“I’m a little confused, since I don’t know where this is coming from.” Autumn crossed her arms as a tingle moved down her spine.
“I did my homework on you,la bella. Since Nico brought you to my home, I had to make sure the woman he is falling for, or rather, fell for, wasn’t dangerous.”
Nico was falling for her? “What—”
“Don’t take me for a fool,Autunno. I’m smarter than most mafiosi. Both of my husbands were bosses, then I took the reins after their deaths.”
Luna waded closer to Autumn, flicking her cigarette over the side of the vat, “I have contacts most wouldn’t deal with, and I know a murderer when I see one.”
Autumn flinched when the older woman touched her cheek, “And you, my dear, have ghosts. But I can see you wouldn’t harm a hair on another person unless it was to protect others,si?”
Autumn swallowed audibly. She heard the click in the back of her throat. “I don’t—"
In return, Luna gave a brief nod and took a few steps back. “You drew my Nico to you. He can see your strength, even though there is a vulnerability underneath that hard exterior.”
“You don’t know what I’ve gone through. You can’t possibly…”
“But I do,” one of her eyebrows arched up, almost reaching her hairline. “The first man I killed was to protect my Vera. He was going to rip her out from inside of me. No man was going to take what was mine.”
“I still don’t understand what this has to do with me.”
“You shot a man in the face, yes?” At Autumn’s slight nod, Luna continued, “You did it not only to protect yourself, but to save the rest of the women who were chained to those beds. Those who were beaten, their eyes taken from them.” Luna blinked and looked down. One of her hands moved through the grape juice and came out stained red.
Autumn shook her head, “That’s not—”
“An acquaintance’s daughter was one of his victims.” Luna looked back at Autumn, with an icy stare. “She was one of those who was weak and died shortly after the FBI rescued everyone from that house of horrors.” Her fingers drifted through the grape juice again as she kept Autumn’s stare. “She told her papà you were never harmed. That you were to blame. After her death, her father hired me to have you killed.” Luna shrugged her shoulders and looked down at the red juice around them. “The contract was out for a long, long time, but you vanished. Like a ghost.” She leaned across from Autumn, her hands dangling in the juice. “Until recently. You’re incredibly lucky Nico was with you during that assassination attempt. Otherwise, you would be dead.”
Autumn was lightheaded. She reached behind her for the siding of the vat to keep from slipping.
The shooting yesterday.
You will pay for this.
The words echoed around her again. How is it that the woman who promised revenge against Autumn had a family member acquainted with a mafia boss?
Luna took her from her thoughts. “And now, here you are, standing before me. A strong, brave woman who stares psychopaths down.” She put a red finger to her chin. “I said to myself, ‘This is not the woman Angelo wanted me to kill. It can’t be.’” She shook her head. “I did my homework, girl. I know exactly who you are. Fate did not do right by you. And I gave Nico my promise to keep you safe. I always keep my promises.”
Autumn cocked her head to the side. “So, you know I work with the police.”
“Do you think I would allow you on my property if I believed you would hurt my family?” Luna’s lips twitched, “Nico would know better before bringing you here.”
“I guess it should honor me to be the firstauthorityto enter your home and live to tell the tale,” Autumn said in a dry tone.
Luna chuckled, her cheeks lifted in a smile, “Well, I don’t bury the bodies of my enemies on my property, if that’s what you're worried about.”
Autumn’s eyes widened.
Luna’s eyes glittered, “They’re under cement blocks in Quincy.”
Autumn couldn’t tell whether the older woman was amusing herself at her expense.
A cackling laugh came from Luna. “I think we’re done here.” She made her way to the opening of the vat. “Come eat, you’ll wither away before my eyes. You don’t have enough meat on your bones.”
Autumn followed the woman out. She liked Luna, even if she was a killer in her own right.
“Since you know everything about me, can you tell me about Nico?” She followed the woman out and took the towel given to her.
Luna took her measure, “It depends on what you want to know.”
