‘What was that?’ Millie pressed. ‘What was that thought that just invaded your face?’
‘I’m just thinking about my dad, that’s all.’ Not totally untrue, but it was certainly more lie than honesty.
‘Have they found him?’ she asked.
I shook my head. ‘I’m trying not to think about where he could be.’
‘What about that address he gave you at the funeral?’ Millie said. Ever since I had told her about the address, she had become fixated on it. She couldn’t believe I had thrown it away – that I had destroyed a potential lifeline. Even now, after everything, she was still so trusting of a man neither of us really knew.
‘No,’ I said firmly. ‘My dad wouldn’t escape from prison just to run away to some other state. He’s with the Marinos. I can feel it.’
‘Ugh,’ Millie groaned. ‘Why?’
Because of the blood war, I screamed inside my head. Because he wants to fight alongside his family. ‘Who knows?’ I said.
She shook her head, a sigh filtering through her words. ‘What a mess.’
‘I’m just trying not to think about it. Otherwise it’s going to drive me mad.’
‘Just stick with me.’ She touched her head to mine. ‘I’ll cheer you up this weekend. Do you want to see a movie tomorrow night? I can ditch Cris. I’m definitely the alpha in the relationship, so he’ll deal with it.’
‘How charming.’ Outside, the air was crisp and cold. I pulled my coat tighter around me, and tried to ignore the shiver crawling up my spine. ‘But I can’t tomorrow night. I have plans.’
‘What plans?’
‘Um.’ If I waited even half a beat longer, I’d be rumbled, so I said the first and only thing that sprang into my mind. ‘We’re having a movie night.’
‘A movie night.’ Millie stopped walking. ‘Who exactly is having a movie night?’
‘All of the Falcones.’ I was really trying to sound nonchalant but the idea was ridiculous.
‘Right …’ she said, conveying her disbelief in a sideways frown. ‘And what movie is it?’
Think of a movie. Think of any movie. Pull this lie back from the brink of ludicrousness. ‘Goodfellas,’ I said. ‘We’re watching Goodfellas.’
Oh, take a bow.
I tried not to flinch.
Millie arched an eyebrow. ‘You mean to say a family of hot-tempered Mafia people are all cosying up with each other on a Saturday night to sit down and watch a movie about a family of hot-tempered Mafia people … ? Is that really what you’re telling me?’
Well, there was nothing else for it now.
I turned my whole face towards her, maintained full eye contact and said, ‘Yes, Millie. That is exactly what I’m telling you.’
Hold the stare. Don’t look away. Sell it. Sell it … Three, two, one …
‘Huh.’ Millie scrunched her nose at me. ‘Well. That is just … honestly? That is just weird.’
I conjured the whisper of a smile. ‘Tell me about it.’
‘Sunday, then?’
‘Sure. Sunday.’
I tried not to imagine how I would feel on Sunday. I tried not to think very much at all, in case my stomach wound up eating itself from nerves.
Millie skipped down the steps and flounced into the afternoon, leaving me staring at her long dark ponytail as it bobbed back and forth.
I made my way towards the black SUV, threw my bag in the trunk and slid into the back seat, startling at the backs of two Falcone heads instead of one.
‘Hey?’ I said, more question than greeting. ‘Why are there two of you here?’
Nic and Dom turned around at the same time, their lips curving in matching smiles. ‘Hey,’ they chorused, the sound raising the hairs on my arms.
‘There’s been a slight change of itinerary,’ Nic said.
Dom started the engine. ‘I hope you didn’t make plans for tonight,’ he threw over his shoulder. ‘Because we’re going on a little killing spree.’
I reeled backwards, my head hitting the seat with a soft thump. ‘It’s tonight? I thought it was tomorrow?’
Nic shook his head, the glee still firmly plastered across his face. ‘Paulie’s been scouting the location. Libero is coming in tonight instead.’
‘So we’re going now?’
‘Are you ready?’ He flashed his teeth at me again, the smile turning wolfish.
No. No! No!
‘Where’s Luca?’ I asked, suddenly feeling diminished in this big half-empty car. ‘I thought he was supposed to come too?’
‘He’s working on the other side of the city tonight.’ He waved his hand at an imaginary Luca in the faraway distance. ‘And besides, it won’t take that many of us. Libero is barely a match for Gino.’
I blinked at him dumbly, trying to assimilate the news.
We whirred past Cedar Hill High, my classmates streaking into scarfed blurs behind me. They were going home to get ready for weekend parties, or coffee dates or dinner with their parents, soccer practice or movies or aimless walks along Main Street … and I was going somewhere very far away. I scooted forward, conscious of how alone I was in the back seat.
‘Soph.’ Nic’s voice cut in. Before I even realized it, he had twisted around in his seat and was holding my hand on top of the armrest, his thumb tracing circles on my skin. ‘You look pale. Are you feeling OK?’