I shake my head but feel heat rising in my cheeks.“It’s just been Matteo.I haven’t seen anyone else.”
“And has he?Hurt you, I mean?”she asks, her gaze practically piercing my skull.
I shake my head.“No.He hasn’t.”
“At least you liked him before this happened,” she says.“Must make it easier.”
I don’t know about easier.Maybe.But also so much harder in so many ways.I don’t think I can explain that to her without sounding like a traitor to my family, so I won’t even try.
“And you?Hashehurt you?”I ask instead.
She grins darkly.“You mean, Angelo Ferro, my new husband?What a bad name.I swear he’s the least angelic person I’ve ever met.But no, he hasn’t hurt me.He wouldn’t dare.”
“So he hasn’t… you didn’t…” I glance at one of the half open doors that lead out of this room.Through the crack I just about make out a large four poster bed.I’ve been driving myself insane thinking about my little sister getting raped.I threw up twice because of it, and I finally had to block it out completely or I’d really go insane.
She follows my gaze but doesn’t answer.And the shadows covering her eyes now make me want to throw up again.And wish I had in fact gone insane.
She stands up suddenly and pulls me along.“Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
She releases my hand and strides to the door of the room, banging on it hard.
“Let us out,” she yells through the door.“We need some fresh air.My sister hasn’t been out in three days.”
I figured nothing would happen, so it’s a total surprise when the door actually opens and a tall, lanky guy with a shaved head and wearing a three-piece suit opens the door.“I want to go for a walk in the garden with my sister.”
“I will relay your request, Mrs.Ferro,” the guy says and proceeds to lock the door again.
“You can go outside?”I ask.
She shrugs.“Sometimes he gives me what I want.Sometimes he doesn’t.We’ll see.”
A few moments later the door opens again, and the tall guy informs her that we can go for a short walk in the garden.
“And afterwards, we’ll be having a nice dinner in my room,” she tells him, then takes my hand and pulls me out into the hallway.
Three guys follow us down the stairs, and I can hear voices coming from some of the rooms we pass, but we meet no one.
Feeling the fresh sea air on my face and seeing the lush greenery all around is enough to bring tears to my eyes.Hearing the waves too.
“I thought I’d never get out of this house,” I say as she pulls me down the garden path and into the trees.
“Oh, we’re getting out of this house,” she says.“Don’t worry about it.We just have to be patient.”
“And have hope,” I add.She rolls her eyes at me, but then squeezes my hand tighter.
“Yes, and hope,” she says.“It’s always good to have hope.”
And I do.My chest is exploding with it.And with the feeling that everything will work out now.
Chapter17
GIANNA
Treeswith thick misshapen canopies are lining the path we’re walking down, some green, some already in fiery fall colors.Every few yards a bench peeks out from the tall grass bordering the path, and I can hear the ocean somewhere in the distance, but it’s faint, the sound muffled by all the wild greenery here.This used to be a nice, secluded little space in the garden, I’m sure.Flowers used to grow by the path and the benches must have been a lovely, tranquil place to rest and listen to the birds and the ocean.But just like everything else in this place, it had been a long time since anyone took care of it the way it should be taken care of.
“Have you been walking here before?”I ask.“I’ve spent the last few days just looking out the window, but I didn’t see you.”
