The Rocchetti Queen - Bree Porter Page 0,17
friends, but I am here to visit you.” I glided into the room, settling down on a spare chair.
“I do not get many visitors,” she said. “In fact, I never get any. Except for Albert down the hall. But he’s a bit weird.”
I smiled. “I promise not to be weird. I just want to talk.”
Eloise did not look convinced. “What did you say your name was again?”
“I didn’t. My name is Sophia.” I decided to leave my surname out. I gestured to her dinner. “Are you enjoying your food?”
“No. It’s shit.”
I coughed down my laugh. “Oh.”
Eloise scrutinized me some more. “Are you sure we don’t know each other? You look familiar.”
“I have one of those faces.”
“No, you don’t,” she muttered.
I crossed my legs. From the corner of my eye, I could make out Oscuro loitering in the hallway, probably scaring off poor weird Albert from down the hall. “I’ve actually come to invite you to an event I am holding.”
“They won’t let me go. Papa says I am not allowed to leave.”
“I was under the impression you could leave whenever you wanted.”
Eloise cut her eyes to me. A watery blue, I noticed. “New around here, aren’t you?”
“Guilty,” I said. “But they may make an exception. I am hosting a charity ball for Alzheimer’s research. I would be honored if you came to tell your story, or just enjoy the night. Whatever you feel comfortable with.”
“Charity ball?” She snorted. “I’ve been to my fair share of those. They’re nothing but an excuse for rich people to feel good for doing nothing but dress up and pass a check to somebody.”
“Perhaps. But that does not change the fact it is to support research and care.”
“I’ll probably have school.”
I paused. School? Did Sunny Days have classes? “Oh? When don’t you have school?”
Eloise gave me a weird look. “On Saturdays and Sundays. Where are you from?”
“Not here,” I said, not unkindly. “Perhaps another time then. I wouldn’t want you to miss class.”
She shrugged, like she didn’t really mind. “Papa says education is important, so I guess I better go.”
My father had never said anything of the type, but I smiled like I understood and rose to my feet.
“Thank you for your time, Eloise. I will leave you to your dinner.”
Oscuro heard my voice and stepped inside the doorway, blocking off light from the hallway.
Eloise didn’t look nervous. Instead, she eyed him, then me, then Oscuro again. Her eyes snagged on the tattoos peeking from his sleeves, then the visitor badge on my chest.
Then, like a switch went off in her brain, her eyes widened, and she spluttered, “ROCCHETTI!” With a flick of her wrist, she swept her dinner tray into the wall, the peas flying across the room, like little green bullets. She stabbed a finger at me, eyes fierce. “Get out, you filthy Rocchetti bitch!”
“Eloise, I mean you no harm.” I held up my hands, trying to appear nonthreatening.
“Get out before my brother kills you—just like he did your no-good sister! Out, out, out!”
I tried to sound calm but was slowly backing away. “I am not going to hurt you. I am only trying to help.”
“Papa!” Eloise screamed. “Papa! Kill her! Papa!”
A nurse flew into the room. “Miss, you have to leave,” she said to me. “Now.”
Eloise was still screaming as I quickly hurried out, her shrieks echoing through the hall. All the way to the gardens, I could hear, “Die, Rocchetti bitch, die!”
Alessandro was angry with me. He kept throwing scowls my way as I readied Dante for bed, and when I finally soothed him into sleep, my husband spoke up.
“Eloise Pelletier, Sophia. Really?”
I looked over my shoulder from my vanity, keeping my voice soft. If Alessandro woke up Dante, the Corsican Union would be the least of his worries.
“She wasn’t exactly armed, Alessandro,” I told him. “And I was curious.”
He neared me, obviously having the same thought about not waking the baby up. Sitting down and looking up made my husband appear even taller and more threatening. His dark eyes stared down at me.
“You should have called me,” he said. “I would’ve come with you.”
“Then who would’ve watched Dante?”
Anger flashed over his features. Not so much at me, but more at my actions.
“I took Oscuro with me,” I added. “I wouldn’t have done anything dangerous, Alessandro, you know that.”
Alessandro straightened, still radiating irritation.
Keeping my voice quiet, I said, “You will not be able to rule this family alone, Alessandro. No one can. Don Piero had his brother and sons, and you