He turned around and handed her to me. She calmed right away when I spoke to her, kissing her on her wet cheeks.
“She just does not recognize you,” I whispered.
He fixed his suit, nodded, and then left with his men.
* * *
Bella Luna was packed.The line was out the door. We’d completely run out ofLo Scorpione.It was one of the most popular candles in the shop.
Nunzio followed Anna, Brooklyn, and I out as we left.
“Accidenti!”Anna said, smiling.Damn.“You are a hit, Alcina!”
“Not me,” I said. “The candles.”
She stopped before we got to the car, looking at the empty shop next door. “What happened? It looks like a nice place. Like a candy shop. It’s sweet looking.”
Nunzio opened the door to the car and I slid in first, followed by Brooklyn and then Anna.
“He was not there long,” I said. “He came to introduce himself and then not long after, the shop closed.”
Brooklyn started to laugh. “You seriously don’t know what happened to him, Alcina?”
“No,” I said. “Why would I?”
She shook her head and sighed as Nunzio started the car and pulled out into traffic. “Two words. Your husband.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “He ran him off?”
“I’d bet my date on it,” she said. “He runs this town. No one talks to his womanand gets away with it. Well.” She bit her lip. “That’s what I’m betting happened. I saw Halifax on his way out, and he wouldn’t even look at me.” She pulled her phone out and pressed the side button. “Speaking of sweet…here’s the cutest baby in the world.” She showed us her screen saver. It was Ele. She was smiling.
I missed her instantly, and then my heart felt heavy when I remembered how she had cried when herpapàhad picked her up.
Anna nudged me. “Mammahas this. Enjoy your day. You rarely leave.” She smiled at Brooklyn. “Tell us about your date.”
Brooklyn’s face lit up, but it fell when the car came to an abrupt stop. We all flew forward, the seat belt biting into my neck. There was traffic, but nothing that would have caused Nunzio to slam on the brake. He refused to meet my eye through the mirror, but he looked more sour than usual.
“Oh!” Brooklyn tucked her hair behind her ears after it fell into her face from the jerk. “He’s a chef at one of the nicest restaurants in town. His name is Michele Sorrentino. My mom introduced me to him. She works at the restaurant.”
Anna started egging her on, telling her to borrow a black lace dress I had for her date, since Michele was taking her to his cousin’s fancy wedding.
“My…” Brooklyn made a motion over her breasts. “Are not big enough!” Then she looked at mine. She and Anna started to laugh.
I smiled, but I was watching Nunzio through the mirror. He had both hands on the wheel. He was squeezing the life out of it. I touched Brooklyn on the leg, nodding toward him, lifting my eyebrows.
“I will tell you about it later,” she mouthed.
There was a line for Macchiavello’s, and after Nunzio pulled the car up, he got out to open our door. Before he did, Adriano said something to him from the street, and he stood there talking to him.
“Tell us!” Anna said, rushing the words out.
“He…likes me, I think. But I can’t see him. Not like that. My dad was the same thing…well, he was like Corrado used to be, you know? Not that high up in ranking like Corrado is now. I’m not sure exactlywhatmy dad did, but he was hardly ever around. My mom was miserable. And then he got killed.” She shrugged.
“I never really knew him, my dad, but my mom would go crazy if she knew I even…liked Nunzio. Because I do. I like him a lot. But it would never work. She told me she would rather die than see me marry a man like my dad. And by ‘a man like my dad,’ she means a man in that life.”
“Your life was hard?”
She shrugged. “My mom refused to take a penny from the Capitanis, even though she let me see them. The only reason she did is because one of my best friends is my cousin. She’s about to marry a made guy. My mom has been obsessing over it—intheworst way. She says if you dance at one of their weddings, you might as well dance at their funerals. But I digress.
