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I do as I’m told, taking up residence on the bar stool as she goes about making me a snack. This used to be one of my favorite parts of the day when I got home from school. Now she’s working normally, and I don’t get to see her until later.
I try to think of a way to tell her about Trent without worrying her too much.
“Will you spill it already? The sooner you tell me, the sooner we can figure out how to handle it.” She wipes down the already-clean counter.
I take in a deep breath before I resign myself to telling her the truth. All of it.
“He has pictures of me that he took while I was changing. He also threatened your job and Mrs. Bradford gave me this little souvenir.” I point to my head, showing her the knot. “She wanted to make sure I know what the Bradfords are capable of. I just didn’t want to concern you.” Tears prick my eyes as I think about everything all at once. My poor grams now has to deal with the consequences. Silence fills the room as I stare down at my hands.
Loud laughter bubbles out of Grams. I look up, startled by her odd reaction. I’ve never heard her laugh like this. It’s not a ‘ha ha you’re funny’ sort of laugh but one that says that she’s pissed. It’s almost … sinister.
“Don’t you shed a tear over anything that concerns me. I can handle my own. Trent’s not the only one with pictures. There’s a lot that goes on in that house, and only a little of it’s on the level, if you take my meaning. It’d be a real shame if that information got out.”
My mouth falls open at the ruthless little old lady who’s standing in front of me. Who kidnapped my sweet, muffin baking grandma and replaced her with this cutthroat woman?
“He has nudes of me.” I don’t know why a sense of shame comes over me. I haven’t done anything wrong. He took those pics without my permission, but that fact doesn’t make me feel any better.
“That boy really does have a death wish doesn't he?” Grandma shakes her head. “Blackmailing a Davinci woman.” She lets out another one of those laughs, slapping her hand down onto the counter.
“How do you know about Marco?” I know she knows I was fooling around with someone in my bedroom but how did she know who?
“Everyone knows who the Davincis are.” She shrugs. “I heard about them long before we moved to this apartment.”
“How?”
She sighs long and low and keeps wiping the counter. “I’m not the same woman I used to be. Before you, before your parents even, I had a different life. My maiden name was Tuscani, and my family was a big player back in the day.”
“A big player?”
She stops scrubbing. “I was your typical mafia princess.”
I don’t think my eyes can get any wider than they already are.
“Suffice it to say, some bad things happened, I had to fight for the man I loved, but in the end it didn’t work out.” Her gaze lowers, but not before I see the sadness in her eyes.
“Grams.” I reach across the counter and take her hand.
“But that was a long time ago. I’m not involved in that life anymore.” She shakes her head. “I’m happy where I am. Cooking and housekeeping for rich jerks is fine with me, and it keeps us safe and the bills paid. That’s all that matters.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what? That your old grams knows her way around a gun and can say every Italian cuss word with real verve?” She laughs. “No. I like it better just the way it is. I’m your grams and I love you, and that’s all there is to know.” She squeezes my fingers. “But I can tell you for certain that if a Davinci’s staked his claim on you, you’ve nothing to worry about from that spoiled Bradford brat.”
I didn't know about them before I met Marco, but Grams really has been around, I suppose. A mafia princess?
She tosses her dish towel into our small sink. “I saw that Davinci pick you up and drop you off. I would’ve thought Trent got the message. He’s more hard headed than I thought. Damn fool.”
A knock sounds at the door. We both turn to look. I swallow, worried it’s Trent.
“I think that’s for you.” Grandma nods towards the door. “Davinci men aren't good at waiting. If I was you, I’d answer it.” She settles on the stool next to mine. “Or we’ll have to get a new door.”
