Of volume lineage

She frowned. “I don’t wa

“Marzia,” Giova

Surprise flickered through me at the backup. Marzia sighed dramatically, swinging off the doorway like she was an actor dying in front of a crowd.

“Fineee.” She drawled out the vowels, but I watched as she clambered to her room, making sure we all heard her exaggerated footsteps.

To Giova

“You’re the only other adult in her life who disciplines her,” he said. “I would much prefer you be firm than let her walk all over you.”

“Marzia wouldn’t do that.”

His lips twitched. A smile, I realized, feeling both a mixture of delighted and shocked at the sight of it. “She is goodness itself, but she is my daughter. She is a Vigliano.”

I smiled primly, not sure how to respond.

“I’ll be late, so don’t wait up.”

“Are you and Lucrezia going to a restaurant?”

“No, she said she wanted to stay in.”

Giova

On my way out, I peered into Marzia’s room, and found that she had attempted to hang up her uniform, the pinafore and button-down shirt hanging awkwardly from the coat hanger. I thanked her for doing so even if I did fix up the uniform, so it didn’t end up more wrinkled than if she had left it on.

Lucrezia had moved back in with the Montaltis after the death of her husband, Michele. She had been their ward since she was fifteen and her parents had passed away. With no other blood relatives to take her in, she had gone to her godparents house. Not long after turning eighteen, she had fallen desperately in love with Michele Veneziani and the two had been happily married until his death a year ago.

A twenty-four-year-old widow, I thought whenever I saw her. So young and yet condemned to a life of grief and misery.

Lucrezia did try to be friendly and engaged, but I saw the lost expression in her eyes when she thought no one was looking.

“Lucrezia, Lucrezia,” I called over the di

She blinked at me before forcing a laugh. “I’m sorry, Isabella. I was lost in my head. What were you saying?”

“I was asking if you knew how to make red velvet cupcakes,” I said.

“Red velvet cupcakes? Why...?”

I took a sip of my wine and narrowed my eyes. We were at the Montaltis dining room table, but both her guardians had taken a holiday in the Hamptons to recover from the stress of the–and I quote–‘move to Manhattan’. If the move hadn’t involved destroying a family, killing a bunch of people and forcing a marriage to secure peace, it probably wouldn’t have been so stressful.

“Are you okay?” I asked outright.

Lucrezia had been pushing her Arancini balls around her plate in a thoughtless movement. She paused now, her watery eyes blinking rapidly. “Who, me?”

“Yes, you. And don’t tell me you’re fine.” I gestured to her di

Her cheeks pinkened. “I’m probably not the best company...It’s just that tomorrow is the a

I stiffened, guilt rushing through me. “Oh, God, Lucrezia. I feel like a bitch. Why didn’t you anything? We can do di

“No, no. I prefer...not to be alone.”

I settled back in my chair, my guilt warping into sympathy. I topped up her glass and nodded.

Lucrezia smiled gratefully. “Mr. and Mrs. Montalti are in the Hamptons and Vincent is God-knows-where.”

“They left you alone?”

“I said it was fine,” she said quickly. “None of them really liked Michele and it’s hard to mourn someone your family didn’t love.”

My muscles tensed but I forced myself to stay relax. In that moment, I was looking at my future self, who was speaking with grief about Giova

“I will mourn him with you,” I murmured.

Her face broke into a smile. “You didn’t even know him.”

“You can grieve for people you don’t know, Lucrezia,” I reminded her gently. “What was he like?”

Lucrezia looked to the wall, but she wasn’t seeing the plaster and wallpaper and art décor, instead her mind had gone a million miles away, sucked back into the past. “Michele was...he was a good man. We got married young and he wanted me to have everything I wanted. He woke up every day and went to work, rain or shine, but always made sure he came home and spent time with me. He–” Her voice broke off, a corrupted sob coming from her chest.

I patted her shoulder affectionately. “We don’t have to...”

“No, it’s okay. I–I haven’t spoken about these memories in years. I haven’t even let myself think about them.” Her expression turned wistful. “He was an associate of the Vigliano Famiglia. He used to work in the public defence office as a lawyer, which is where we met. Vincent got arrested and I went to bail him out, and Michele was there. He wrote his number down on the plastic bag with Vincent’s shoes and belt in it.”

For the first time since knowing her, Lucrezia didn’t look seconds away from tears. Instead, a sunshine-type happiness had brightened her features. If I painted her in this moment, a sun would be shining behind her, the rays casting gold light over her blonde hair.

“Vincent hated him, and his parents disproved, but Michele got Giova

Within seconds, her expression crumbled again. But for a moment in time, I got to see the lightness that lay deep in her soul.

“I guess he defended the wrong client,” she said. “He was shot in his office. Vincent found him.”

“Oh?” Vincent had quite a few fingers in the Lucrezia and Michele pie, but I kept that observation to myself. I had one mission and it didn’t include getting my nose into other people’s business.

Lucrezia nodded, top lip quivering as she held back tears. “I moved back home after that and then we came to New York. I think Vincent is hoping some new scenery might help me get over Michele.” Her appetite returned and she cut into her di

“Who would you marry?”

“I’m not sure.” I’m sure Vincent had an idea. “Do you know any Lombardis?”

I laughed. “I think Adriano Lo Duca is the best option.”

“Vincent mentioned him. Apparently, Giova

I didn’t know that. “Really? He’s a Lombardi?”

Her eyes gleamed with amusement. “He’s taken a shine to you, and you’re a Lombardi.”

“That’s different,” I said, then at her grin, snapped, “And Giova

Lucrezia laughter was as light as a butterfly wing. “I’ve met your no

That sent me into a laugh that ended with an unflattering snort. “She certainly agrees with you.”

My phone buzzed and a quick glance revealed who it was.