Page 71 of Savage Empire

Because after only a short time getting to know the people surrounding me tonight, I’m almost certain I’ve been blaming them for something that is entirelyherfault.

Melani crosses her arms, glossy manicure shining against her skin. “Wow, I heard you were rude but I didn’t expect you to be so brazen about it.”

“Oh, I’m sure we’ve both heard unpleasant things about each other, haven’t we? I’d rather be rude than heartless.”

“Heartless?” she scoffs.

“Heartless, uncaring, cold to the bone, evil incarnate, whichever you prefer.”

“Hey,” Emilio jumps in, voice hard. “Watch how you speak to my?—”

“Watch howyouspeak, brother,” Apollo demands firmly. “Let them settle it.”

Melani huffs. “I doubt there’s anything to actually settle.”

“Oh, there’s plenty but it will never be settled. Being in the same room as you makes me fucking sick.”

“I think we should all take a breath,” Dante advises calmly, speaking up before Melani can retort. “Rayna, if you wouldn’t mind clarifying. Clearly you think you know something that we’re missing. Who have we neglected and what has it got to do with Melani?”

“Yes, please tell us,” Melani adds icily.

I look her dead in the face, hoping my next words hurt herdeeply.

“Sienna,” I bite out. “SiennaBianchi.Ring a bell? Or have you entirely wiped your little sister from your memory? You sure act like you have.”

Her carefully crafted confidence fades in an instant. “S-sienna?”

“She has a sister?” I hear Jade whisper.

“I honestly didn’t know,” Matteo whispers back to her.

“Let’s take the kids out of here,” Cassio tells his wife. Ana and him quickly gather the little ones, and usher them out of the room without making a scene.

I see Elio stiffen, and I realize I’m about to break my best friend’s trust by revealing her secrets to Elio, but I can’t stop. I can’t allow her misery to remain hidden for a second longer, especially not when faced with her awful older sister.

The older sister that’s sitting pretty at a luxurious family dinner. A family dinner full of warmth and love that Sienna has never even dreamed of witnessing, let alone being included in.

“Youabandonedher,” I grit out, standing from my chair with an abrupt smack of my hand to the tabletop. “You knew how terrible your parents were and you left her there without a second thought. You haven’t talked to her inyears. You didn’t even invite her to your wedding or say goodbye.”

“My relationship with my family is none of your business,” she rasps, voice cracking.

“The hell it isn’t!” I see red, temper growing hotter. “She’s my best friend and she’s been practically tortured by your cunt of a mother while you live the good life. The mother who youstilltalk to by the way!”

“Don’t speak about my mother.” She breathes out hard. “Sienna has always been spirited, I don’t know what she’s told you but I’m sure she’s fine?—”

“Oh, I get it,” I say, laughing bitterly. “You’re so deep in denial about how shitty your mother was toyou, that you can’t even admit that you haven’t thought about what she could be doing to Sienna now that you’re gone.”

“We need to dial this back—” Emilio starts to say, only to be interrupted by his twin.

“No,” Elio barks. “Let her say it.”

He’s the only one who’s given a shit about Sienna. The only one who’s ever even thought to check in on her. She’s kept him in the dark about the severity of her shitty life for her own reasons, but I can’t keep this secret any longer. If she hates me after this, at least she’ll hate meaftergetting her out of that hell.

“You’re here surrounded by a loving family that would do anything to protect you, and it seems you didn’t evenaskif they’d help Sienna too.” My throat strains with the urge to scream. “They lock her up in that awful house, and she can’t do anything without being monitored.”

“Which is entirely normal for mafia daughters—” Melani starts.

“I’m not finished!” I shout. “You’d know exactly what I’m talking about if you ever bothered to see her after you got married. One look at her face, and you’d know. Or should I say,yourface.”