Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 126060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
“The two men, Jaspar and Beau, picked me up at the airport and drove me to their home in the middle of nowhere. I had no means of communicating with my family. Eloisa told me I had to be with them for three months. Stefano had no idea I was there. I was cut off from the world and terrified. The men were in their late forties, and the moment I saw them, every instinct I had for self-preservation kicked in. I wanted to turn around and get back on the plane.”
“Taviano,” Geno cautioned. “You don’t have to continue if this is too difficult.”
For the first time, Taviano met his gaze fully. “Men never want to admit they were molested, Geno. Sometimes, as in my case, their fathers don’t want them in their family. The things those men did to me for those three months were horrendous. On top of that, I was terrified they were going to kill me. They certainly threatened me with death if I dared to tell anyone. I turned ten when I was with them. It was one of the worst days of my life.”
There was a stunned silence. Salvatore and Lucca had put down their forks and just sat frozen at the table as if unable to process the things Taviano was telling them.
“When I was able to go home, the moment Eloisa came to get me, I did tell her.” For the first time, Taviano’s voice changed. A note of bitterness crept in. “She had no sympathy for me. If anything, she was appalled that I hadn’t been able to stop them. She didn’t touch me and in fact told me to stop crying. It was a very silent plane ride home. I wasn’t to talk to Stefano if he called. She had to speak to Phillip before she made any decisions.”
“My God,” Lucca burst out. “I knew Eloisa was a cold, unfeeling, heartless bitch, but seriously?”
“Lucca, honey, that isn’t helping,” Francesca said gently.
“I’m hearing this for the first time,” Lucca reminded, pressing his fingertips to his eyes. “I love my cousin. I want to go find these people and rip them to shreds. I can imagine how Stefano feels. Taviano. Man. I’m so sorry. Had I known, I would have done my best to be there for you.”
Nicoletta’s smile was gentle. “I love that he has all of you.” She switched her attention to Amaranthe. “I didn’t understand family until I allowed myself to believe in the Ferraro family. Like Taviano, I was a victim of rape. Stefano and Taviano saved my life and, really, my sanity. I didn’t trust anyone, and I detested myself. They were very patient with me.”
Her smile included Geno, Salvatore and Lucca. “It took a very long time before I was nice to anyone including Geno, maybe especially Geno, because he scared me, and he was here in New York. I associate New York with everything bad, but it was his family that persuaded Stefano and Taviano to come get me.”
Geno knew Nicoletta was diverting attention from Lucca and Salvatore, giving them time to process the things Taviano had revealed. She was also reassuring Amaranthe that the Ferraro family may have had a fight, but they were well worth the time and trouble in the end. Women. They were extraordinary.
“Phillip was so disgusted with me that he didn’t want me in his sight,” Taviano continued. “He threatened to leave Eloisa, to divorce her, if she didn’t send me away.”
Geno was shocked. Truly shocked. He had never liked Phillip Ferraro. He certainly hadn’t respected him, but it had never occurred to him that he would turn his back on his own son.
“Eloisa convinced him to stay if he didn’t ever have to deal with me. She promised Stefano would never be told, there would be no counselling, and no one would ever know. Then she threatened to send me away where no one would ever find me if I said one word to anyone. Phillip never looked at me or spoke to me again. I stayed out of their way and could barely bring myself to speak to Stefano. He knew something was wrong, but he couldn’t find out what. I wasn’t going to risk getting totally banned from my own family.”
Another silence ensued. Taviano ate his spaghetti calmly. Geno glanced at Francesca. She looked as if she might cry, but she managed to find her meal very interesting. His brothers took their cue from her and ate as well. For him, the usually delicious food tasted like cardboard. If Eloisa had been alive, he might have hunted her down and strangled her.
“What happened to the two men?” Amaranthe asked. “Surely your mother at least asked the Archambaults to investigate.”
“I heard her tell Phillip she was going to, but he forbade her. He didn’t want anyone to know that his son had allowed men to play with him and use him as a toy.”