“It’s nothing, just a sprain. I fell while running.”

She got up, and we hugged.

“Aunt Lucia, are you hurt too?” Effie asked.

“I’ll be okay. It’s just a sprain, kiddo.” I gave her a hug then turned to Izzy, who was watching Marco talk to two other men I just noticed.

“Salvatore?” she asked, gesturing toward them.

I nodded. “He wanted security for Luke and for us.

She snorted. “He’s probably the one who put Luke in here!”

“Wait. No, he was with me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so naive, Lucia. All he has to do is give the word!”

“Mama?”

Izzy wiped away a tear and looked down at her daughter.

“Let’s calm down.” I touched my sister’s shoulder, and she sighed.

“Sorry, honey. It’s fine,” she told Effie. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Uncle Luke is hurt,” she said to me.

“I know. Hey, I saw a vending machine just around the corner.” I dug into my purse and found my wallet, took out some dollar bills, and handed them to her. “Go get us some chocolate bars, okay?”

She looked at her mom, who nodded.

“Marco, will you keep an eye on her?” I asked.

“Of course.”

Wow, this was a different Marco than the inflexible man I’d met thus far.

“Here, some sodas too.” I handed Effie more money to keep her busy. She went with Marco. “Let’s sit down. Tell me what happened,” I said to Isabella once Effie was out of earshot.

“He was at the stupid bowling alley,” she started, taking a crumpled-up tissue out of her purse and wiping her dripping eyes. “He always goes there in the mornings, so the bastards knew where to find him. He’d just gone to get a cup of coffee, and two guys came in and opened fire.”

“Jesus.”

“The owner who was working the bar took a bullet in his arm. He’ll be okay.”

“Anyone else hurt?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Any idea who?”

She shook her head. “They wore ski masks.”

“I guess they would. Why do you think it was Salvatore’s men?” I asked.

She shook her head with a flat look in her eyes. “Who else but someone from the Benedetti family.” She turned her attention to digging for something in her purse.

“Dominic is part of that family,” I said, watching her.

She glanced up, her lips narrow, her face tight.

“He was at your house the other night.”

She stood. “This isn’t the time, Lucia.”

“What was he doing there?” I asked, following her, the crutches an irritating nuisance.

She kept her back to me, shaking her head, watching Effie push buttons on the vending machine.

“Izzy, what’s going on?”

She faced me finally. “A big fucking mess, that’s what.”

“Are you having an affair with Dominic Benedetti?”