"No. I need you to keep this from him."
"Mama, once I'm gone, be happy with Uncle Vittorio. Don't listen to what the others in this house whisper."
I knew how hard it had been for her to decide to marry again, to walk into a Family that would never see her as anything but the woman who broke the old Don's first marriage.
Whatever Lorenzo believed, my mother had never come between anyone's love.
A ruined name shouldn't be how her story ended.
When I got back to the bedroom, Lorenzo was already waiting on the bed.
The moment he saw me, he pulled me into his arms.
His lips kept brushing against the tip of my ear.
"Are you upset? You know what we are can't be spoken of. Omertà cuts both ways, cara. I'll handle the alliance marriage myself. Think of it as cover, just an act to bind the Carbonis to us. Don't read too much into it."
"Trust me, Caterina. There's only you in my heart. Don't sulk anymore, all right? I bought you a present. It'll arrive tomorrow. You're going to love it."
I swallowed the hurt and nodded with a smile.
He thought nothing of it, let out a breath, and pulled me back into his arms.
After a while, he spoke, hesitant.
"It's just, a Falcone wedding can't be some quiet little thing. Every family in the territory will be watching. As my sister, you might..."
"Fine. I'll be there."
I knew what he wanted to say.
Rather than let myself be cornered, it was better to offer it up first.
At least that way I could keep some dignity.
He seemed surprised at the change in my attitude.
But he'd gotten what he wanted, so he didn't bother to look closer.
That night, he slept in my bedroom as usual.
Early the next morning, he slipped out of the room before anyone under the Estate's roof had woken.
Lorenzo had barely left when I headed out too.
To arrange my papers and see the crossing settled, the quiet flight that would carry me across the ocean.
I never expected to run into Adriana Carboni there.
Lorenzo stood behind her, his eyes full of doting tenderness as he looked at her.
From nearby came the low chatter of the men who handled such arrangements for the connected families.
"Is that the young Don's betrothed? What a presence. If I'm not mistaken, that bag is the new limited edition Hermès. You can't get one no matter how deep the tribute runs."
"Has to be. I heard they've been together since before he took the ring, all the way to now. They even bought a little island across the water for the honeymoon. I bet they're here to arrange the crossing so they can travel the world."
"What is this, something out of a story? I'm so jealous. If my man carried himself like the young Don, my whole life would be worth it..."
While I stood there dazed, the man handling my papers spoke up.
"Miss Falcone? Miss Falcone? Everything's arranged."
His voice caught Lorenzo's attention.
Just as I was tucking my things into my bag, Lorenzo appeared in front of me.
There was a flicker of something on his face, a barely detectable fluster.
"Caterina? What are you doing here?"
Adriana came up from behind him too, wrapping herself intimately around his arm. Her too-bright laugh rang out a beat too long.
"You must be Lorenzo's sister. Hi there."
"We're going to be one Family soon, so I figured we should get acquainted early."
My gaze passed over the place where the two of them touched.
I smiled and nodded.
"Adriana."
"It's nothing. I came to arrange papers for my mother. She's always wanted to see the old country."
"You two go on. I won't keep you."
I turned to leave.
But Lorenzo chased after me and caught my arm.
Anxious to explain.
"Don't read into this. Coming today was my father's wish too. You know how much the old Don cares about this alliance. He insisted I take her across the water."
"He even wants Adriana at the Sunday sit-down tonight. I'm telling you ahead of time so you don't get the wrong idea."
Watching him fret like that on my behalf.
I suddenly felt like laughing.
Adriana was the one he'd loved for years, after all.
Now the wedding was almost here, and his little vendetta was nearly at its final curtain.
