How do I know I’m in love with Elio?
Love is when you’re spinning so fast that everything blurs around you. Butterflies take home in your tummy, you feel giddy whenever he’s around, and most of all, he makes you laugh. Being in love should bring you joy. Staying in love takes patience and compromise, yes, but most of all love is about living life to the fullest together as one and making each other laugh. Life is too glorious not to laugh at the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I used the back of my hand and did a poor job of clearing my tears.
“I hope I didn’t overstep in answering your questions, Sienna, but no little girl should go through life without some kind of guidance.”
“The fact that you did this…” I tried to pull myself together, but it was no use. I was a weeping mess. “It’s like you’ve gone back in time and soothed a heartache I never thought was possible.” I threw myself in her arms and hugged her tight. “Thank you, Andrea, for the kindest gift a mother could give.”
“You’re very welcome, mybambina.” She sniffed as she stroked my hair the way a mother would a child. “I just adore you, Sienna, and I can’t express how excited I am that you’re going to be my daughter-in-law.”
I laughed happily back at her because I’d dreamed of being Elio’s wife my entire life, and it was finally going to happen.
“Do you feel better than you did this morning?” She dried my tear-streaked cheeks.
“Yes. I think I needed today more than I ever realized.”
“Good. Would you be up to eating something?”
“Yes, I would.” I thought for a moment as I felt my stomach grumble. “I’m starving.”
I was pleased the cook prepared simple food tonight and nothing too rich in flavor. I was hungry, but with all the rich food we’d been eating throughout our trip, it was hard on the stomach. I just wanted good old bread and cheese and seasonal vegetables. I was delighted when that was exactly what was served. We all ate at the table and talked over the plan for the next day.
“We leave at five a.m. and take this route here to the airport.” Elio pointed at a map and ran his finger along a back road that he knew of from when he was young. “Once we board, it’s roughly a three-hour flight to Naples. From there, we’ll meet Marco, Vinni’s friend, who’ll drive us to Pozzuoli, where we’ll spend the night, and then we travel to our next destination, Castello Aragonese.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to go to Bari first then Naples?” I asked, looking at the map and trying to understand why we’d backtrack to Bari after we went to Naples.
Elio looked at his father then at me. “There’s been some unrest in Bari. We’re holding our visit a bit to see how the city fares.”
“Unrest?”
“Let’s just say our friends to the east of Bari are upset with the sudden changes with the Coppola downfall. They too were victims of Rosa Coppola and aren’t happy, and now that she’s gone into hiding, emotions are high. As soon as things settle, and we feel they’re ready to talk, we can go and pay our respects. They are already under Capri control, so we aren’t too worried. Naples, on the other hand, is the last remaining Milani syndicate. Though we know Pauly quite well, Mariano’s been close with him. That stop is more important.”
“Naples is merely a speck on the map. You’d think they’d just roll over and hand you the keys,” Wyatt joked.
“Us the keys,” Elio corrected, and I smiled over at him. “There’s the Coppola way of getting land, and then there’s ours. We will visit, explain the situation, and come to an agreement that will benefit them and their people.”
“And if they don’t comply?” Wyatt sipped his water.
“Then we’ll take over and the deal is off the table. We pride ourselves in our ability to perform in a more refined manner with our clients. Steamrolling over people was never how we wanted to do business, nor will it ever be. If you are to be a leader, then be a good one. It’s how you maintain power the longest. Respect goes a long way, and it’s an underestimated tool that a lot of people lack. It’s why we are now the strongest syndicate to date.”
“Refined, but dark, if I may say so.” Wyatt smiled. “I’m impressed.”
“Well said,” Andrea chimed in. “Now, who’s up for dessert?”
Just like that, the work talk ended, and Elio soon had everyone delighted with his tale of how we’d disposed of Mariano.
Syndicate Tour
Naples
“Deal with it!” I boomed through the phone then picked up a clay lamp and threw it across the room. It didn’t help, so I grabbed the other and did the same. Niccola ducked as he came in the room, narrowly escaping a concussion. I faced him and put my hand to my head. It felt like it was going to split in two.
“Whatever you want, boss, just say the word.”
I leaned on a table and looked out at the view. The water from the top of the Castello Aragonese was beautiful, but it barely registered. We’d only arrived the day before, and things were quickly getting out of control back home at our dockyard. I knew the news had spread that I was away traveling, and some men tried to attack my port. Was it Rosa or someone else trying to take advantage of my being away? I hated not knowing.
“Boss?” The urgency in his voice needed action.