Page 30 of Veil of Vengeance

“Take her to see Alessia. Make sure that she doesn’t get an infected wound,” I order him as I head toward the door. My cousin, Alessia, should be able to fix her up.

“What about you? You’re bleeding,” Romiro counters.

“Go and take that brat to Alessia. I’ll deal with my own cut.” My voice is sharp, leaving no room for arguments. I make my way to the kitchen, where we keep an extra kit of first aid.

The kitchen is empty, the silence welcoming. Releasing a breath, I grab the first aid kit and get to cleaning up the cut. I don’t know whether to be impressed or to be pissed at the brat’s resilience. I wrap up my hand in some gauze after cleaning it up.

“Oh my God, what happened, Eli?” Ma’s worried voice fills the kitchen. She rushes to my side and takes my hand in hers. Her eyes narrow as she examines my hand. I go to pull it away, but she just tightens her grip on my wrist.

“Who did this?”

Ma has always been protective of us, and it only got worse after she lost Dad.

I shake my head as I say, “Ma, I’m fine, it's just a little cut.” Her eyes become slits as she narrows them at me. I breathe through my nose, trying to figure out how I’ll explain it to her.

“It was Moretti’s daughter. She had a piece of a plate she broke and she refused to give it up without putting up a fight,” I tell her. Ma’s face becomes blank as she assesses how to deal with what I told her. Face twisting, she gently drops my hand.

“Was she hurt, too?” she asks. I nod, and her lips set into a grim line. She runs a hand over her face as her eyes search mine.

“I’d like to talk to her. What she did wasn’t okay, but in retrospect of everything that she’s gone through, I can sympathize with why she’d felt the need to do it.”

“Fine, but I’ll go with you.”

She shakes her head.

“No, Emiliano, I want to speak to her alone. You being there will only set her on edge.”

I grit my teeth, not liking the idea of my Mom alone with Satan’s spawn.

“As you wish, Ma. It’s your choice.” I sigh. Her face glows as the corners of her mouth lift.

“But I want Alessia to stay in the room with both of you.”

She nods and says, “Lead the way.”

I shake my head as I make my way out of the kitchen, already regretting my decision. It doesn’t take us long to get to Alessia’s office. The door is open, and we can hear them talking. Romiro is leaning on the wall, his eyes on Alessia with a small smile on his lips.

“Yes, I know. I had to tell him to mind his business.” Alessia is talking animatedly with Valentina, who’s nodding with a small smile.

Alessia and Satan’s spawn turn their heads when they hear Ma say, “I see you ladies are getting along.” Valentina’s eyes narrow as she sends a glare my way. I return it with a sarcastic smile.

I take a couple of steps toward Romiro and lean next to him on the cream-colored wall, and Ma steps closer to Valentina and Alessia.

“What did Alessia say?” I ask him as we both watch the three women talk in hushed voices.

“The cut wasn’t too deep; she didn’t need any stitching.”

I nod, still watching them as they throw glances our way.

“What are you guys talking about?” Romiro asks after they look at us for the third time.

Ma waves her hand at Romiro before saying, “None of your business, Romiro. Now you boys leave us alone. We want to talk about things that don’t concern you.”

Both Romiro and I get off the wall and head out the door, but I stop.

“Behave yourself and remember that you’re not a guest,” I warn Valentina. Ma looks at me, her eyebrows raised and eyes wide while Valentina gives me a blank stare.

“Emiliano Folonari, I did not raise you to behave like this,” Ma scolds me as I leave the room and close the door behind me. Romiro gives me a suspicious look that I choose to ignore.

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