Page 21 of Reign of Commotion

“I know you will.”He drags his hand over his face.

“Can you talk about it?”

“Rough day.”

I bite my lip, and tilt my head, meeting his eyes and wait for more.

“One of our restaurants was hit today.Alessio’s wondering if this is all connected,” he says.I’m glad he told me.It means more than I can say.“Nero and Sebastian will be with Barry.Nero, to protectLa Famiglia’sinterests, Sebastian, because he was collecting information for his brother Dante to see if they can get a trace on who is behind this.Reno kindly offered his plane to transport Barry.I’m hoping Barry’s responsive when he sees you.”

Julian changes the topic and asks about my day.I tell him everything is under control.I also tell him about my chat with Valentina.

“She told you?”

“Yeah.She said that she understands how hard it is to find your way back to the person you once were and told me to search her out if I ever want to talk about it,” I explain.“The thing is, I never knew who I was because it wasn’t about me.I was who my father expected me to become.I guess the best version of me was the waitress at the diner, where I got to feel productive and go home.I didn’t really have time for much else.”

“We’ll get over this hurdle, and when it all settles, you’ll have time to figure it out,” he replies.By this time, he’s finished eating, and Alessio has come back for us.

“Ready to go?”he asks.

Julian and I stand, with Julian taking my hand and following Alessio.When we get to the car, Alessio asks me to sit with him in the back.Julian doesn’t seem too enthused but climbs into the front passenger side of the car with a man they introduce as Jack.

“My wife speaks kindly about you, Milana.She thinks that I’m being too hard on you by demanding you adhere to our traditions upon your reentry into the family,” he says.

I’m not sure what to say and feel it prudent to remain quiet.He lets the silence lengthen.The longer it lasts, the more nervous I become.

“Do you think I’ve been harsh?”he asks.

I clear my throat, clasp my hands in my lap, and choose my words carefully.“Your position means that you protect us all.That means making decisions that may be unpopular for some and necessary for others.Personally, I know I’m not my father, but it means nothing because you don’t know me.You don’t know that I volunteered at a soup kitchen twice a week, and any extra food from the restaurant was delivered to the shelters.You don’t know how badly I wanted a kitten for my birthday, but my father refused and told me animals belonged outside, and if I wanted one so bad, I could sit outside with it.He left me outside in the cold for two hours.I could hear my mother begging him to let me in.She got slapped for her efforts, but Mom was able to sneak out a blanket that I wrapped myself in.Then I hid in the bushes to sleep.When I was finally allowed back inside, I kept the blanket hidden in the bushes, in case that happened again.”

“What did you get for your birthday?”Alessio asks.

“A tiara.That was the only day I wore it.It wasn’t for me, not really.It was for show.But that blanket, when I left that fateful night, was the only keepsake I took, along with a picture of my mother.I still have the blanket.”

“Diamonds don’t always shine,” Alessio responds.

“No, they don’t,” I agree.We drive the rest of the way in silence.

NINE

My Linny, Our Linny

JULIAN

Ihear Milana in the back seat with Alessio, and I’d like to resurrect her father from his grave and kill him myself.When she saw me being tossed into that freezer, who knows what was going through her mind?She’s handling herself beautifully with Alessio.She doesn’t offer excuses and respectfully responds to his questions.Josie obviously had a talk with her husband, which means that Milana has her approval, and I know my sister must think highly of her if she’s telling Milana about her abduction.It’s a story she rarely speaks of and never to anyone outside our own family.

“We’re here,” Jack announces.

I turn my head to the back seat.“I’ll check it out.”

“No need,” Alessio retorts.“I’ve had men planted here for the last half hour.It’s all clear.”He jerks his head up to the sky.“Their plane is coming in.It might be easier for Milana to go aboard and talk Barry into coming out.It might make him more secure.”

“Thank you.”She smiles at me.“Barry will be much easier to handle when he sees I’m safe.And when he knows you, he’ll be even better.”

We watch the plane land and wait for the stairs to lower.When Nero comes down the stairs, Alessio and I are there to greet him.

“Good flight, I hope,” Alessio says.

“It was fine.Sebastian is on board with Barry.Sebastian was able to keep him calm on the way down.Go figure, the hothead out of all of us, and that’s the guy Barry listens to.”Nero shakes his head.

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