I hugged myself, crushing the flowers to my chest. It was a good life, even if that one puzzle piece was forever out of my grasp.
Chapter 7 – Poppy
“Ican’t believe you’re already leaving! You just got here,” Penelope protested, wrapping her arms around me.
I gave her a small squeeze. She was looking a touch green this morning. The excessive amount of relish, onion, and sauerkraut on her hot dogs last night must not have sat well with her.
“I’ll see you for the Red, White, and Blue Festival, Penny,” I said again, knowing the Fourth was just a few short weeks away.
A rodeo was coming to town. There was going to be a truck pull, fireworks, and the whole town would get stinkin’ drunk to line dance in the street.
My cousin sighed. “I just wish some of the family lived closer, ya know?”
“You have your friend Annaliese living in town,” I countered, smiling at the memory of the buxom blonde who brought cookie dough and had us staying up way too late last Friday night.
“It’s not the same.” Penelope pulled back and gave me a beautiful pout.
That meant the world to me.
Coming from a large family and being the one to move away must be hard for her. I know I missed the Greenbriars. The ranch, the small-town community—hell, even the local parish—had welcomed me with open arms, making me feel like one of them. But for Penelope to feel this way about me made me feel really good.
“Come on, she can’t miss her flight,” Alessandro rumbled.
We weren’t in danger of being late. In fact, two hours entertaining Brady at O’Hare was going to prove a feat. At least he enjoyed watching the planes take off.
The don opened the back door of the SUV, setting the sleepy kiddo in his car seat. Penelope looked like she wanted to say something, so I hung back, waiting for any last-minute revelations.
In the back of my mind, I had a secret hope as to what it was. Little things had been off during this trip. I noticed details and wondered if my addition was correct.
But I wasn’t going to ask. If I was wrong, it would open a sore spot that I had no business picking at.
The revelation never came. Just as Alessandro was closing the door, a rumble of vehicles sounded along the drive. Some instinct, heightened by maternal concern, had me whipping my head in the direction of the gate. Shouts in Italian sounded, and the don stiffened.
I was too busy watching the lead vehicle ram the thick iron barrier to hear what the Made Men were saying.
The next moment, Penelope had my arm, and we were kneeling behind the vehicle as the newcomers tore through the opening and up the drive.
“Brady!” I gasped.
“The SUV is bulletproof,” my cousin hissed, tugging me to her side.
There was a pause as Don Mancini and his guards faced the lead vehicle, guns drawn.
In the silence, my heartbeat thundered like a machine on crack. I couldn’t draw a proper breath, couldn’t see straight.
A door popped.
Boots crunched on the gravel.
Another pause ensued.
I wet my dry lips. Prayers that were more feelings rather than words ascended into the bonny, bright blue skies. This was why I lived in Carrington, avoiding the underworld life. We weren’t safe here. Mysonwasn’t safe in this world.
“This is unexpected,” Alessandro growled. “What did I ever do to you to warrant such an outburst, Mad Dog?”
A rough laugh bounced through the air. The tone was pitch and brimstone, seasoned with ire. It sent a shiver to rattle my very bones.
“You have something of mine, Mancini. Something that’s been missing for a very long time,” the voice responded, accent shaking with spite. “And I’ve come to collect.”
