She bit her lower lip and looked up at our faces. “I’ve been working at the dockyard for a few years now. I’m not afraid of hard work. I just don’t get my pay, as it all goes through Andrew Di Vaio. He only allows me money to buy clothes. Without money, it would be nearly impossible to go. I represent income for them, so it might not be easy to do.”
“You’re always welcome here, dear.” Mama put her hand over Sienna’s and gave her a warm smile.
“That’s very kind, thank you.”
It wasn’t lost on me that Sienna only ate the fruit and not the actual meal. The Italian in Mama wanted to insist that she eat, but I gave her a warning not to push. I knew Sienna was never fed much. I knew she always ate what I left for her, and I was happy to be able to do that, but a meal like the one we were having would overpower her stomach.
As the afternoon went on, I could feel her anxiety level rise. I knew it was her fear of being away from the house too long. My parents enjoyed talking to her. Despite what she had been through, she was quite smart and had a fire to her personality that I found very intriguing. However, I knew she needed to get back and stood to give her the out she needed.
“Thank you for such a lovely afternoon.” She hugged my mother. “Forgive me for not staying longer, but I must get going.”
“Wait, wait.” My mama held up a camera, and as she snapped a few photos, it surprised me that Sienna leaned into me and smiled warmly. Even my mother seemed pleased and snapped a few more as we were hustling around the table.
“I will walk with you.” I waited for her to say goodbye to my parents then led her back toward the path, her hand in mine.
She remained quiet for most of the way. I knew I had dropped her into a world she wasn’t ready for, but if I didn’t do it then, when? I started to get nervous and decided to be honest with her the way she had been with us.
“Sienna,” I reached out to stop her, “I’m sorry if that was a lot. I just wanted my parents to meet you.”
“Why?”
“Because I really like you.” What was she not getting?
“You can have any girl out there. I have nothing to offer you.”
“You’re different from any girl I have ever met.”
She closed her eyes, and a tear leaked out. I reached up and gently dragged my thumb down the damp path, catching the tear at the corner of her lips.
“You’re right. We are very different.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I know, but it’s true.” She smiled and slid her hand from mine. “Thank you for an afternoon I will never forget.” She leaned up and gently kissed my cheek then disappeared through the brush back to what I knew must be hell for her.
“You look happy lately, my friend.” Francesco set a cold beer in front of me. “Would this have something to do with a certain young bella donna?”
“Perhaps.” I grinned and pushed out a chair with my foot, so he would join me. Francesco was actually our consigliere, but he was so much more than that. He was like a big brother to me, easy to talk to, and always had the best advice. He often stepped up when my father had a lot to deal with. Like right now, I knew something big was brewing by the way the staff in the house were practically tiptoeing around and my mother was constantly watching the phone. So far, I had purposely not asked about it. I had other things on my mind.
“Perhaps?” he repeated then pulled out a few photos. “Then perhaps you would not mind if I threw away these photos?” He held up a picture of Sienna that my mother had taken and wiggled his eyebrows. I snatched the photo from his hands and stared down at her. She was looking directly into the camera. Her hair had dried wavy after our swim, and the ends had caught the breeze and brushed across her cheek. I couldn’t tell if her eyes were a dark hazel or a deep navy blue. Either way, I found myself lost in them. I was careful about how much I stared at her in person, not wanting to make her uncomfortable, so this was the perfect opportunity to study her face.
“I know that look, Elio.” He pulled my gaze to his with his tone.
“Is it possible, Francesco? To be in love so soon? Before one has had time to test the waters and know what else could be out there?”
“There is no starting point for when to love, Elio. That’s not how it works. Someone much higher than us presents the opportunity. You can either embrace it when it comes and see where it takes your heart, or let the moment pass and hope another will come that will be more worthy of it. Only you can make that choice.”
“What if I don’t want anyone else?”
“Then you hold on to her.” He paused, and I saw that familiar smile appear that smoothed the stress lines around his mouth, and I knew his wife was on his mind.
“Are you thinking of your Mariella?”
“Mm.” His smile grew. “Listen to your heart and hold her tight.”
“There seem to be so many obstacles to being with her.” I sighed deeply to make the point.
“Obstacles will always be part of love, Elio. If love was easy, where would be the challenge in that? It takes work to be in love. When it isn’t, well, that’s when you must tread carefully.”
“How can I show her that I am worthy of her, make her see that I’m worth loving back?”
“By being you. You have a steady hand, a head on straight, and you lead with your heart.”
“And what about the family business?” I challenged.
“If she loves you, she’ll love all of you. Just go slowly.”
“I hate that house.” I flicked my head in the direction of the De Vaio house. “Renzo should be tied to the back of a pickup and dragged over shards of glass.”
“I don’t disagree.” He huffed with a smile at my choice of words.
“I saw it in his eyes that he wants her. It took everything in me not to drag him outside and beat his face in.”
“You said your part for now. The time will come for that, but there’s no reason to scare her until she knows the truth. Who knows what story Renzo might plant in her? You must be patient.”
“There you are.” Mama raced toward us, fluttering her hands nervously. “We have guests, so please get dressed. Your father needs you to befriend the son.”
“Mama.” I hated that part of the business.
“Elio.” Her face told me not to push, and a strangeness settled into the air. “Please.”
“Very well.” I headed back inside and noticed Francesco darted toward the staff corridors, no doubt to warn them to get ready.
Despite the tension in the house, I took a moment to remove a photo from a frame and replaced it with the one of Sienna and me. Our fingers were laced together, and my lips were pressed to her fingers. Such a simple moment, but yet so special. I held on to it for an extra beat then sat it next to my bed. I was looking forward to showing it to Sienna the next time I saw her. With one more glance at her smiling face, I hurried to my closet to get ready. My father had stopped in to quickly brief me on who was coming, and I knew I had very little time.
I rolled my eyes at the blacked-out Mercedes E-Class that led the four cars up our long driveaway. You might as well have spray painted mafia on the side of it. I rested my forearms on the railing of the balcony and watched as a fat man waddled over to help his over-the-top dressed wife and son, who looked to be my age. The DeSimone family were the head of their syndicate, which was much smaller than ours and was wedged southeast of our northern territory and just northeast of the Coppolas’. For years, they had tried to hold their own, but, as my father explained, they just didn’t have the power we had to rule. We hoped they would want us to absorb their territory, which would allow us to expand our reach.