“There is no point going to war over Anais,” I say, my feet crunching on the gravel as we approach our car. “We have bigger problems to worry about.”
“Exactly.” Ben agrees, opening the front passenger door. “And though Salerno is weakened right now, we can’t afford to lose him as an ally. He owes me one now, and I know the time will come where I’ll need to call it in.”
* * *
The next few weeks pass by in a whirlwind of activity. I spend every evening and most every Saturday afternoon training and strategizing with Ben while the preparatory steps for reclaiming Vegas are put into action. Phillip hasn’t unearthed any information on my birth father yet, so he’s digging deeper. I still believe it’s a futile task, but I’m self-aware enough to understand my subconscious wants to believe that. I’m not sure I’m ready to learn the truth about my father. I have a sixth sense I am better off not knowing.
“Come in,” Ben calls out from his home office Friday night as we are finalizing plans for the trip to Vegas tomorrow.
Serena steps into the room, and my heart does a funny little jump in my chest. She is wearing tight-fitting jeans, which hug her long, slim legs, and a shapeless sweater that hides her womanly curves. Her reddish-brown hair is pulled up in a messy bun on top of her head, and she hasn’t got a scrap of makeup on. Yet she is still the most gorgeous creature I have ever seen.
I shove my hands in the pockets of my pants to avoid the almost insurmountable urge to touch her. I haven’t had much downtime lately, and I have missed our nightly talks over a glass of wine. Ben keeps me occupied most nights, and I haven’t gotten to spend as much time with her as usual. I know she is seeing a therapist now, which is a good thing. But I have also noticed she seems even more withdrawn and quiet, and I wish I knew how to support her. I haven’t wanted to pry so I haven’t asked her about it, hoping she might volunteer to share what’s going on in her life. Yet, we are rarely alone, so there has been no opportunity to talk.
“I see you are in the middle of things. I can talk to you another time,” she says, turning to leave.
“It’s fine, Serena.” Ben straightens up and walks toward her. “I have time. Do you wish to speak in private?”
She knots her hands in front of her in an anxious tell, and I’m instantly on high alert. “Has something happened?” I walk to her side, my brow puckering.
She shakes her head. “It’s nothing like that. I was just wondering if Ben had discovered anything in Sicily.” Her eyes latch on to mine for a few seconds, and color rises in her cheeks.
Ben clears his throat, watching both of us with an astute gaze. “I was planning on talking with you about it when we returned from Vegas on Sunday, but now is as good a time as any.” He steps aside, gesturing for her to take a seat on the couch in front of the fire.
“I’m going to steal another piece of cake,” Leo says, moving past us. “I’ll be back.”
“Don’t feel the need to leave on my account,” Serena says.
Leo smiles, rubbing a hand over his toned stomach. “I never could resist Natalia’s apple cake.”
I smother a snort of hilarity as I wonder if apple cake is code for a certain part of Natalia’s anatomy. I know Leo has a past with her. A few things slipped out when he was drunk one time, but I’m not sure if he remembers telling me. Leo is one of the good guys, and we’re close. But we don’t go deep when it comes to women, so I don’t know exactly what’s going through his mind when it comes to Ben’s sister. One only has to look at the way Leo stares at her to know he’s hopelessly in love with her.
I feel for the guy.
And I’m terrified I could be turning into him.
Leo closes the door after him, and I take a seat beside Serena on the couch, keeping distance between us though I wish I could slide my arm around her and hold her hand. Ben sits on the leather chair in front of us, softening his features as he looks at his sister-in-law. “You can rest easy, Serena. There is no one in Sicily who poses a threat.”
“There isn’t?” Disbelief underscores her tone.
“Your father was the youngest of three brothers. His eldest brother died from TB when he was four, and the middle brother died when he was gunned down at twenty-eight. He had a young son and a daughter with his wife at the time of his death. His son died in a boating accident when he was eighteen. The daughter lives in Spain now with her non-mafiosohusband and their family.”
“That’s actually really sad,” she says. “There is so much death in our family.”
“Things might be altering in our world, but unfortunately, that’s the one constant that remains unchanged,” Ben says, drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair.
“What about cousins or other distant relatives?” I ask.
“Phillip is checking into the extended family line now, but I don’t expect to uncover any threats. The DeLuca line is pretty much extinct now. And even if there was an heir somewhere, they have lost power and control in Sicily. The Cinisifamigliaowns the territory there. I have reached out to their don, and I intend to broker a friendly alliance with him. We have a mutual interest in ensuring the DeLuca line remains powerless in the region. He can be our eyes and ears on the ground.”
“Thanks, Ben.” Serena’s shoulders visibly relax. “That’s a weight off my shoulders.”
“No one is getting to you, Serena,” I add. “You’re safe.”
She turns to face me, and the bruising shadows under her eyes are hard to miss. She looks exhausted, and I wonder what horrors are keeping her awake at night. “Safety within the mafia is an oxymoron,” she says, standing. “But I appreciate the sentiment.” Her soft smile bounces between the boss and me. “Good night, and good luck tomorrow.”
9
SERENA
