His eyes zero in on mine, speaking what he cannot say aloud. I nod in a silent understanding and grab the hands of my brother and my cousin, and pull them to the front door. Papà’s footsteps are heavy behind mine as he guides Mamma and Aunt Andrea, leaning around me to open the front door when we reach it.
Once we’re in the town car again, and our driver has made it safely away from the Paladino home, does the reality of what happened sink in.
Everything happened so quickly, and if I thought our lives were turned upside down before, I have a feeling I am sadly mistaken.
Aunt Andrea’s loud sobs have turned into breathless hysteria as she cries into Mamma’s bosom. Lorenzo is curled up on the seat, folded into himself with his head on his mother’s lap. I can’t tell if he’s crying.
Papà hands Giulio his activity pack he brings with him on car rides to keep him occupied before looking at me.
It’s then I see smatters of blood across his whitestarched shirt. My stomach dips and I look away, out the window.
The city lights are bright, even through the darkened tint of the car, and it’s only when the traffic begins to move and the lights begin to blur, do I allow a quiet stream of tears to fall.
There are two things I learned for certain today.
One: My uncle is dead.
And two: Never trust a Paladino.
Chapter 2
Vinnie
Age 13
“Remind me why I have to go to this stupid dinner?” I complain to my nanny, Cecilia, as I look at her through the reflection of my vanity mirror.
Cecilia is less of a nanny and more of an older sister figure. She’s twenty-three, and even though she was hired on to care for me, she and I quickly bonded, and the formalities dropped. Cecilia helps me with everything: school, hair, makeup,boys. She accompanies me to almost every event I am forced by my parents to attend. She even lives here at the estate, although her room isn’t on the same floor as mine.
“Because, it’s a charity fundraiser at the mayor’s house and anyone worth a damn is invited,” she reprimands as she lets a curl loose from the wand, letting the hot strand bounce against her hand as it immediately starts to cool. She passes the handle of the curling wandto me so I can hold it while she sprays my hair with hairspray.
“The Townsends will be there,” she continues with a coy smile. “I was talking to Esther today. She said Summer is ecstatic to go tonight.”
I roll my eyes at the mention of Summer, and her keeper—I mean nanny—Esther.
Summer is three years younger than I am and tries desperately to act like she’s my age. I only tolerate her presence at these dumb events because of her brother. Her brother makes my heart soar. I’ve had a crush on him since I was five.
I try to act casual as I ask Cecilia, “And Mason? Will he be there?”
She releases another curl and hands the wand back to me. Her lips turn up into a cheeky smile. “Maybe.”
“Make sure my hair is perfect,” I snap, but a smile plays against my lips as she narrows her eyes at me.
“I may be hired to be your nanny, young lady, but I’m still older than you. It’d behoove you to remember that.”
“And it’d behooveyouto remember that I’m your boss.”
We stare at each other through the mirror for several seconds, our expressions hard, before we both burst into laughter.
She pokes my side with her freshly manicured fingernail. “You’re a little princess, Vinnie. You’re lucky I’m so fond of you.”
“Mmmhmm,” I hum and bring a tube of pinkgloss to my lips. Mom won’t let me wear makeup yet, but she lets Cecilia style my hair however I want, and buys me a new lip gloss whenever I ask. This one tastes like cotton candy.
When my hair is done, I stand, and Cecilia grabs my dress from where it hangs nearby. It’s beautiful. Ice-blue chiffon with a fitted bodice, and thick straps that tie on the top of my shoulders. It reminds me of a modern-day Cinderella, without the hoop skirt.
Shrugging from my robe, Cecilia slips the dress over my outstretched arms, careful as she brings it over my head, as to not ruin my hair or rub my gloss. Once I’m situated, she zips the back and turns me toward my mirror.
It’s lovely. I can’t wait for Mason to see me in it, and I wonder if he’ll finally notice me asmorethan just a childhood playmate.