Page 85 of The Last Vendetta

The driver seemed suspicious of my bloody clothes, and even though I tucked Uncle Dario’s knife under the nightgown, I felt his stare on it. Over and over, he glanced in the rearview mirror like I’d attack him.

“Do you want to go to… uh, the hospital or something, Miss?”

I shook my head.

When we neared the home, he swallowed and grew more nervous. “Um. I— Can I just, like, stop out here?” He eyed the gates and grimaced, knowing that this was a Mafia residence.

“That’s fine. Thanks.” I didn’t wait for him to blather on nervously, and I exited the car.

The guard at the gatehouse raised his brows, and he hastened to unlock the entrance. I waved at him, which likely seemed even weirder, but I let him know that I was at least capable of acknowledging him. As if that would make me look less suspicious.

I’d been gone for almost two days. Returning like this didn’t look good. I didn’t care. With a deep determination to avoid my mother and get my sisters out of here, I held my head high and hurried inside.

“Giulia.”

I slowed slightly as one of the butlers approached. He offered me a folded note, and he had the common sense to really keep his expression neutral. Not a single reaction showed on his face, and when he didn’t bat an eyelid at my disheveled appearance, I exhaled in relief.

Taking the paper, I raised my brows at him. I’d dealt with the staff since Father died, and it was a hard habit to break. “Is my mother in?”

He shook his head. “No. She left for a meeting earlier and hasn’t returned yet.”

Meetings. I bet she’d gone to speak with the Romanos about my wedding to Nickolas. A ceremony that wouldn’t happen.

“Thank you. Please arrange for a driver for my sisters.”

He nodded and backed away.

I unfolded the paper as I hurried upstairs to find my sisters and order them to pack quickly. With what Uncle Dario said, it was clear that we couldn’t stay here. Not without any trust to be held.

Giulia,

I will await your call for security. As soon as you relocate your sisters, contact me and I will come.

Francis

I sighed, calmer with this reassurance. Uncle Dario really had done all that he could. He’d thought ahead and seen to all these plans for us, and I fought back a swift wave of tears that burned my eyes.

I would miss him. Even though he’d tried to remain aloof, he’d always been there in the background, helping out and remaining independent of my mother’s influence.

I didn’t have my cell phone anymore. It was with Renzo at that vacation villa, unless he’d been taken farther from me. I knew he’d be looking for me, but I wasn’t sure what Giovanni might have told him to keep him away from me.

I couldn’t worry about that. With a backup burner phone that I kept in my closet, a just in case device, I added Renzo to the contact list. I would reach out to him. I wanted to plan a reunion, but first things first.

After texting the distant cousins about housing my sisters, I went to Marianna’s room to order her to pack.

She already was. Beatrice and Lucia helped her stow things in her suitcases.

“You know?” I asked.

They ran to me, hugging me and worsening the tenderness of the aches where I’d been dropped to the floor.

“Before Uncle Dario headed out earlier, he said you would escort us to a, uh…” Marianna cringed.

“A ‘vacation’.” Beatrice used air quotes, but as she stepped back out of our group hug, she noticed the redness around my wrists. She gasped. “What happened?”

I shook my head. I hadn’t had time to think about what I’d tell her. Now wasn’t the moment to explain, either.

“Are we going on a vacation?” Marianna asked. “Or…?”

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