“Do not finish that sentence. Now, do you want to stretch your legs or not?”
“Defensive,” she murmurs.
Our bickering is interrupted by my dads. “Hey, kiddos. Nice out here, isn’t it?”
“Better than the view from down there,” I say, pointing towards the ocean.
“Ah, you got the boat tour too, huh,” Dad says. That would have gone down like a ton of bricks because he gets violently seasick.
“We did. I’m hoping we can go out the front way when we leave.”
“Speaking of which,” Pop says. “Lorenzo wants us on a plane in the morning. Allegra has already left, and I don’t think he feels comfortable being here without her.”
“Because she’s a violent killer and he needs her to do the dirty work?” I spit.
My dads’ eyes go wide, and they share a look; one I’ve witnessed hundreds of times before, especially in my teenage years when I was particularly moody. “That’s a lot of anger, pumpkin.”
“Maybe I’ve got a lot to be angry about,” I snap. Blimey, what’s got into me?
“You have. That’s true. So let’s talk about it, sweetheart.”
“No, I’m tired of talking. I’m sorry, I’ll be fine. Maybe I need some time alone. I’ll see you later.” And then I walk off back to the house, back to the room I couldn’t wait to be away from, and yet it now feels like the only place I can think clearly.
I have to get a grip on myself. My parents are here and we’re all safe. That’s all that matters. Everything else is just background noise. Allegra leaving without a word shouldn’t matter. But it does.
I’ve only been in the room for a few minutes before I’m feeling agitated. Storming out, I set off down the stairs with no particular destination. Poking my head around several doors, I come to a screeching halt when I enter what can only be described as the most beautiful room I have ever seen. Yes, there is still dark wood everywhere, but that can be forgiven because the wood is housing thousands upon thousands of books. I have never seen a private library this large before.
It’s times like this I totally understand Belle staying with the Beast. Books are a game changer. Sod true love; give me a bunch of novels any day of the week. My brain breathes a sigh of relief, and I know what I need to do to work off this bad mood. I need to organise. I can already see the shelves are in no order whatsoever. That’s about to change.
I don’t hear the door open. I’m surrounded by books on the floor, and I’ve never been happier. So far, it’s less organised than when I started, but I can’t be blamed for getting distracted. Two legs step into my line of sight. Expensive-looking Italian loafers shuffle nervously. Placing down the book I’ve been salivating over, I look up to see Lorenzo staring at me with wonder in his eyes.
“You’re so much like your mother,” he says. “She loved this room, too.”
Standing, I look around. “Sorry about the mess. I’ll tidy it up, I promise. I just needed something to take my mind off…”
He smiles at me softly and I see myself in him again. It’s really weird if I’m honest.
“Take your time and do whatever you need to do. I hope before all this is over, you’ll give me a chance to talk to you. About your mother…or about myself. Whatever you’d like to know.”
“Maybe. I… I’m sorry. I know you want more than that, but I’m struggling with who you are, if truth be told.”
He bobs his head. “Understandable. Just keep an open mind. That’s all I ask.”
I watch him leave and feel myself crumple until I’m back on the floor. I wish there was a “My Dad is a Mobster” manual. I could do with some guidance. My mind drifts to Allegra, and I wonder what it was like for her growing up with Lorenzo.
I wonder what kind of woman she would have been outside of this life.
12
Allegra
Standingonthebalcony,I inhale the sweet smell of home. It’s dark, but that’s fine. I don’t need to see the land to feel at peace. The insects singing and the smell of the vines are enough for now. Tomorrow, I will take a long walk around the property and recentre myself.
I thought coming home would solve everything until I realised my problems were coming with me. By problems, I mean Bonnie Moorside. She’s going to be underfoot for God knows how long. As much as I’d love to lose myself in the vines for the next few weeks, I can’t. My days will be spent shackled to my desk, trying to untangle Lorenzo’s mess. Bonnie will be a constant presence I could do without.
On the plane ride home, I had to have an uncomfortable conversation with myself. Actually, it was more of an uncomfortable realisation. Bonnie gets under my skin and derails my usually impenetrable Ice Bitch persona. She rattles me, and there has only ever been one other person to have done that: Petra.
Petra Cortez was my first love and my rival for years. She was whip-smart and full of fire, just like Bonnie. We would never have survived, though. I know that now. But at the time, I thought we could overcome all our obstacles. The main one being we were parts of two different families that hardly ever saw eye to eye.
