Page 78 of The Secrets We Keep

An older woman in a maid’s gray and white uniform stepped into the doorway, and Carina asked her for a pot of coffee and something to eat before crossing the room and claiming a seat next to Alexei, who immediately reached for her hand. Once all eyes were on them, Luca pressed a kiss to her shoulder in encouragement.

“About three and a half years ago,” she began, “my uncle sent men to my house on my birthday and slaughtered my entire family.”

She took them through the story she’d only ever told one other person before. Luca. They listened silently, Alexei’s eyes darkening with anger and Carina leaning into his side as Sienna went on. Only Matteo seemed unmoved, his expression undecipherable.

When she was finished, they sat in silence, staring at her. The maid came in with coffee and a tray arranged with fruit, crackers, cheese, and chocolate-dipped biscotti before bustling away again.

Matteo got up to pour himself a cup, adding milk and a spoonful of sugar, stirring it slowly as he returned to his seat. “Seems like an awfully big coincidence that you’d show up on the island at the exact same time we were moving to take control of Gallo Industries.”

Luca tensed underneath her, but she ran a hand over his arm, urging him to relax. “Since you weren’t putting out a newsletter with your takeover plans, what’s left except for coincidence?”

Carina barked out a laugh, leaning forward to fix her own cup of coffee and dunking a biscotti into it. “I like her,” she said before taking a bite. “We understand revenge in this house. Don’t we, Matteo?”

Matteo slid his gaze to his sister, taking a sip of coffee without speaking.

“So your uncle knows you’re alive?” Alexei asked, fingers trailing up and down Carina’s arm.

“I’m not sure, actually.”

“Why else would he blow up your apartment building?”

“Luca told you about the project they asked me to work on?”

Matteo tilted his head, something flickering across his face. “He did.”

“Drago, one of my uncle’s top capos… I think he was getting suspicious of me because of it. The company they wanted me to hack has some of the best security I’ve ever seen. I wasn’t making much headway, and I asked one too many questions.”

“So he suspected you as a mole.”

Sienna nodded at Carina. “That’s my guess. If my uncle knew it was me and wanted to kill me, I don’t think he’d go for something so big and splashy like he did last time. If they had eyes on me, they might have seen Luca coming over last night.”

He went still beneath her and then sighed. “We met on the street for the first time.” He dropped his forehead against her shoulder. “Fuck. I wasn’t thinking.”

“If he saw us, then I’m guessing the explosion was just as much a warning for you as it was a tool to kill me.”

“Why weren’t you home?”

Luca’s voice was strained, and she slid off his lap to sit beside him, waiting until he pinned her with those big brown eyes before explaining. “I was at the gym. It—”

“Helps you sleep.”

She smiled, reaching for his hand and lacing their fingers together. “My apartment’s not that far from the gym. I heard the explosion. I knew exactly where it came from. I didn’t bother to drive by and make sure. I just came straight here.”

“I tried to call you.”

“I ditched my phone in case they were tracking me somehow. Though, I guess they probably weren’t if they didn’t know I wasn’t home. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay.” He kissed her lips softly and pressed his forehead to hers. “I would have torn Catania to pieces looking for you.”

She smiled. “I know.”

“So what now?” Carina wondered, drawing their gazes. “We can’t hit the train without your access. And this is a clear warning shot from Gallo to back off if there ever was one. What’s his next move, and how do we intercept him?”

Sienna shifted in her seat when all eyes turned to her. “I don’t know. I imagine he thinks killing your mole gave him the upper hand.”

Matteo turned his watch around with his fingers. “I’ll call Dom,” Matteo said. “Have him meet us here with a dozen of his best men first thing in the morning.”

“Tomorrow?” Sienna said, hand jerking in Luca’s. “You want to wait?”

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