“Yes, Autumn.”
“We’re here to see Luna, aren’t we?”
One of the guard's came to Nico’s window. “A family friend of sorts.”
“I didn’t know you had family in Boston.”
“We don’t always talk much.”
“Then what are we doing here?”
“It’s safe.”
Autumn didn’t speak, then said, “He could have followed me, Nico. Elijah knows how to blend in.”
Nico glanced at her, then back at the road. They went down a winding path, then turned on gravel. Nico drove slowly, careful not to ping rocks, so it didn’t mess up the paint on the rental.
“He’d never fit in, even if he had a guest.”
Autumn followed Nico into the mansion after the guards granted them access inside the gates. Autumn still couldn’t believe she was going inside a fortress. That something this beautiful was just outside Boston, still stunned her. Never in her life had she heard this existed.
Then she realized she was in an entirely different world from the Big Three Mafiosi as they walked through the front door.
It was different from the carved stone outside. It was warm, not drafty as she expected a castle to be. Marble tiles covered the floor, and pictures hung on the walls.
And then there was the telltale stampede of children coming at them head-on.
“It’s Uncle Nico!”
“Uncle Nico!”
“Hi, Uncle Nico! I want a ride!”
“Maria, Gianni, Frankie, let them come in, yeah?” A young woman wearing a floor-length skirt and a blue buttoned-down peasant blouse corralled the children. She glanced up at the both of them with bags under her eyes, though her smile didn’t waver.
“Nico, you made it. I thought Mario was lying when he said he saw you in New York.”
“Vera, still pretty as ever,” Nico said with a smile.
Who was Mario, and when did Nico see him?
Autumn watched as Nico squeezed the other woman, taking her off the floor. Vera squealed as her feet left the ground, and she hit him lightly on the shoulder. “Il principe monello! You brat prince! Put me down!”
With a grin, Nico did as she commanded.
The little girl Vera was holding onto escaped, and launched herself at Nico. She wrapped herself around his leg, hugging him tightly. She looked at him with big brown eyes and a pout as chestnut brown ringlets bounced around her shoulders. “Ride, please?”
Nico gave her a fake, long-suffering sigh, then picked her up with a grin and set the little girl on his shoulders. “Yes, littleprincipessa, you may have a ride.”
Autumn watched as he carefully walked through the groupings of people. Some with amusement as Nico walked by.
“You must be Nico’s date?”
Autumn turned back to the dark-haired woman. The other two boys had run off somewhere. Autumn figured out of boredom or to track down Nico as he was popular with the kids.
Autumn put her hands to her middle, smoothing over the silky material of the dress. She wasn’t comfortable dressing up. The closest was going to Braeden’s retirement party a few years back.
Autumn cleared her throat. “I was until a princess demanded a ride.” She smiled to soften her words.
