* * *
Black iron gatesopened after the car pulled into the drive. A second after we were through, they closed automatically. I had a burning urge to turn around and look, to see if there was a way out once in. I held my face straight, though, my eyes rising to meet the towering mansion that grew bigger the closer we came to it.
In this affluent area of Staten Island, it seemed a place by itself, with hardly any other “houses” around. The land was protected on all sides, leaving this mansion to stand on its own.
The driver took the turn around a horseshoe driveway, Corrado’s side facing the front door, and parked.
Corrado kept my hand tightly in his as we made our way inside.
The furniture and the decorations were all something that reminded me of mynonna’shouse, except the feeling in this…mansion…was completely different. I did not feel warm, but almost chilled to the bone. I used my free hand to rub my arm, thankful for the long sleeves.
The lights were dim, candles burned in numerous areas, and I could hear whimpers, but I could not tell where they were coming from.
Corrado led us to the kitchen, where hisnonnasat, wearing all black, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. When her eyes met his, she whispered, “They killed him in cold blood.”
I stood back when he went to her, and I was faced with an entire kitchen full of women who stared at me harder than the men who had come to welcome their new Don home. One in particular, a plain-looking woman who tried too hard not to be, stared at me with red-rimmed eyes that were more evil than sorrowful.
As I did with the men, I looked at each one of them, letting them know that I was not intimidated.
“Alcina.”
Then and only then, when Corrado’snonnacalled my name, did I look away.
She wiped her eyes and then stood to embrace me. She and I had gotten along when I had met her for our wedding. She seemed like a decent woman with a good heart.
“Alcina.” She patted my cheeks, her hands cold. “I’m so glad you came.” She glanced at Corrado, but her eyes quickly returned to mine.
I took her hand in mine, trying to warm it up some. “I am so sorry about your husband,” I whispered.
Her eyes filled with tears. She nodded at me. “Thank you,” she said. Then, with a few women following her, she left the kitchen. I could hear their footsteps moving up the stairs.
Corrado took my hand again, his face hard, and we followed the women.
A picture at the top of the stairs stopped me from going any further. It was a picture done in oil of three girls. I ran a finger along the elegant gold rim and then looked up. Corrado was staring down at me from the top of the stairs.
“My aunts,” he said, his voice gruff. “My mother.”
He did not point out who hismammawas, or who were the aunts. I wondered if it did not matter to him anymore. My heart hurt at the thought. He had been deceived his entire life, and then, after the woman he thought was hismammahad been killed, was left to deal with the truth of his birth.
I ran my finger up higher to a girl who seemed like the youngest. Another girl had her hand on her shoulder. “This one,” I said. “She is yourmamma.” There was something wild in her eyes, something that the others did not have. Corrado had it, too.
“Mamma,” he said, copying my accent. “Or aunt. They are interchangeable for me now.”
“This is Luna?” I knew that was hismamma’sname, but the woman who raised him as her own was Emilia. I suspected she was the one with her hand on Luna’s shoulder. There was a connection between them that I could feel through the painting, like the artist had captured it.
It reminded me of the connection I had with Anna. She would have died to see me safe. There was no question of my love and loyalty to her—I would have done the same if our positions had been reversed.
He nodded but said nothing else.
“Your father,” I said, letting my hand fall. “Who is he?”
“I have no father,” he said. “There’s only the man who created me. Corrado Palermo.”
I narrowed my eyes at the name. Why would she name her son after the man who left them?
“Come, Alcina,” he said, holding out his hand. “You need to get used to this house.”
I took his hand and he led me down a long hallway. There must have been over twenty rooms, at least. “Will we be staying here long?”
