Quiet Secrets

by J. L. Drake

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” She shook her head, and whatever it was that she was thinking, she let it go. We handed our horses off to their groom and began to walk toward the house. “Let’s go into the garden for those drinks.”

  “Wait.” Niccola shifted on his bar stool, clearly eavesdropping on my conversation with Mama. “Even I could see that train wreck coming.”

  “It’s not that big of a deal.”

  “How can you not see this for what it is, Elio?” Mama looked surprised. “Your life can’t be filled with lies and deception. Not sharing that you were supposed to marry Anna with the woman you want to be with was a terrible decision. You men are so clueless.”

  I rubbed my eyes, hating all the voices in my head.

  “I can’t believe you couldn’t see that coming.” Mama shook her head.

  “I can’t either,” Niccola chimed in, and I gave him the middle finger.

  “Listen,” Mama swatted my hand away, “go talk to your father about this stuff.”

  “No,” Papa yelled from another room, “I’d be zero help. Take notes from your mother.”

  I pushed the conversation aside. It wasn’t the reason I started talking.

  “Mama,” I stopped her as she went to leave, “have you ever met Elenora before?”

  “No. Why do you ask?”

  “There’s this photo with you, Papa, Francesco, me, and her.” Her head snapped back, clearly confused. “It was taken years ago at some event.”

  “We meet so many people and take so many photos at those functions, I guess it could be possible, but that doesn’t mean I knew her in any way. Maybe you should speak to Francesco about it?”

  “Yeah, maybe.” I started to pull out Sienna’s note but shoved it back down as I saw my mother stand a little straighter.

  “Anna, dear, how are you today?”

  “Fine.” Her annoying voice was like nails on a chalkboard. “Elio, can I speak with you for a moment?”

  “I’ll leave you two be. I have to go check on the staff.”

  “I’ll help!” Niccola hastily abandoned me and ignored my death glare.

  I kept my back to her but heard the scuffle of her flat shoes on the marble floor.

  “I was wondering if we could talk for a few minutes.”

  “I have three.” I had no time for her anymore.

  “I know you’re mad at me,” she whispered. “I could apologize, but I won’t.”

  “Good chat.” I turned to leave, but she blocked my path.

  “I won’t because when you love someone as much I do you, you shouldn’t have to apologize for your actions.”

  I dipped my head back and tried to calm the monster that begged me to rip her head off.

  “Normally, I’d agree with you. Love can make you do crazy things, but I’m not in love with you, Anna. I’ve told you that before. I’m in love with someone else, and what you’re doing is just plain hurtful.”

  “You never even gave us a chance!”

  “There never was a chance!” My voice boomed throughout the room. “There was never a chance because my heart was taken when I was child. I can’t keep playing this game with you. I’ve tried to be nice, I’ve tried to be a friend, but you’re toxic to my life and to Sienna’s.” I waved my hand at her, wishing she’d leave my life forever.

  “Toxic?” A pissy smirk raced across her lips, and I wanted to lash out harder. “Okay.”

  “I found my person, and you need to find yours.”

  “Got it.” She turned on her heel, arms straight at her sides, and left. I knew there would probably be more repercussions from her family, but I was done caring. I headed in the opposite direction to speak with my papa.

  “Papa?” I knocked on the door and pulled the note out of my pocket. Roberto, Mariano’s father, glared at me. He was downing a cookie like it was the last one on Earth.

  Yes, eat up, fat man. Eat until you explode.

  “I’m sorry, Elio,” he held the phone away from his ear, “but whatever it is, it needs to wait.”

  “The manners on you.” Roberto snickered then started to cough on the cookie. He turned red and gasped for air.

  I stepped up to his side and whispered. “Does it hurt?” His fat face turned to look at me. “Maybe you should keep eating until you can’t catch your breath anymore.” I tossed another cookie at him and walked out, hoping to hell he choked to death.

  “Where’s Sienna, Vinni?” I barked, entering the kitchen.

  “No clue. I know she told me she was working on a project with Wyatt, but her purse is gone, so I’m not sure.”

  I noticed Donte was working in the pantry, and chances were he’d know where she was.

  “Have you seen Sienna?”

  “She was with Ugo for the morning, then your aunt arrived and invited her to go horseback riding. I believe she’s still there.”

  Shit.

  Music pumped from my car speakers in hopes it would calm the rage that tore at my core. I had no idea what I was going to say, I just knew I wanted Sienna as far away from there as possible.

  I hugged the corners of the twisted road. The trees and fields were a blur of color. I saw the lights of a patrol car in my rearview mirror, but with a shift of the stick, I lost him within seconds.

  The rear of my car spun when I turned down the long road and came to a halt in the driveway. Dust rose in clouds behind me as I hopped out and raced up the stone stairs.

  “Noemi!” I boomed as I entered the house, not caring in the least that I would terrify the house staff.

  “In the kitchen, dear.” She came out holding a bottle of prosecco. “What’s the matter?”

  “Where’s Sienna?”

  “In the back garden. We’re just back from our ride.”

  I flew out the back door, down the stone stairs, and found her deep in thought, staring off at the flowers.

  “Bella!” I called, not wanting her to spend another second in this place until I understood what the hell was going on.

  “Elio?”

  “Time to go.” I took her hand and started to pull her behind me.

  “Wait, what’s going on?”

  “You shouldn’t be here. You don’t belong here.”

  She didn’t protest, but I could tell she was bothered by my words. I would explain things later, but right now the murderous feeling I had inside had me desperate to get us both away from the villa.

  Sienna kept her head down, using her hair as a curtain between us. I wasn’t sure what to say to her. I just knew I wanted to get her back behind the Capri family gates. Once again, evil had found its way to her, and the what-ifs crowded my head.

  Nonna’s words looped over and over in my head about not trusting Sienna, but now with this new discovery, I didn’t know what to think. Once we were inside the car, my anger took over, and I slammed the steering wheel, needing to hurt someone as I waited for the main gates to open. Once there was enough space, I gunned it up the hill and into my driveway.

  “I’m sorry,” I finally muttered as I squeezed the leather steering wheel. “My temper is out of control lately.”

  “I’ll survive.” She unclipped her safely belt, and I grabbed her arm to still her.

  “I don’t like that you wouldn’t kiss me back.” I was referring to the last time we had sex. “You’ve never not kissed me.”

  “We’re not in a good place, Elio.” She shifted uncomfortably. “We’ve never been like this before. It doesn’t feel right to kiss when I’m unsure what we even are anymore.”

  I felt split down the middle. I wanted to grab and kiss her and pull her on my lap and bury myself deep inside the only woman I’d ever loved, but another part of me kept sending a warning to guard my heart and my family from all the unknowns that came with her arrival.

  “I guess things just got complicated quickly.”

  “You say that, but I’m over here trying to understand what I did wrong.”

  Her eyes grew glossy, and
I saw the hurt from the last few weeks flash across her face. I wanted to give in, but…

  “Stay here until I get back.” I winced through the pain in my chest.

  “Where are you going?” Hearing the nervousness in her voice, I ran my thumb down her cheek, and after a moment, she pulled away like it was too intimate for her. She was right. We were not okay, and I needed to figure this out before it was too late or too much damage had been done.

  “I need to deal with something. Promise me you’ll stay.”

  “All right.” She slowly slipped her arm from my grasp and stepped out. “Where else would I go?” She gently closed the door and stepped back.

  I tossed the car in reverse, pointed it back toward the road, and gunned it. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but I needed to be alone to figure it out.

  I went to the only other place, besides my special sunflower garden, where I knew I could be alone. It was where I’d escape when I needed to get away from everyone at the house, space to be with my thoughts of Sienna.

  It wasn’t far from home, maybe a mile or so. I randomly found it when I was hunting down a man who had stolen from us. It was a dome of trees that you could drive into, and it completely hid my car from the street. It was as if a camouflage blanket was suddenly draped over the vehicle and it disappeared suddenly from the world.

  With a sick stomach, I dialed her number, knowing she’d answer.

  She picked up after the first ring. “Hello, dear.”

  “I need to ask you something, and I need you to answer me truthfully.”

  “When have I ever lied to you, Elio?” Nonna’s voice was soft, the same tone she always used when speaking to me. The same one she used when she read me bedtime stories or when we were having lunch in the garden. I squeezed my eyes tight, feeling the confusion and hurt of questioning a loved one.

  “Sienna,” I blurted, “found something, and I’m trying to make sense of it.”

  “And what was it that she found?”

  “A piece of paper, the same type as the one that I found the day I went to go back after Sienna. It had a photo printed on it and a warning telling me not to go after her.”

  “I think I’m confused.”

  “Nonna, the paper I found years ago was a thick paper with a thin border pressed into it, the same type of paper that Sienna found in the back of your old car.”

  “I’m choosing not to address the fact that you are accusing me of something so outrageous and completely out of line, Elio. Think for a moment about just how many people rode in that car with and without me.” She paused to let out an audible breath, and I stared straight ahead, trying to connect invisible dots to this story. “Why would I leave a note warning you not to go after someone you loved?”

  “You’re the only one who’s been questioning her loyalty to the family.”

  “That may be so, but, dear, I’ve only questioned things about what she was doing when she was gone for those ten years. Why would I leave a note on your windshield years ago, when I’m only questioning her on her whereabouts now?”

  “This is too much.” I rubbed my head like it was going to explode.

  “Elio, you’re spinning out of control because you are blinded by love. Think about all that’s happened since she arrived. She brought this storm to your doorstep. Who is trying to help you out of it in one piece? Me. It’s my job to help guide you to be the best boss there is, and part of that is seeing things you don’t want to. It’s not just about you anymore, it’s about our syndicate. Until you accept that, you’ll be spinning until you crash.”

  “I know,” I said through a clenched jaw.

  “Just take a breath and remember who is important and who isn’t. She needs to go.”

  “I’ll call you later.” I hung up and slammed my fist into the steering wheel, needing to find anything that would relieve the twisted knot that had its ugly claws in my gut.

  I had lost ten years with the woman I loved, ten years I would never get back. And now look what was happening! When did life take a turn and make everything shatter in one giant heap? The damage tore through me like a tidal wave crashing and pulling me down. I felt as though I was drowning. The ripple effect of it all needed to stop, now.

  I rubbed my face and took a breath. I needed to deal with Sienna. I needed to fix this and make it right, no matter what the cost.

  In a fog, I headed back out onto the open road and tried to get my head on straight.

  As I got to the steps, I scooped up her sunglasses. She must have dropped them. I unlocked the door to find the house quiet.

  “Sienna?” I called as I tossed my keys in the bowl and headed into the kitchen. “Sienna?” I hurried up the stairs, checking every room, but they were all empty. “Sienna, we have to talk.” Nothing. I called her number, but it went straight to voicemail. I tried another number.

  “Dammit.” I hung up on Ugo after four rings, then Vinni pushed his call through.

  “Hey, boss, I’m running behind for our meeting, but I’ll—”

  “Vin, is Sienna with you?” He went quiet, and I checked to see if the phone was still connected.

  “No, why?”

  “Because I dropped her off at my place a few hours ago, and she’s not here.”

  “Did you try Ugo?”

  “I did, but he didn’t answer. Hang on.” I headed downstairs to my office and clicked on the iPad to check the outside cameras. “What the hell?” I hissed as I watched my front door camera suddenly go black. The rest of them were still working.

  “What?”

  “Someone messed with my front door camera.”

  A slow, cold prickle crept up my spine, and my temperature rose.

  “I’ll call you back.”

  I took a breath as I called her phone.

  “Elio,” Nonna was calm as can be, “calling to apologize?”

  “Where is she?”

  “Who?”

  “Don’t.” I stopped myself from flipping off the rails. “Don’t play coy with me, Nonna. Please just tell me you have nothing to do with her being gone.”

  “That’s the second time today you’ve accused me of something outrageous. That was your last time. Forgiveness only goes so far.”

  “I know things too,” I whispered, not hearing anything but my rapid heartbeat. “Two can play at this game.” I hung up and tossed the photo of Sienna from my windshield across the room with a roar.

  The walls closed in, the air felt heavy, and just when I was about to lose my shit for good, my phone vibrated in my hand.

  Donatello: Boss, you need to get down to the dockyard now. We found another girl. Bring the notebook. I think there’s a connection here.

  I raced up the stairs, grabbed my keys, and retrieved the notebook from the safe. I stopped short when I saw Wyatt’s ball hat on the table. Once I was back in my car and on the main road, I called Wyatt. Maybe she left with him?

  “Not that I don’t appreciate a call from you, but…” He cleared his throat. “Is everything okay?”

  “Is Sienna with you?”

  “No. Why?”

  “Shit!” I closed my eyes as I came to a stop at the traffic light.

  “She’s not there?”

  “No.” I couldn’t handle being still, so I slammed my foot down on the pedal and ran the red light. “Did she say anything about going somewhere today?” I tossed my finger at the guy I cut off.

  “She called this morning and said your aunt had invited her over to go riding again. I must say, she did sound hesitant about it. I know she wanted to stay home and wait for you because you guys needed to clear the air. She’s in a dark place, Elio, but I know she loves you very much.”

  I pulled up to the curb of the dockyard and looked around, not seeing anyone. I punched in the passcode.

  “Where are you?”

  “The dockyard,” I muttered, annoyed that Donatello needed me.

  “If you hear from her, tell I’m looking for her, okay? And Wyatt, I�
�m concerned that my nonna might have something to do with her being gone.”

  “Why?” His words sounded a million miles away as I focused on a sound behind me. I whirled to find Anna stepping off the office stairs. She tossed Donatello’s phone on the ground and crushed it into the concrete with the heel of her boot. “Elio, are you still there?” Wyatt’s voice came across the line.

  “I think it’s time we had a little chat.” Anna smirked as she took a step back and looked over her shoulder. I followed her line of sight and saw Stefano with a baseball bat in his hand.

  Oh, shit.

  Like water trickling through the cracks of a seam, at least thirty of his soldiers emerged from all around me.

  “Wyatt?” I whispered, slipping back into the dark corners of my mind. “Call Vinni.”

  Thirty minutes ago…

  I sniffed, happy to be alone for a moment to gather my feelings on what just happened. I pulled out my phone and called Ugo, but he didn’t answer, so I hung up. I had hoped maybe Ugo was up for another visit tonight. I could have used a little family time because, chances were Elio wouldn’t return tonight. I dropped my phone in the pocket of my dress as I dug around for my house key. I turned the key, pushed the door open, and stopped short.

  “Since when do you have a key to Elio’s house?” Mariano’s voice was calm. He sat on the stairs, arms resting on his knees, hands folded together, but his red-dilated eyes told me he had recently taken something.

  “They’re his,” I lied, and a warning passed through me to leave.

  “Where is Elio?”

  “He,” I paused, trying to find my voice, “left.”

  “I see.” He unfolded from the stairs. “Well, that was a bad call on his part.”

  “What does that mean?”

  He jerked me to his chest, and his big arms wrapped around me. I was lifted off my feet and carried outside and up behind the garage to a blacked-out town car.

  “Ah!” I screamed. “No! Help me, someone, please!” I kicked at the door when Mariano opened it, which sent us both backward, and I landed on his chest. It took me a half a second to snap out of the stunned state I was in. Just as I scrambled to my knees, he rose above me with a curse and backhanded me across the face. His family ring caught the flesh of my cheek, and I instantly felt the pain as the blood ran.