So, Giani is pissed. Nothing new there, I guess. But pairing Gisto’s black eye with the fact Giani has skipped his time at the bar has my hackles up.
“Thanks, Luke. We’ll talk soon.” A gut feeling tells me we got to Bonnie just in time.
I sit, deliberating what to do next. Bonnie is safe here for the time being. We have enough family around to guard her. She doesn’t need me babysitting. My time would be better spent figuring out what the Arellos are up to.
Jogging to Lorenzo’s office, I knock before entering. He’s standing by the window again looking…sad. He turns to briefly look at me before staring back out the window.
“I’m going back tonight,” I announce.
That gets his attention. “What’s happened?”
“Nothing as of yet, but something’s stirring. I can feel it. I need to get back now. You can follow with Bonnie and her parents in a couple of days once I’ve made sure it’s safe to return.”
“But—”
“No buts, Lorenzo. It’s happening. You need to snap out of whatever the hell this is,” I say, waving my hand around the office. “Hiding away isn’t helping.”
“It’s not that simple,” he begins.
“I don’t want to hear it,” I snap. “I’ve got too much on my plate to worry about you right now.”
Harsh, but true. This wilting sad sack is no use to me. I need Don Ferrante to step up and help me. Lorenzo has always reacted better to the truth, no matter how hard it is to say or hear.
He studies me for a second before pulling at his shirt sleeves. Once they are fixed, he does the same to his tie. “You’re right. And yes, I’m aware of how many times I’ve said that lately.”
I grin. “I’ll call you when I arrive.”
“Be safe, Allegra.”
“Always.”
Taking a deep breath, I leave and head straight to my room to pack.
I’m going home.
11
Bonnie
Ihaven’theldontomy parents like this since I was a child. All my bravado and anger simply went up in smoke the second I saw my dads. The past twenty-four hours catch up to me in one heart-stuttering moment, and all I can do is sob into their embrace.
“You’re okay, pumpkin.”
I’m not okay. Not in the slightest. Everything feels overwhelming. “I…”
“Deep breaths, sweetheart. We’re here now,” Pop says. Dad wraps his longer arms around me and Pop.
“Hey, I want some love,” Kelley calls from the bed, which makes me laugh. We’ve spent the past few hours talking things through. She’s almost convinced me it’s a good idea to go along with Allegra’s plan. I apologised again for snapping at her, and then we spent a good hour trying to get a comb through her hair.
“Come here, Kels,” Pop laughs, breaking away from me and Dad to take Kelley gently in his arms. “How ya doing, kiddo?”
Kelley and I are both in our early thirties. We’re not exactly kids, but Pop always calls us that.
“Sore, but okay. I’m ready to get out of this bed. It’s my shoulder that hurts, not my legs” she huffs.
“Why don’t we go for a walk? The gardens are lovely from what I can see,” Dad says, looking out the window.
I shake my head. “We should stay here and talk. I’m so glad you’re here. Maybe you can talk the crazy blonde lady into letting us go home.”
