Quiet Wealth, page 19
“A little, but part of the deal was that the brothers would protect me and have ever since. Plus, at that point, the Coppola family suddenly went quiet. Their attention moved off me and focused elsewhere.”
“Lucky for you.”
“Yeah,” he nodded in agreement, “it made things easier.”
“What do you think happened?”
“There was a rumor that someone from their family had been spotted that they thought was dead, but nothing really came of it. Whatever it was, I never heard. They kept a tight lid on it within their family.”
“I see.” I scribbled more notes down and drew a quick timeline while more questions bounced around my mind. “So,” I held my hands up with my pen balanced between two fingers and my thumb. “So just to clarify, you’ve now joined forces with the Santoro brothers, and their focus is the Rosario family. Not the Coppola family.” I tried to move the story forward.
“Correct.”
“Did the Rosario family do anything to you?”
“Personally? No.”
“Then why help kill innocent people?”
“There’s no such thing as innocent people. Everyone has crimes, guilt, skeletons in their closets. The Rosarios were ruthless, showed no mercy to those that probably deserved some. They did terrible things to good people and bad. That’s life.”
I couldn’t help but wonder what Elio’s family was considered. Were the Capri family as ruthless, or were they as bad as the Rosarios and Coppolas? Did they kill innocent people to get what they wanted, too?
“Let me explain my involvement with the brothers, as I can only imagine what’s running through your head right now.”
“Please.” I welcomed any more information he could give me to make sense of all this.
“It’s not about the power or revenge for me, Sienna. It’s the thrill of the game. I got a certain amount of time to find a person. If I didn’t come through, the brothers would find someone else who could. I was replaceable, and that meant I was also disposable.”
“So, you couldn’t just walk away from them?”
“No.”
“Because you knew too much?”
“Because of how things work, how you are accepted in.”
“Meaning?”
His forehead rested on his hand, and his finger tapped his temple as he thought.
“I can’t divulge that.”
“Okay.” I shook my head, understanding I was pressing my luck, and tried another tact. “Can you tell me anything about the brothers? What they were like?”
“Ah, you ladies always want the personal stuff.” He chuckled. “Well, let’s see. Tieri is the charming one, takes on any lady who looks his way. He would be the fun one, if you will, while Zazzero is more the brooding type, which, of course, all the ladies love.” His smile made me squirm.
“Anything else?” I wanted him off this subject. I didn’t like where it might go.
As he leaned back in, the leather on his chair sounded like snow being crunched under a boot. I didn’t interrupt him with another question, and a few quiet seconds ticked by.
“No matter what, they won’t kill woman or children.”
“Killers with a conscience?” I snickered. “How nice.”
“We all have a conscience, Sienna, it just lives in people in different ways.” He tapped his chest as he said it, almost as though he wanted me to see he had one, too.
I folded the corner of the page with a lingering question I debated asking.
“I couldn’t help but notice that you speak in present tense about the brothers.” I noticed his eyes shifted to Mariano’s. “Would that mean they are still alive, that you’re still in contact with them?”
“And if I was?” he challenged.
“Then my story just got a whole lot more interesting.”
“Mm.” He rocked his chair as he studied my face. The buzz of his intercom had me leaning back and taking a breath for the first time since I arrived in his office.
“You have someone here who wants to speak with you.” A voice came through the tinny speakers.
“Be right there.” He checked his watch. “Would you excuse me for a moment?”
“Of course.” I stood as he did to be polite, and when we were alone, I beamed at Mariano.
“So, do you think you have a story here?” He put his phone in his pocket as he spoke.
“Yes, for sure. How The Finder works and how he met and started working with the Santoro bothers is huge. It’s more than anyone else has ever gotten.”
“Good, but I think you’ll like the next part even more.” Just as I was processing his words, the door opened, and in walked The Finder and a very tall man with a very charming smile.
Wait…
“You must be Sienna.” He offered his hand, and I nearly blanked on how to move. “You might know me as Tieri.”
I swallowed back my fear and somehow shifted my gaze over to Mariano, who simply smiled a smug smile that didn’t at all mirror my inner terror. It was one thing to research and meet informants; it was a whole different matter to find yourself in the presence of a known assassin.
“H-hi,” I stumbled and didn’t care.
“I take it you weren’t aware I was to attend this meeting?”
“No, I was not.” My voice had a bite to it. “Forgive my manners.” My heart was in my throat, and my stomach had left me high and dry.
“No need.” He waved me to sit and sat on the corner of the desk, casual as could be, while I sat like a stone, knees pressed hard together and my heart on ultra-speed. “So, Mariano tells me you’re a journalist.”
“I-I am.”
“And that you’re writing a story on my brother and me.”
“Well, yes and no.” I stumbled again. “Yes, I am, but you weren’t necessarily my main focus. I was going to focus more on The Finder, as I had no idea you were even still alive.”
“I can assure you we are very much alive,” he chuckled, “but of course Tieri is merely a stage name, if you will. He has died at least four times now.” He laughed again like it was some inside joke. “Also, Zazzero isn’t my brother. That was merely to throw the hunters off the scent. I’ll answer a question if you have one.”
I wasn’t sure if I was happy about this at all. I wanted to murder Mariano for not giving me at least a heads up and for not giving me a chance to say “no way” to meeting a stone-cold murderer.
“Um.” I tucked my hair behind my ear, and I knew he saw how shaky I was. “Why?” popped out of my mouth, and my eyes bugged out at how blunt it must have sounded.
“Why what?”
I was in too deep now to backpedal.
“Why did you do it? Kill all those people?”
“Why isn’t the question you should be asking me.”
“I’m the journalist.” I shrugged trying to remain calm. “I don’t see why that wouldn’t be a standard question.”
He cleared his throat as he rubbed the button on his jacket.
“Because the why isn’t something you could comprehend.”
“Try me,” I shot back, and I heard Mariano chuckle from behind me. If I could nut punch him, I would.
“In order for you to understand, you need to be vetted. In order for you to be vetted, I would need to take you somewhere and show you some things.” He stood and towered over me. “And that could result in a whole new bloodbath.” He chuckled.
I thought I might faint with how close he got to me, and I swore I could smell blood on his breath.
“However, Sienna,” he leaned closer, and I pulled back, “if you want the why answers without the vetting, Zazzero would be the one to answer that.” He tucked a small piece of paper inside my notebook.
“Then why did you come and not him?”
Seriously, was I asking to be killed? Shut the hell up, Sienna!
“For the same reason you wanted to meet me.”
“I didn’t know I was meeting you,” I reiterated with a sharp tone.
“This is true.” He chuckled again. “I guess I should say, it was curiosity.”
“Curiosity? I still don’t understand.” I let my mouth go. “Who am I but a small journalist? A girl with a past not worth remembering. I fail to see the level of curiosity.”
He tilted his head as he thought. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Sienna.” He seemed to drink me in for a moment longer than was necessary, then he stood and whisked away, disappearing out the door.
I quickly gathered my things, gave somewhat of a goodbye to The Finder, then I rushed outside. I needed to get the hell away from the building.
“Hey!” Mariano came rushing up behind me. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong!” I shouted, and a man stopped to stare at us. “You set up a meeting with one of the Santoro brothers! Holy shit, do you know how scary that was? How incredibly bad that could have gone and still could?”
“Nothing would have happened to you, Sienna.” He caught my arm as I reached for the car door. “I know them, and they won’t hurt you.”
“How, Mariano? How could you possibly know that?”
“Okay.” He pulled out the paper Tieri had given me and held it up. “I’ll prove it.”
“I’m not going to meet Zazzero.”
“It’s not an address, it’s a phone number, and I want you to trust me. So, trust me.”
“Trust is earned, Mariano.” I snatched the number from his fingers in fear he’d make the call anyway. “It’s not something you can force on someone. What I want right now is to go home.”
His lips pressed together hard, and I could see his anger, but at the same time, I knew he was also upset.
“Fine.” He motioned for me to get in the car, and he didn’t speak as we drove in the direction of his home.
As we left the city limits, he tried to cover my hand with his. It wasn’t a smooth or tender moment. It was one of a man who knew he had screwed up and was now nervous of where my head was.
I immediately pulled away and wrapped my arms around my stomach in hopes it would calm the butterflies that were in a fight to find a way out. My hands still shook. It wasn’t only fear, but anger and disbelief at the unbelievable carelessness of his actions that had me in such a state. I wondered if he truly understood the dangerous position he had put me in.
Snap! Snap! Snap! went his annoying elastic band.
“I’m sorry,” he called after me as I opened the car door and raced inside his house. Tires squealed as he peeled off back down the driveway.
It took me about twenty minutes to gather all my belongings and put in a call to Elio’s mother. Andrea was always my first thought when I needed someone; sadly, Elio used to be.
“Hi, honey, are you okay?”
“No, I’m not. Not really. Andrea, would it be all right if I spent the night with you and Piero? I’m at Mariano’s.”
“Of course, I’ll send Vinni right down to get you.”
“Thank you. I’ll be ready.”
Within minutes, I was standing in the Capris entryway, feeling like a teen again waiting for Elio to come downstairs.
Andrea took one look at my face and wrapped me up in a hug and rubbed my back.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“I just…” I sniffed. I wanted to share everything with her, but what would that mean? The family had spent years keeping their secrets from me, and if I told them what Mariano had done, would they freak out and make me leave? “I just need a break from Mariano.”
“Music to my ears, sweetheart.” She brushed a stray hair off my face. “I don’t like the thought of you two together alone in his house.”
“You are a bit biased.” I tried to smile.
“I am.” She nodded with her arm wrapped around my shoulders. “Come, let’s get you something to eat.”
When I lifted a glass of water to my lips, my traitorous hands gave away my nervousness. Andrea’s eyebrow arched as she looked into my eyes. There was a time when the shakes were second nature to me. The urge to crawl out of my skin with fear would take over and paralyze me. My friendship with Wyatt over the years had calmed my nerves, and I was much more settled. That was until today.
“Sienna,” she sat down and leaned into me, “if something happened, you know you can talk to me, right?”
I nodded, not wanting to lie to her but still not ready to tell the truth of what had happened and where I had been, and—even worse—who I had been with.
The door opened, and I felt Andrea take a deep breath of relief. I knew she must have texted Piero when Dante was dishing up our meals.
“Sienna, did he hurt you?” Her voice broke my thoughts.
“Did who hurt you?” Elio’s commanding voice made me yelp.
“Jesus, Elio,” I jumped, “you scared me.”
“Who hurt you?” he asked again, his voice sharp but much lower in tone.
“Calm down, son.” Andrea held up her hands. “She just needed a break from Mariano tonight.”
Elio came around to sit in the chair next to me, turning my legs so I’d face him. The look on his face told me now wasn’t the time to lie, but it also told me he was on edge, ready for a fight.
“Mama, would you please give us a moment?”
“Of course. I’ll be right over there.” She squeezed my hand and shot her son a warning to be nice. I missed that look, but it struck me as funny because Elio would never hurt me. Ever.
“Bella,” he cleared his throat, “tell me what happened.”
“No. I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I can tell your mind isn’t in a good place, so no matter what I say, you’ll fly off the handle, and we don’t need that tonight.”
“Sienna,” he warned.
“Elio.” I mimicked his tone and rubbed the side of my head, feeling worn out.
“Just tell me if he hurt you.”
“He didn’t hurt me.”
“Then,” he pressed his hands against my knees, “what happened?”
“He just…” I treaded carefully. “He put me in a position I didn’t like. I got nervous, so I packed my bags and left.”
“Nervous about what?”
“Elio, please.” I closed my eyes, just needing a moment, and I could tell he was growing frustrated, so I changed focus. “What’s wrong with you tonight? You seem very edgy yourself.”
His dark eyes moved to mine, and I saw something flicker across his face.
“Just a rough night.”
“I hear you.”
“You could share yours…” His eyes bored into mine.
“So could you.”
He nodded. He knew neither of us was going to budge.
“You’ll stay here tonight, and we’ll figure out the rest tomorrow.”
“I think I’m going to go home tomorrow,” I whispered, and he shot me a confused look, but before he could speak, I put up my hand to stop him. “I got my story. I just need to write it and turn it in. This isn’t my life, Elio, it’s yours.”
“I want you in it.” His voice was soft and raw.
“Elio.” I lowered my head, feeling the pain that came along with that topic, and tried to deflect the emotion. “I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for Mariano. It was a freak accident that I’m here at all.”
“So?”
“So, I don’t fit here.”
“Why are you pushing me away?” He stood and ran a hand through his hair. “Is this because of what I told you at the cemetery?”
“No.” I stood on shaky legs and held on to the side of the chair. “That is a whole other can of dark that I need to process. I just need to go home, regroup, and get my head on straight. Between the article, Mariano, and feelings I have spent a decade trying to bury, I think I just need a few days to breathe.”
“I can’t lose you again, Sienna. I won’t.”
“Elio…” I stopped when I saw his eyes narrow in on something.
“What the hell is that?” He lifted the heart-shaped pendant off my chest and studied it, his face unreadable.
Dammit.
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing isn’t heart-shaped jewelry.”
“I think he just wanted me to wear it when I met…” I trailed off and bit down on my lip, upset I almost misspoke.
“Met who?”
“It’s nothing, Elio. Let it go.”
“It’s ugly.”
“Yes, well.” I reached for my dishes and started to walk into the kitchen. “It’s not me, but then, I didn’t buy it.”
“But you are wearing it?” He was right on my heels.
“Yes.” I rolled my eyes at Dante, who glanced my way when I reached for the dish soap.
“Why?”
“It was a gift, and I felt bad saying no.”
“Why a necklace?”
Drying my hands, I turned around and reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone and handed it to him. “He’s your best friend. Why don’t you ask him?”
“You drive me crazy,” he gritted through his teeth.
“Pot, kettle, black.” I spoke each word carefully to be sure he got my point that this was how we used to be. We would banter, we would fight, and we would make mad, passionate love afterward. Whose fault was it that we no longer had that?
I quickly turned around and went back to cleaning my dishes.
“Dante,” Elio said quietly, and seconds later the room was quiet, and I knew we were alone. He came up behind me, pressing his strong chest into my back and locking his arms on either side of me. The smell of him made my knees wobble and my stomach roll up into a tight coil.
“Of all things he could have gotten you,” he whispered against the back of my neck, raising goosebumps to the surface. “Of all things to remove.” His hands on the counter flexed into fists. “He chose that.”
“Elio—”
“Where is it now?”
Damn. I closed my eyes, remembering where it was and how I was in such a hurry to leave that I forgot it.
“At his place.”
I barely felt him push away, and when I turned around, I found the kitchen empty.
Needing some time alone, I finished cleaning up and headed for the guest room to be sure I had privacy.
I pulled out my phone and called Wyatt, hoping he’d be up for a chat.
