“Tell Mama and Papa hello for me,” she whispered, hoping with all of her darkened soul that he was with them. If there was a God, and if He was merciful and kind, she prayed He allowed them to be a family again.
She stood up, wobbling slightly on the uneven earth, and took a step back. She studied each headstone.
Emilio Scalisi. Francesca Scalisi. Domenico Scalisi.
The sense of aloneness that fell upon her almost knocked her off her feet.
She glanced down at her shoes, rapidly blinking to clear away the tears that gathered in her eyes. The hushed wind wove through the leaves, making them tremble and darting away before they stilled.
Mia raised her eyes to the graves of her family. “I’ll come and see you again soon,” she promised them. “Mia famighhia.”
As she turned away, she thought she heard the sound of a familiar chuckle, one she hadn’t heard in almost two years. She froze in her tracks, the sound so dear and heartbreaking all at once. Then she whirled around, hoping against foolish hope she might see her dashing, dark-haired brother, leaning against his headstone, cigarette in hand and his old, sly grin on his face, as though he mocked the very idea he might be dead.
There was no one. The sound vanished into the whispering wind as it slid past her cheeks in a gentle caress.
Her hope, her foolish, foolish hope, dissipated like ashes in a breeze. Of course, he wasn’t really there. Of course, she was alone.
Still, as she walked up the grassy slope to rejoin her new, handpicked family, she smiled.
To Be Continued
In SCALA REALE, Book 3 of the Scalisi Family Saga.
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Acknowledgments
To my husband, family, and friends: Thank you all so much for your continued love and support. To know you’re all rooting for me and taking an active interest in this crazy dream of mine means more than I can ever say, and I hope I continue to make all of you proud.
To Sade: As always, I so appreciate your insight and wisdom into my characters. Your suggestions were invaluable, as is your support and your friendship!
To my editor, Michelle: To say you have been a blessing is an understatement! We are kindred spirits in so many ways, and I cannot thank you enough for your editorial wisdom and dedication to helping me produce the best story I could. It really makes my gut clench with happiness :-D THANK YOU!
To my beta readers: Mary, LeeAnn, Aislynn, Bonnie, Kristina, Kari, Tammie, and Denise, your feedback and enthusiasm for my writing is critical in the development and refinement of these stories. You’re all invested in Mia and her saga, and I cannot thank you emphatically enough for your time and attention. You’re the best!
To my proofer: Jenny, once again, thank you so much for your assistance in Swiffering this book! You came in clutch, and that makes you the MVP of proofers!
To Nicole and Carol: My OGs. I love you both, and I hope you love this new Mia story as much as I do.
To Lesia of GermanCreative: You’ve done it again! Another brilliant cover. And here’s to many more! Your talent is boundless, and I’m blessed to know you.
To you, the reader: Saving the best for last! I hope you’ve enjoyed the second installment in the Scalisi Family saga. There’s much more to come. I cannot thank you enough for your time, and I truly appreciate you choosing my work to relax and have a whiskey with. Thank you, and please stay tuned for more from Mia Scalisi!
About the Author
Meredith Allison has embraced her geekiness from youth. Along the way, she developed her knack for storytelling, which began when she was a mere child-person many moons ago.
Meredith is a writer (and reader) of many kinds of fiction, but in particular, mysteries and thrillers. Specifically, historical crime thrillers, spy thrillers, military-esque suspense, and cyberpunk/biopunk thrillers.
A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she is by proxy a Huskers fan (GO BIG RED!), as UNL is her undergraduate alma mater, and moonlights as an obligatory Blue Jays fan due to completing her graduate MFA studies at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.
When she’s not writing her next novel, she can be found romping with her two Pomeranians, serving her overlord cat, hanging with her husband, on an epic journey on her PlayStation, or simply huddled in a dark corner somewhere with just enough light to read a favorite book.
She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to connect with her on social media, or simply drop her a line at [email protected]!
Blood Comes First: A Scalisi Family Short Story Collection
The early days of Mia Angela Scalisi’s saga begins when her family voyages from Sicily to New York City at the turn of the 20th century.
In this collection of short stories entitled Blood Comes First, read all about the poignant moments that shaped Mia’s life and set her upon the path to her destiny in Blood & Whiskey.
Stories include her parents’ journey to America in 1901 with baby Domenico and their settling on Elizabeth Street in the heart of Little Italy in New York City. Read about Nick and Mia’s struggles growing up as orphans, their antics swindling gangsters out of their poker money, Mia’s entry into vaudeville, and the fateful meeting with Sal Bellomo that brought them to Chicago, plus many more.
Available in eBook and paperback on January 17, 2020—the 100-year-anniversary of the start of the nation’s noble experiment, Prohibition.
Also by Meredith Allison
Blood & Whiskey: A Scalisi Family Novel, Book 1
Written as Wynter S.K.
Pas de Deux: A Warrior and Heroes Novel
The Mood for Trouble: An Agent Provocateur Novel Book 1
The Paris Extraction: An Agent Provocateur Novel Book 2
Secret of Us: A Monroe Falls Romance
Big City Christmas Wish
Visit www.WynterSK.com for more information!
Princes of the Lower East Side: A 1920s Mafia Thriller (A Scalisi Family Novel) Page 45