imagine how awful it must have been for you.” Ugo nodded, knowing my time spent at the De Vaio house as a child had been dreadful and continued his story.
“Mama never fully recovered from the loss of her lover and had moments when she would just stop and stare at the wall for hours, no doubt trying to recall a happier time. I knew she loved me, but staying with that family was easier said than done. Oscar was much older, and he took pity on me and helped when things got too hard. Then one day, when I was in my teens, this woman appeared at the house. She had dark blue eyes, her smile was warm, and her name was Elenora.” He caught my gaze and held it as he spoke of my mother with such warmth. Warmth I was still waiting for from her.