Page 22 of Vita Mia

Ryder nodded. He let go a deep breath as the plane made its descent. He relaxed himself. Either MiaBella sensed his nervousness or wanted to protect him from it. Either way she decided to comfort him. Her hand caressed the top of his. He welcomed the gentle touch. MiaBella turned her gaze to the window. Gone were her security team or scary brothers. On the Jet it was just her and him. When he met her she was twenty, a virgin, and a bit sheltered. In two years, he’d noticed a definite change. And he appreciated it.

***

THERE WERE MOUNTAINSin Sicily. Ryder knew so little about the island. He didn’t expect to see such rich landscape. The car and driver waited for them at the private airport. He braced for the sight of her brothers but they were not with them. And there were no armed ex-military men there to give them an official escort. MiaBella kept holding his hand. She walked him to the car and got inside while holding his hand. She was no longer chatty-patty with him, so he decided against asking any other questions.

The car drove through the city, and then into the countryside. He was impressed by how lush and green everything was. He saw modest homes and fields of flowers before they traveled on a cliff-side road that snaked along the coast line. He glanced out to the azure blue waters of the sea and could see another island in the distance. This was paradise.

“We’re in Bagheria, Mum wanted to meet you here,” she said softly. Her hand slipped from his. She reached into her small Chanel bag and removed her cellphone. Ryder pretended not to listen as she made a call.

“Hi Mummy. Yes. Yes. Yes.Sì, l'ho portato. Non crederai che lo farà, vero?” MiaBella glanced over at him and then looked away. “He will Mum. I promise. Okay, see you soon.”

“Everything okay?” Ryder asked.

“You’re Italian?”

“Yes,” he said.

“You speak it?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t. Be American. Be sweet, and be humble. Be Ryder. Okay? Do you understand?” MiaBella asked.

Ryder nodded.

“Your equipment? Is it enough?”

“It is.”

“How long will it take? To interview her?”

“Depends on her. What she has to say.”

“Stay no longer than two or three days. Insist on it. Say you have work to return too or something. Okay? Push Mum to finish the story and be ready to leave as soon as she is done. If you... if everything goes into the night I will try to be there. But my brothers may not allow us to be... close. Gianni is in town for this.”

“He’s the one that attacked me?”

MiaBella nodded.

“Gino and Eve are here too, so you’ll be fine. But let’s just get it done. Okay?”

“They’re protective of you.”

“They call it love.”

“You don’t?”

“I’m just different from them. I always have been. I know you’ve seen it.”

He didn’t ask her what that meant. She seemed to love her family, but there was a bit of weariness in her voice when she spoke of her siblings. Ryder had researched the sons of Giovanni Battaglia. Gino Battaglia was a well-respected business man, and aspiring politician. He was expected to run for the position of Mayor of the Campania. He was CEO of both Battaglia and Mancini Industries. He was into everything from fashion, to diamond mines in Russia and Africa. To be so young and so accomplished was surprising. Gianni was different than his twin brother. In his early years, he had several brushes with the law. A stint in prison that went almost a year. He was a notorious bachelor, an ex-boxer, and partier. And he’d been caught more than once on camera dropping someone flat with a swing of his fist. He was deep into the hip-hop culture. His latest American artists had six songs on the top of the Billboard charts. There were tons of mentions of him and his exploits. He was the only one in the family that was whispered to be connected to the Mafia. He played up on the image. His record label was called ‘Capo Di Tutti Capi’.”

Eve was the most interesting of all of them. First came her beauty. Maybe for Ryder because she was a woman. He’d seen pictures of her with celebrities across the world. She shied away from the press, but her designs in high fashion made her the most sought- after fashionista for Millennial’s. She had over 60 million Instagram followers, and she was nothing like MiaBella. In fact, if he hadn’t seen for himself he wouldn’t have ever guessed MiaBella was related to the Battaglia children. On first look she was like any other African American girl he’d met back home. The only give away of her mixed heritage was her thick accent. Ryder began to wonder if she was indeed the daughter of Giovanni Battaglia. Her older siblings certainly protected her as if she were.

“We’re here,” she said. “Let me do the talking.”

He nodded that he understood. The door was opened for him. He eased out and then reached back to help MiaBella. She emerged with the smile that often melted his heart. But she removed her hand from his and spoke in Italian to the men that arrived to greet them. He glanced to the house. He could tell it had been built over a century ago. The rich architecture was covered in history. The second story of the tall home had a balcony view to the front of it. And on it stood the oldest Battaglia child. Eve stared down at him. He offered her a smile. She didn’t smile in return. She then vanished back inside.

“They know we’re here,” he said after a nervous chuckle.

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