Page 39 of Mine Again
At least for Mari, it happened the other way around. And I couldn’t be more thankful she got the happily ever after I once dreamed of for myself.
A sound behind us pulls me from my thoughts. Mia and I both turn as Mamma descends the stairs, her sister Serafina beside her. She just flew in from Milan, and Mamma picked her up from the airport.
The two of them are chatting and laughing in that effortless way only sisters can. Even if they only see each other once a year, their bond hasn’t faded. There’s something comforting in watching them. I like to think Mari and I will be the same.
“Girls, girls, girls,” Serafina greets us with open arms and a wide smile.
Mia and I jump up to hug her.
“You get more beautiful every year,” she says, kissing us on each cheek. “And what’s this I hear about Mari? Married and queen of the castle?”
“Well, queen ofla famigliaat least. Not that she wants to be,” Mia replies. “But yeah, isn’t it wild? From almost marrying a monster to capturing the heart of her Prince Charming.”
Even the brief mention of Mari’s former fiancé sends a shiver through me. Father was so proud of the marriage he’d arranged with the Contis, but it fell apart at the altar. Literally. Priceless.
He was so furious with Mari, so close to losing control, that the Don himself had to step in. Gualtiero De Marco sent her to Rome and placed her under the protection of none other than his brother Mateo, the very man she’s secretly loved for years.
The rest, as they say, is history. Honestly, their love story belongs ina romance novel.
“Absolutely,” Aunt Serafina says with a nod. “But such sad news about your Don. His death came as such a shock to everyone. I’m sure Mateo will be just as good, though.”
Then she purses her lips and, turning to Mamma, asks, “And your awful husband? Will he still be the next consigliere?”
Mamma lets out a long, weary breath.
“Let’s pray he will be,” she says. “Otherwise, he will be unbearable.”
Father’s ambition runs bone-deep. If he loses what he believes is his rightful place, he won’t suffer it quietly. And we’ll all pay the price.
I glance out at the water, at Ari and Sienna still playing like the world isn’t shifting beneath our feet.
But it is.
The old order is gone. Undoubtedly, Mateo’s reign will be tested as soon as he and Mari return from their mini-honeymoon.
All the De Marco enemies will crawl out of the shadows. They always do when power shifts.
A flash of Mari’s smile flickers through my mind. The way she looked when she spoke about Mateo. So full of hope. So certain the worst was behind her.
Now, I’m not so sure.
The one thing I am certain about, though, is that it’s time to finish what I started. Time to find my way out before the walls close in forever.
“Well, I think Mari’s love match calls for champagne,” Aunt Serafina says. “It’s as rare as hen’s teeth in our world. Maybe even rarer.”
“Agreed,” Mamma replies with a smile. “Mia, please go to the kitchen and ask Renata to bring a bottle of champagne and glasses to the beach.”
Mia scampers off, taking the stairs to the house two at a time. Mamma calls Ari and Sienna in from the water to say hello to their aunt, tossing them bathrobes to keep warm before more excited hugs follow.
A soft clearing of the throat makes us all turn. Mia is back, but it wasn’t her voice.
Standing next to her is Romeo Ferraro, Mateo’s best friend, second in command, and nowla famiglia’s new underboss.
His dark suit is sharp, his posture composed, but the weight in his eyes shifts the mood instantly.
The laughter fades, replaced by a sudden, inexplicable heaviness.
“Signor Ferraro,” Mamma says warmly. “What a lovely surprise. Will you join us in a toast to the newlyweds? The champagne is on the way.”
