Page 45 of Wild Card

Her eyes soften, and she pulls me in for a hug.

“Gio, you’ve always taken care of this family. You’re a good man. But you don’t have to compromise yourself to protect me or Lorenzo. I asked him to leave. I don’t want someone who could do such a thing under my roof. He can make other arrangements.”

The only arrangements any of us will have are the funeral kind if I don’t come up with a solution. I have an idea, but it depends on James Carney’s willingness to work with me.

And now that Nonna has cut Lorenzo off, I don’t have to worry about what his loss will do to her, should I have to take that route. In some ways it’s easier to give something up than it is to have it taken away.

“Is she okay?”

I want to ask how my grandmother found out, but I’m afraid of what the answer might be.

“She’s been hurt badly,” Nonna says, walking me toward the family room. “And I don’t just mean by Lorenzo.”

She stops me before we get to the family room and places her plump hands on my chest. “She’s a good girl, Gio. We can’t let her suffer any more for what your uncle did. For what her father did. Greed for money and power has been a curse on both of our families. It’s time we found a way to break that.”

The complexity of what I felt yesterday comes roaring back to me. That the truths directing my life aren’t the black and white binary I thought they were. Not all of my family is worth protecting, and not everyone associated with James Carney is evil.

But can I forgive myself like Nonna seems to have forgiven me? I don’t know, and I don’t know if I should.

I hug her and reassure her that I’ll do all I can to fix this.

But will it be enough?

Relief floods me when I see Catriona in the family room sitting on the couch, looking far better than she had when I’d left her this morning. Her pretty curls cascade over her shoulders, and she looks fresh and clean. She wears a simple jersey dress, dark green, and it looks like the finest gown by virtue of her beauty. She puts her book down.

“Gattina,” Nonna says. “Are you okay if I leave Gio here to talk with you?”

She nods. “Yes. Thank you for asking.”

Nonna gives me a little shove, a reminder that she’s stronger than I gave her credit for. I walk toward Catriona, feeling my grandmother’s eyes burning the back of my head.

“May I?” I ask, pointing to the seat next to her.

She’s stunning. I’m self-conscious with my grandmother’s eyes on me. Like Nonna can somehow see all the obscene thoughts running through my mind as I gaze upon this beautiful woman.

“Sure.”

Nonna leaves when I sit.

“I want to explain what happened this morning,” I say. “My uncle came by, and I asked for Freddie’s deadline. He wants the money by Saturday.”

I pause, looking for her reaction. She nods, and I continue.

“He told me he was going to make a play for your sister. We argued. He agreed to wait until the end of the week if you made another video. I brought you upstairs because I went to meet with Freddie, today, and I was afraid my uncle would attack you while I was gone. I thought you’d be safer upstairs. And I’m so sorry, Catriona. I’m so sorry for letting him hurt you again, and for keeping you somewhere that caused you so much trauma.”

Her eyes glisten with unshed tears. Am I making this worse?

“Can I ask what happened after I left?”

I need to know if I have to go out and murder Lorenzo now, or if it can wait.

“I pried the boards off the window and jumped to your balcony.” She says it nonchalantly. Like it’s an everyday sort of thing for her.

“How the hell did you manage that?” I’m impressed. “I’m sorry but you are fucking magical.”

“I tried to run, but your uncle stopped me. Luckily your grandmother found both of us.” She looks afraid. “I don’t want anything to happen to your grandmother, Gio, but you have to understand…”

I interrupt her. “I do. This isn’t your mess, Beauty. How could you not try to run? You’re scared for your sister in the same way I’m scared for my grandmother. And for you. How could I blame you for wanting to save her life and your own?”

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