Chapter 28

AVERY

“Avery, what is wrong? Why are you crying?” Tina asked urgently as soon as she heard Avery’s sobs over the phone.

“I don’t know. I heard some things about Daddy and Uncle Gio, and I don’t know what to think!”

Tina sighed. “Shit... Okay, um... I’ll be there in a few hours, okay? Just sit tight and calm down. I’ll call you when I get there.”

“Wait, you don’t have to come here. Just tell me the truth,” Avery pleaded.

“This is not a phone conversation. I’ll be there soon. I love you, Avery!” She hung up.

Avery stared at her phone in disbelief, threw it onto the coffee table, and curled up on the couch, drifting off into an uneasy sleep, exhausted from crying and emotions.

Avery woke to her phone ringing several hours later.

“Avery, I’m checked in at the hotel on State Street. Are you okay to drive? Can you meet me here?” Tina asked gently.

“Let me change, I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Avery mumbled and hung up. She changed clothes, took some ibuprofen for her now-pounding head, and drove to her aunt.

She arrived, and Tina took her in her arms, hugging her tight, then ushered her to the couch.

“Here, I know you haven’t eaten anything since lunch, so eat a little bit, then we’ll talk. I think maybe you should take tomorrow off... so we can hang out,” Tina instructed, patting her knee.

Avery didn’t have the energy to argue and pulled out her phone, making the call for the next day, then ate a little bit to appease her aunt.

“Well, since you ate a little bit, I guess I can start…” Tina began, and got up to pace. “I need to be able to tell the whole story, so can you keep the questions until the end?”

Avery looked at her aunt and nodded.

Tina looked at her and took a deep breath. “So, your dad met Gio through me. I was dating him for a while. Who can resist his smile?”

Avery smiled despite how she was feeling because she knew Tina was right. All three Bianchi men had heart-melting, panty-dropping smiles. She listened as Tina continued.

“Anyway, I was 23, Gio was 28, and the, um, affair was short-lived. Gio was already married at that point and had just found out Maria was pregnant with Matteo.

“Your parents had just gotten married, and your dad had been on the force for about eighteen months. Us two couples went out a few times. Your dad wasn’t thrilled about the affair, but told me it was my life.

“He and Gio hit it off right away and somehow they forged a friendship. Your dad and I both knew that Gio was involved with some big players, some dangerous people.

“The family vineyard is a front for whatever they are involved in. I don’t know the specifics and I don’t want to.

“Anyway, he brought your dad onto his payroll after that. I don’t know much except it made good money and your dad was still able to stay on the force.

“After your mom died, your dad was lost. Gio was the one who grounded him and made sure that he took care of you.

“I don’t know if you remember, but you spent a lot of time at the house with the boys. Maria was already gone by then, so it was nannies that looked after the boys and then you.

“Gio was very taken with you, always wanting a little girl, so he kind of adopted you while your dad came to terms with the loss of your mom.”

Avery was listening, slack-jawed, to the story. She just couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Years went by and your dad and Gio grew closer than ever. Even though it was kept quiet. Not too many people knew about it outside of Gio’s crew and a few other cops that were dirty.

“He helped with the medical bills with your first surgery. He paid off the house so your dad didn’t have to worry so much.

“You were still close with the boys—even though they were a little older, the three of you were good together.

“Once they both graduated from high school, Gio gave them the choice of coming into the fold of the family business or doing whatever they wanted, no questions asked.

“They both chose the business and learned fast. You know they were back and forth to Italy, and everything seemed to be going well.

“Then a few years later, Gio’s business with some Russians didn’t go as they expected. They were pissed that Gio cut their business ties and retaliated.

“Gio later found out that they somehow knew about the relationship with your dad and staged a scene to make it look like your dad’s death was a regular police thing.

“Gio was crushed—we all were. He retaliated swiftly, and let’s just say things were dealt with.

“The service was amazing, as you know. Gio was a mess and spent a month in seclusion to mourn his best friend.

“When you got sick the last time and had to have the kidney removed, I thought Gio was going to lose his mind.

“You know the boys flew back right away, and the four of us waited on pins and needles until you were out. Gio hired all the help you needed and paid all the bills again.

“I know you thought it was the insurance from the force, but it wasn’t. It was all Gio.

“He was so excited when you got this job! He was really hoping that this would be the push you needed to start your life and be happy,” Tina finished and looked at Avery.

Avery had no words and couldn’t figure out how to make her mouth work. She got up and paced, like her aunt, until she found her mouth muscles working again.

“You are telling me that Uncle Gio, Luca, and Matteo are into criminal activities, something like the mob?” Avery asked for clarification.

Once she saw Tina nod, she continued, “And you’re also telling me that Daddy was on the take and in it with Uncle Gio?”

Tina nodded again.

“Jesus Christ!” Avery yelled. “So basically everything I thought about my life was a lie? A goddamn LIE!”

“Av, I’m sorry! Your dad didn’t want you to know. He was afraid that you would get hurt if you knew, and Gio agreed. They were just trying to keep you safe!” Tina pleaded.

“Yeah, well, it kept me stupid and naive. I have this screwed-up view of the world and those who don’t follow the law.

“I thought my dad was this pillar of the community! I thought my uncle owned a vineyard! I look like a fucking idiot, Tina!” Avery yelled.

“No, honey, you aren’t stupid or naive. You are such a good person and look at the world with such a beautiful pair of glasses!” Tina replied tearfully.

“Because you all thought that for whatever reason I didn’t deserve to know all this shit, I just lost the best thing that ever happened to me!

“It took so much for me to push down everything you all had planted in my head to trust Justin. He is the president of a 1% motorcycle club, for god’s sake!

“He has been to jail, his father is currently there, and I unfairly judged them. I kept thinking how disappointed Daddy would be if he were alive. As it turns out, he would probably be happy!

“And now he and his entire table think that I lied and was a spy for the fucking mob! I lost the man I love because no one could be honest with me or treat me with respect.

“So again, I am the one to lose out!”

Avery fell back on the couch sobbing. Tina sat on the floor next to the couch and rubbed her back until the sobs subsided and she fell asleep.

TINA

Tina wiped her face from the tears that had fallen, rethinking everything that had happened.

She got up, pulled a blanket off the other bed in the room, and covered her, smoothing her hair back from her face. She kissed her forehead, then sent a text.

Tina

didn’t go well at all