The Rocchetti Queen - Bree Porter Page 0,64
let out a mewl at the sight of me. I took him from Alessandro, holding him to my chest. He fit so perfectly against me—I could hold him forever.
“Nothing bad. We just had a chat.” I kissed Dante’s forehead. “He seems pleased you took out Raul.”
“That makes two of us.”
I glanced around the living room. “Has your brother shown his face?”
“He wouldn’t dare.”
Indeed.
I wasn’t complaining. Salvatore Jr’s lack of interest in family events only benefited Alessandro and me. There was more to being king than ruling—something my brother-in-law hadn’t figured out yet.
“I’m going to check on Nicoletta,” I said. “It’s getting late.”
“Does he need to go down yet?”
I checked Dante’s face. “Soon. I’ll show him off a little bit more first.”
Alessandro shook his head, but he was grinning.
When I approached Nicoletta, Ophelia looked up. She wore a knee-length green dress, the color making her eyes look brighter. I could see why Nero hadn’t turned his stare away from her.
“Nicoletta, Sophia’s here,” Ophelia said.
Nicoletta looked up, eyes going straight to Dante. She cooed in delight, “Ah, little baby Rocchetti. Can I hold him?”
I passed Dante to her, keeping my hands close in case she forgot to grip. Nicoletta rocked him in her arms, crooning to him.
“Are you having a good time?” I asked Ophelia.
She nodded. “The food is very good and everyone is super friendly.”
Though she worked for us, she was still considered an outsider, so most of my guests would be on their best behavior around her. Especially since she spoke Italian.
“The only problem is him.” She jerked her chin in Nero’s direction. “What is his problem? I’m not going to hurt Nicoletta.”
That’s not why he is staring, I wanted to say, but didn’t. “Family is very important,” I responded. “I will speak to him again.”
Not that it would do any good. Nero had found something that caught his interest, and for once, I didn’t think he planned to assassinate it.
“How is living in that big house with Nicoletta?”
“Fine. She actually remembers the layout of the house, so I don’t worry as much about her getting lost,” Ophelia said. “I get lost more than her.”
I smiled. “And the dogs?”
“Florence is cool.” Don Piero’s Maremma sheepdog, a lovely animal who was allowed to live in the house. “The others do not stop barking.”
“Most of them are guard dogs,” I told her gently.
Ophelia shrugged. “It does not make it any less annoying.”
I laughed, agreeing with her.
Nicoletta sung a little tune for Dante. “Your mama will be home soon,” she told him in Italian. “Not long now.” She looked up at me. “When will Danta be back?”
“Soon,” I said kindly.
“She’s been gone a long time.” Nicoletta’s face pinched. “I was meant to call someone when she didn’t return...”
Distress began to form over her features.
Ophelia spoke to her softly, assuring her there was nothing to worry about.
But Nicoletta’s mind had latched onto something. “No, no,” she said. “I told her not to go. Stupid, stupid girl.”
“Told her not to go where, Nicoletta?” I asked.
Her expression tightened. “I...I can’t...”
“It’s okay, Nicoletta,” Ophelia soothed. “Danta will be back soon. How about I get you something to eat?”
Nicoletta’s eyes widened. “Pelletier,” she realized. “She’s giving herself to Pelletier. Oh, we have to stop her!”
I didn’t understand what Nicoletta was talking about. “Why is she giving herself to Pelletier?”
People had begun to take notice now, alarmed by Nicoletta’s rising voice.
Nicoletta grabbed my wrist, holding tight. I instantly put my hand beneath my son, ready to grab him if she let go.
“It wasn’t them,” she told me. “It’s always been us.”
“Nicoletta...”
“It has always been the Rocchetti women, Sophia.” It was the first time she had said my name. “It has never been the men; they have never brought peace. It has always been us.”
I grabbed Dante as soon as Nicoletta pressed her hands to her face, sobbing.
“Danta, oh, Danta! She traded her life for ours—I told her not to!”
I looked over my shoulder at my father-in-law.
“Father,” Alessandro said coldly, now beside me. “What happened the night Mama disappeared?”
Toto the Terrible didn’t looked happy as he said, “We fought. She said she was going, that she didn’t love me. She was in love with Pelletier’s son. I...I let her go. I never saw her again.”
Letting women go seemed to be a nasty habit of Salvatore Sr’s.
I turned back to Nicoletta, who was still sobbing.
Pelletier’s son has just got out.
Get out before my brother kills you—just like he did your no-good sister!
My brother took your daughter...
I heard from the maid in