My name was a whisper on his lips as he took in the white nightgown, stained with so much blood that it was almost black in spots. It was all over my hands and stomach, my face as well.
This time he ripped me away from her with an intensity that was close to violence. “Scarlett,” he whispered again. “Oh baby. My baby.”
“No!” I said, realizing. “No, it’s not me, Brando! Maggie Beautiful. Something’s happened!”
It took a moment for him to understand, for reality to catch up to what his thoughts were screaming at him. It wasn’t me. A chorus of Italian erupted around us as the story was told from one mouth to another.
After enough of the information made sense to him, he lowered to the ground and picked Maggie Beautiful up as though she was nothing but a child cradled in his arms.
Nino walked up then with more men. He must’ve been securing the yard. Guido had stayed in Rome, since we were only spending one night in Tuscany. Nino was first in charge in his absence.
Brando gave him terse orders in Italian.“Inside. Now. Call Tito.”
Ruby walked next to me as Brando made me walk ahead of him. The rest of the men were left outside of the house to keep watch.
I hurried ahead but had to stop when a pain struck my back. It was as hot as a line of fire along tender flesh. As fast as it came, it disappeared.
“Tell me,” Brando ordered. The look in his eyes made it clear that there was to be no lying.
“A small pain, but it’s gone.”
He didn’t seem to like that answer. Still, we continued to move. Maggie Beautiful’s wails had quieted, and she kept muttering unintelligible things to herself.
Brando took her into our bathroom and ordered Nino to grab another seat for him. He made me take the one I kept in front of the mirror. A minute later, not letting go of Maggie Beautiful, he took the seat Nino had brought in.
Nino was on the phone, but it was quick, a short message that seemed to burn across the lines as quick as a wildfire.
I went to stand when another pain ripped through me. This,thiswas a sudden, sharp knife stick. This time, I had to breathe it out before I could try again.
“Sit,” Brando snapped at me.
“She needs a cool washcloth to clean her face.” My fingers were itching to help, even if my body had other ideas.
Brando turned to Nino and ordered him to do it. His tone almost made me flinch.
After Nino had done as I instructed him to, Brando took the washcloth from him, wiping her face in soft strokes.
“Mamma,” he said, and my heart almost broke in two. It was the first time I had ever heard him call her that. “Sei ferito?”Are you hurt?
She brought her hands to her chest, over her heart. “No,” she barely got out. Her teeth chattered and her entire body trembled, as though she was having an epileptic fit.
“Dimmi chi l'ha fatto a te.”Tell me who did this.
“You know!” she started to cry again. “You know! He—his heart! It’s gone! The bastard took it from him, right in front of my face! I couldn’t do a damn thing to stop him.” She hid her face in Brando’s chest, sobbing. “His blood is all over my hands. All over…OhGod!”
“Oh God,” I almost sobbed. I knew what that meant. Aberto’s heart. It had been ripped from his chest.Why?
Tell my wildflower that I will see her soon.
Had Luca ordered it? Did Ettore carry out his wishes? Or had Lucca done it himself? No one claimed what was his. No one. A favor for a favor. A heart for a heart. That was how it worked in this family.
This time I ignored Brando’s glacier stare as I stood on shaking legs with Nino’s help.
“Let me help her bathe,” I said. “I can do it, Brando. I can.”
He looked dubious, but perhaps my own facial features were firm enough that he knew he couldn’t stopme. Nino helped me gather a pair of clean pajamas for her and all that I’d need.
Brando hovered by the door until I ordered him out. I told him to stay put, in case I needed him, just to give him a purpose. I didn’t need him slinking off into the darkness to hunt down whoever had done this.
