Page 3 of Rockwell Academy: The Twist

FRANKIE

Mom stares out of the window and says with a smile. “I can’t believe we are here again.”

She gazes at my father, who returns her soft smile with one of his own and reaches for her hand.

“It’s where it all began. Wherewebegan.”

It’s as if Summer and I aren’t here as they gaze into one another’s eyes and electrify the air in the usual black car they travel in.

“Please…” Summer groans. “Can’t you let up for a second?”

My father chuckles softly and winks at mom. “What’s the matter princess? Don’t you like knowing your parents are still in love after surviving raising the brood from hell?”

Summer rolls her eyes and mom giggles.

“I wonder what Rockwell will bring you, Summer?”

“Freedom hopefully.” She huffs, “Mind you, it sucks that Frankie’s here. Couldn’t you have sent him to the military academy or something?”

My father catches my eye and I don’t miss the message glaring out at me. Freedom is something Summer will have little of if it concerns other guys and if I thought last semester wasbad enough protecting my cousin Siri, this one is going to be like patrolling the fires of hell to keep the hounds at bay because Summer is a striking beauty who doesn’t realize it.

Mom smiles. “It’s good that he’s here with you.”

Summer groans as mom reminds us once again of her own past here.

“I understand your pain, Summer. I was in the same position as you and your Uncle Angelo made life very difficult for me. But I met your father and well—what happened next was inevitable.”

“So, you’re saying to ignore Frankie and go with my heart?”

Summer’s voice is full of hope until my father growls, “You listen to your brother and nobody else.”

Luckily, the car grounds to a halt and the conversation is cut short which I’m grateful for because Summer is a free spirit in every way and was about to tell our father exactly what she thought about his statement, which wouldn’t have gone down well.

I peer out of the window and notice the cavalcade of black cars in front of us and remark, “I wonder who they belong to?”

It’s not an unusual sight for us because we travel in much the same way. In fact, the car in front and behind us contains our guards and, from the look of it, another family has beaten us to it.

My father stares at the license plate with a considered expression. “Florida.”

He heaves a deep sigh.

“There is only one family I know of in that State and you would be wise to keep your distance.”

“Their name?” I ask and he growls, “Romano. Three brothers who control the State—you know how it works. I’m guessing they are here for Dante’s son, Luca Romano.”

Mom shrugs. “It’s what Rockwell does. Remember our own time here? It’s where Club Mafia was formed. Rival families allin one place, their sons forming an alliance that created a force to be reckoned with.”

“There will benoalliances with other families.”

I state my intention before my father can speak, and his nod of approval isn’t surprising. We don’t require any new members of Club Mafia and my job is merely to survive Rockwell and head into the family business as soon as I graduate. Nothing more, nothing less, just an education because my family puts a lot of faith in that.

“I wonder what my roomie will be like?”

Summer addresses her remark to mom who smiles. “I hope she’s as nice as Emma. I loved sharing with her.”

“Did you ever keep in touch?”

Summer leans forward and mom shakes her head. “No. We lost touch when—well, I left Rockwell and as you know, it was two years before I was allowed to talk to anyone.”

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