Page 38 of The Sound in Silence

The screen flashes black, leaving me uncertain if his latest statement was a threat or a promise.

* * *

Right after breakfast the next day, I head to the bedroom for absolute privacy when I call Della.

“Finally!”she answers on the first ring. “Fuck, can younotleave me in so much suspense? It’s been two days since I had to say goodbye to you, and while I know we’ve gone for longer without seeing or talking—” she’s referring to when Stefano had me locked away, “—it’s still weird, you know. Guess I’ve gotten used to you being around.”

For the first time in days, I use my voice. When no matter the fuckery of my mind, which prevents me from being normal, Della always manages to break through the trauma. The knowledge thatshe’ssafe. Safer than anyone I know. Besides me, the only other living proof of our mother still on this earth.

“I missed you too, Della.”

“Nico’s been telling me not to stress, but that’s all I’ve been doing since you left. God, Ariella, to not have you here reminds me of when—”

“It’s fine,” I cut her off before she can mention our dead stepfather’s name. “I’m fine.”

“Are you?”

Not completely.“Today feels good.”Walls back up.The same way as I’ve hidden my true emotions for months away from her probing.

“Today,” she repeats, a deep skepticism lining her tone. “But not yesterday?”

I shrug, despite knowing she can’t see me. “Not really.”

“It’s hard not to have Mom here, right, on your birthday?” she incorrectly assumes.

“Yeah,” I agree regardless.

“Happy birthday—belated now, I guess. Twenty-two.”

“Thanks.”

Five seconds of silence pass before my sister groans. “Ari, elephant in the room much. Tell me what it’s been like in New York, with Erico. Reassure me so I don’t fly down there and kick his ass.Pleasetell me he did something for your birthday.”

Skipping past all her other questions, which require putting words to my emotions, I answer her last one. “He bought me a piano.”

“Fuck,” she breathes. “Seriously? That’s amazing. Guess he’s not so bad, after all, eh?”

“It’s fine,” I say immediately, utilizing my typical reassurance.I’m finenever means a person is fine. But then, knowing this isDella, my sister, who, despite my ongoing determination to hide every truth from her—to protect her in ways only a sister can, despite her being the eldest sibling—I stop lying. Iwantto admit this. To be reassured by another person on this level. Fuck, to seek guidance from her even. “I don’t know how he is, Della, because I don’t know him at all. When we arrived to his house in the Hamptons, he dropped me off and took off for a Vegas trip.”

“Fucker,” she curses. “Like, I get he has responsibilities in his role as an underboss, but that’s a dick move.” She pauses. “But, then also, he wasn’t supposed to get married until the end of the month so this probably threw off his plans a bit.”

She’s reminding me of everything I’m not and how I’m not wanted. I disturbed his plans when the wedding happened three weeks earlier than he planned for.

Della’s always more logical than me. In some ways, she’s also more emotional, so despite her logical statement, if I know her, she’ll follow up with some cursing—

“But then, he could have cancelled his stuff,” she rambles on. “A man who cares would have.”

That’s the thing. Erico doesn’t care.

“Or fuck, kept the original wedding date and solved all of this. Then you’d still be here for a few more weeks and he could have gone gallivanting in Vegas all he likes.”

“Della,” I whisper, aiming to break her tirade before she says more shit I won’t like. “Stop. It doesn’t matter anyway.”

She’s silent, her anger radiating through the phone, indicating her disagreement. “Fine.” I can picture her sulking. “When’s he coming back?”

“Dunno. Last night, he mentioned it’d be soon.”

“Last night?”

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