Miss Night

Chapter Fifty-Three

"You must be the other Night girl," Martina said, eyeing my sister with the same kind of wary expression she'd given me when I first arrived.

Audrey met that stare with unwavering eyes. Her auburn waves were mussed from sleep and her blue eyes were rimmed red from crying, but she did not falter as the three of us in the kitchen stared at her. My stare, however, had more to do with the red rimming her eyes.

I had not even heard her crying.

"Martina," I said, clearing my throat. "This is my sister, Audrey. Audrey meet Martina. She owns this house."

My little sister nodded her head at Gio's cousin. "Thank you for allowing me to stay the night. You have a beautiful home."

Ever so polite. Even if it did sound a bit robotic.

"I fear you may be staying for more than just a night, little girl," Martina said. "Perhaps you should become comfortable."

I looked up at Gio for an explanation, but he was furrowing his brow back at his cousin. His confusion matched my own.

Martina sighed, noting our confused expressions. Her eyes seemed to soften when they met Audrey's, when she noticed the red rimming her eyes.

"The Marafi family will continue," Martina explained. Then added, "Not the way it was, to be sure, but Antonio Marafi has heirs just the way Gabriele does. The four men that Cass ki— er, handled were not enough to wipe the family off of the board. No. They will regroup and then they will seek vengeance."

"From me."

Audrey's voice wavered now, but her fists had clenched at her sides as if she were ready to fight some unseen adversary. The insulin patch that Gio had paid for, in what felt like forever ago, was visible on her arm. Suddenly, I was seeing my sister in the hospital again. This time, it wasn't because the unseen adversary was inside of her but rather because of the world I had thrust her in.

"God, what have I done?" I whispered.

Audrey's eyes turned to me, to where I stood with Gio's arms still wrapped around me like a security blanket. There were no such arms wrapped around my sister and yet she still seemed more formidable than I did.

Audrey shook her head.

"You protected me all my life," she said. "It was time that I was the one who returned the favor."

"That was never my intention. For you to have to return any kind of favor. It wasn't a favor. You— you're my sister," my voice shook and Gio's arms tightened.

"And you would've done the same for me." My sister watched as I nodded solemnly. She turned back to Martina. "So what do I do?"

I marveled slightly at how Audrey's eyes had gone to Martina for the answer rather than to Gio. Martina, however, seemed to appreciate the acknowledgment and pondered the question.

"Lay low for the time being," Martina said, "I imagine things will be quiet for awhile as the Marafi's regroup, but I do not think they will be silent for too long. You may want to look into getting out of town or—"

"Getting out of town?" I peered up at Gio, alarmed.

"There's no need for you to leave, Audrey. She is perfectly safe at the hotel where we can look after her—" Gio began but Audrey interrupted.