when she got sick, she confessed everything. How she and Emilio had sparked the chain of events that led you to be sitting here today.”
“Your nephew has threatened someone I care about.”
She let out a heavy sigh. “I had hoped he would break the cycle.”
“You knew? You knew he would come after us?”
“You have to understand, Nicco… may I call you Nicco?” I nodded and she smiled. “Our mother fled to Vermont with nothing but the clothes on her back. When Michael discovered the truth about his father, and his murder, it left a mark on his soul. A mark that, as he grew, festered into something bigger. Something malevolent. When he met Miranda, I had hoped she would be able to bring him out of the darkness. And for a little while, she did. But when they announced their move to Verona County, I knew what he was doing.
“I begged him not to go. Miranda was pregnant and she didn’t know the whole story. She thought he wanted to make a better life for them. I could have told her... I should have told, but I still hoped...”
I let out a strained breath.
It was true.
It was all true.
Mike Fascini was Elena Ricci and Emilio Marchetti’s grandson. He was my grandfather’s cousin.
He was my family.
“Nicco?”
“Y- yeah?” I scrubbed my jaw, trying to wrap my head around everything.
“Just tell me, has Michael Junior hurt anyone?”
“Not yet, no. But his son—”
“A son? He has a son?”
“You didn’t know?”
“I did not. My granddaughter is all I have left.”
“What about your husband’s family?”
“Kenny, God rest his soul, was an only child. There is only me and Charlotte left. Her parents, my daughter and son-in-law, they died in a car accident a few years ago.”
“She lives with you?”
“She did.” The old woman smiled fondly. “She recently moved to Burlington for college. I’ve made my peace with the past, Niccolò, but Michael never could. I knew him moving to Verona County would mean only one thing. I’m just sorry to hear his thirst for revenge has been passed down to Mike Junior.”
“So it is about revenge?” I sat forward, clasping my hands between my legs. Elizabeth had been an open book. I didn’t know what I’d expected when she opened the door, but it wasn’t this.
“I can’t claim to know what my nephew thinks or why he does the things he does. But I knew my brother. I looked into his eyes and saw the secrets of his soul. And that man was fueled by grief and rage. The Ricci were supposed to be one of the great families of Verona County. Instead, we became nothing. What lengths would you go to for the woman who gave you life, Niccolò?”
“My mother is gone,” I said flatly, feeling pain snake around my heart.
“I’m sorry to hear that. Do you have siblings?”
I nodded. “A sister.”
“And what lengths would you go to in order to protect her? To right any wrong befallen on her? I don’t justify my brother’s actions, but I can understand them. His father was murdered because he loved the wrong woman. I understand your ways, your code... but love knows no bounds, Nicco. It doesn’t adhere to codes or laws or morals... sometimes it just is.”
I couldn’t argue with her.
I had fallen hopelessly in love with Arianne. Even after I discovered her true identity, I couldn’t stop myself. Our souls were bound. And I couldn’t help but think history was reliving itself. Only this time, it wasn’t a Ricci and Marchetti breaking the rules.
“What is it?” Elizabeth asked.
“Do you understand why I came here?”
“For answers... for the truth.”
“And do you know what I have to do with this information? What it means?”
“I do.” Her expression softened. “Like I said, Nicco, I have long made peace with things. But it was different for Michael. Our mother gave him her name to protect him. But it only fed his obsession for vengeance. My brother wanted only one thing in life, Niccolò.”
“Yeah? And what’s that?”
“To take everything from the people who took everything from our mother.” She looked me dead in the eye, and for the first time since coming here, I felt the invisible line between us. “To make the Marchetti and Capizola pay.”
“That’s some heavy shit, kid,” Tommy said as we sat in the bar. “So Fascini is like your distant cousin?”
“Something like that.” I ran my thumb around the neck of the bottle.
Tommy wanted to break out the hard liquor, but I knew if I