Ettore watched me step away and frowned. “She declined, obviously. Offered you up in her place.” Oh my God. It felt as though my heart split in two as he muttered an even, “You really didn’t know?”
My eyes began to sting as the lengths of her betrayal sank in. I blinked my tears back. All I could do was shake my head.
He took a single step forward but he seemed to know not to touch me. “Listen. For what it’s worth, I definitely got the better sister.”
Oh God. I know he thought it was a compliment, but, right then, was the wrong thing to say.
“Excuse me.” I turned, starting for the stairs.
I was already half way down when I heard him say, “Vittoria, wait. Baby…”
My heart was thumping in my chest when I stormed into the living area and spotted her sitting poised on the edge of the sofa. “Is it true?”
“Is what true?”
“That you sold me off.”
Ettore walked into the room and Vincenza glanced at him uncaringly. Como watched on from the opposite side of the couch. And, you really had to give Enza credit. She didn’t even deny it. She simply poured the coffee and said, “We would have killed each other.”
I stood there, stunned. She really did it. She sold me off like day-old bread.
My soul splintered. “What did I cost, huh?” She looked at me then, completely unashamed. And then I turned to my husband and asked, “What am I worth?” Nobody answered. My heart raced and I shouted, “What the fuck was I worth?”
Como stood with his hands out. “Vicky, please.”
But Enza finally broke her silence. “A seat at the high table.” She picked up her coffee cup and sipped at it. “You were never meant for this life. You’re too soft.” Too weak, she meant. “And so, I made use of you. My marrying anyone would have been a waste of my life. Papa raised me as a son. I was built to sit on that seat.” She placed her cup down with a gentle clink. “It’s my destiny. It always has been.”
I was right. Everyone had a bargaining chip. And, as it turned out, I was Vincenza’s.
It was at that moment that a conversation had with Marco flooded back to me and I asked, “You know, I have trusted your guidance since I was a child. You led and I followed, your loyal and devoted subject. And I know you don’t like questions, but I have one for you and I demand an answer.” For a moment, her expression turned puzzled, as if she couldn’t believe I was capable of talking to her this way. “Vincenza, why did we lose our seat at the high table and why did you need to gamble me to get it back?”
“You know what happened,” she said quietly, landing her furious gaze on Tor.
I shook my head. “I always took what you said at face value because I believed you would never lie to me, but I am calling you out. It doesn’t make sense. It never did.”
Her eyes filled with tears. Her hands balled into tight fists. “He lifted his gun. He shot it and we lost our father.”
“Why though?” I looked between them and my stomach ached, desperate for answers. “Why?”
“Because Ettore Scala is an unfeeling monster. He shot papa and murdered him in cold blood.”
Ettore laughed but there was nothing humorous about it. “As always, Vincenza, your story is lacking. I didn’t raise my weapon until necessary.”
“Liar!” My sister stood, seething. “You aimed and shot to kill.”
Ettore glowered at her. Exasperated, he boomed, “Yes, I did, but I wasn’t aiming forhim.”
What?
The silence that followed was painful. It seemed I was only going to get answers from one person and so, I turned to my husband and my voice broke when I begged, “What happened? Please tell me. I need to know. I’ll never heal if I don’t.”
Ettore peered down at me before he lifted his gaze to the trembling wrath that was my sister. “It was a quarterly meet. Everything was going smoothly until it came to the Vero seat. Normally, your pops spoke but that day, he allowed Vincenza to speak for him. Instead of sticking to script, you sister decides to make demands for more territory. And I don’t know what she thought would happen but, everyone laughed at her and I was stupid enough to tell her that she could have my territory if she could fight me for it. The laughter turned raucous and I laughed too, because what she was asking for was crazy. She hadn’t earned shit. Obviously, this was not something she wanted to hear. Embarrassed, Vincenza lost her temper and did something stupid. She pulled her piece. The laughter stopped immediately. She was warned that this was an expelling offence. She knew she fucked up the second she did it, but her ego was triggered and her response to that was, ‘Oh well, better make it worth it then.’ She pulled the trigger. Mine followed. And while your sister is about as bad a shot as you are, baby, mine would have met its target…” Oh God. I knew what was coming before he even said it. “If your father didn’t take the bullet meant for her. Your dad died and the Vero seat sat empty. Until now.” He looked at me earnestly. “I would never have done it if not provoked.”
“He’s lying,” Vincenza uttered. “He’s lying. I’m your sister.” And then she cried, “He’s lying! It wasn’tmy fault.”
It wasn’t her fault. Nothing was ever her fault.
“I believe you.”