Code of Honor (Spontagio Family 1)

He’s right, but I don’t let him know that right away. I want to make him sweat, so I pretend to think it over. If I’m going to continue to search for my parents’ killer, I need to push her away. As much as it fucking kills me to do so.

I have to let her go. I have to forget about her, for both our sakes.

“Okay.” I sigh. “But I need something from you in return.”

“What’s that?” he asks, raising his eyebrows.

“A ticket home. I want to go back to Sicily. Just for a few weeks.”

“Why?” Giovanni asks, his brow furrowing. “Your life is here. Your family is here.”

But the answers, I’m convinced, are over there. I can’t do this from Chicago. Hell, I still haven’t heard back from Lucca. I’m running in circles and my only option is to go to the source and sort this out once and for all.

“Call it reminiscing.” I shrug, a wry smile on my lips. “You tell me not to question you, so now I ask for the same. Just do this for me and I’ll stay out of Lucy’s life.”

Giovanni is silent for a moment. He stares at me, deep in thought.

“Okay.” He shrugs. “Let me know when you want to fly out, and I’ll arrange it.”

Chapter 31

Lucia

I’m exhausted after my eight-hour flight, but the excitement kicks in as soon as I step off the plane. I can’t believe I’m here. After going through customs, I collect my bags and head outside. I spot an older man holding a sign with my name on it. Smiling, I walk over to him.

“Hello. I’m Lucia?” I say, hoping he can understand English. He nods and reaches for my bags, tossing them in the back of a black sedan. Opening the rear car door, he motions for me to get in.

“Where are you going?” he says. I have no idea what he just asked me, but I take a guess and hand him the map I have with my new home marked on it. “Ah, oui.” He nods.

Settling back into my seat, I take in the sights as we drive through the city. I’ve been to Paris before, but this feels different. This will be my new home for who knows how long.

We arrive at the academy. I get out of the car and stare up at the building, my heart racing. My father had offered to get me an apartment of my own but I had said no. I wanted the experience of living on campus. I couldn’t do this on my own. New York had been hard enough and I had Pietro there—even if I hadn’t known it for a long time.

My heart breaks a little as I think about him. God, I miss him. It’s only been fifteen hours and I feel like we’ve been apart for weeks. In the back of my mind I keep asking myself if I’ve made the right decision. What if this whole thing is a mistake? What if I can never be happier than I was with Pietro?

Don’t think like that. You’re here because you deserve this. You owe it to yourself to do your best.

The driver unloads my bags, leaving me standing there alone on the sidewalk. Picking up my two suitcases, I take a deep breath and walk toward the entrance.

The doors swing open just as I reach them. An attractive young guy—about my age—stares at me, shocked.

“Sorry.” He grins, stepping aside. His French accent is thick, but his English is pretty good. “Here, let me help you with those. You’re new here, I take it?”

I nod, handing him my bags gratefully. He leads me over to what I’m guessing is the administration. I hand over my papers to the older, serious-looking woman sitting behind the desk.

“You’re up on the second floor, room 201,” she fires at me. I glance at my new friend for help. He laughs.

“She just told you your room assignment. I’ll show you if you like.”

“What brings you over to France?” he adds as we walk over to the elevator. “We don’t often see new dancers come in mid-year.”

“I’d just started with the New York Ballet Company when this opportunity came up.” I don’t mention my father’s connections because I figure it’s none of his business.

We exit the elevator. I follow him down the hallway until we reach my room.

“You might be lucky enough to have your own room, but most are shared. You’ll have your own bathroom, and there’s a communal laundry at the end of each floor.”

“Thanks. I don’t really know anyone here, so I’m kind of happy if I have to share.”