Page 49 of Disgrace

That was part of the whole problem neither of her two half-sisters realized. Nothing about their life was normal, and it was a damn shame, really. They had grown up almost entirely removed from the life Siena had lived as a principessa della mafia.

Maybe that had been because their mother demanded it from Matteo—that he already had one legitimate family to use to further his mafia agenda. Or, it could have been because her dead father didn’t believe his illegitimate daughters would do anything for him in the grand scheme of things.

Siena really didn’t know.

Frankly, none of that mattered, either.

Not now.

“Matteo is dead,” Siena said.

Greta flinched. “I know.”

It was strange to Siena in a way to see someone—other than her mother and brothers—grieve over her father’s death. It seemed, somehow, that her half-sisters had a different opinion from hers on the man who helped to give them life.

They loved Matteo.

They talked fondly about him.

Siena couldn’t say the same.

“And your mom, too,” Siena added. “She’s also dead.”

“Do you think I don’t know all of this?”

Greta’s angry tone was matched only by the red flush covering her cheeks. Siena had hit a nerve, but that was exactly her point.

Someone had not properly sat these girls down, and explained what their life was going to be like from here on out if they didn’t hurry up, and do something. What that something was, however, depended on the girl.

“Exactly,” Siena murmured, staring her half-sister in the eyes, and refusing to look away. “They are dead, and so everything that they promised you for your life will no longer happen. You want to go to college, Greta? Will it further the family—will it further Kev or Darren somehow?”

“Well—”

“Or better yet, will college or something else make you a better house wife when they find a man to marry you to like they tried to do with Ginevra?”

Greta’s mouth slammed shut.

Siena nodded. “Yeah, you get it, huh?”

“Will they really do that to us?” Giulia asked from behind Siena.

It was the first time the girl had spoken since the two had been dropped off for their day with Siena. Something was keeping the two very quiet, and sometimes, she could drag out of them what that something was. Today had not really been one of those days. The girls didn’t seem interested in talking—unless Greta’s attitude could be considered talking.

Siena turned to face the fifteen-year-old. “If it furthers their agenda, and they think they can get away with it, then do not put it past them.”

“I don’t see how respecting them will—”

“Because, Greta,” Siena interjected, tossing a look over her shoulder, “if you think the more you irritate them will make them want to keep you around, or give you anything that you want, you are sorely mistaken. And until they’re gone, your best bet, is to give them what they want.”

“Until they’re gone, huh?”

Siena cleared her throat.

Shit.

That had been a slip of the tongue.

“Pretend you didn’t hear that,” Siena said. “Now, are we going out, or not? I thought you two wanted to go swimming at Jacob Riis Beach, and then grab some gelato?”