Page 25 of Secrets of the Brother
He raised an eyebrow before taking a sip.
I rubbed my index finger over my lower lip. “About that….”
I took one of the kitchen chairs and spun it around to straddle it, leaning my forearms on the back.
Cesare’s expression fell. He pushed his breakfast plate aside and leaned forward.
I couldn’t look either of them in the eye.
I stared at the table. Focusing on the random constellation of pastry crumbs scattered across the cream linen and lace tablecloth. “The day we were at the hospital. When we weren’t sure Milana was going to make it. When we learned—”
My throat closed around the words. I couldn’t say her name. My entire being rebelled against sayingmy wifeas well.My wifewas worse.My wifewas taking ownership over the entire mess.My wifewas taking full responsibility for inviting this destructive chaos into my family’s life.
Sayingmy wifewas admitting my guilt.
I swallowed past the dry, bitter taste in my mouth and continued. “When we learned my wife was—”
My father stepped forward. “Cesare, leave us.”
Cesare rubbed the back of his neck, clearly upset. “No, Papà. I’m staying. What Enzo did—”
Papà roared, “Enough! Not another word.”
He slammed his palms down on the table and shifted his narrowed gaze between us. “Someoneordered that coroner’s reportafterwe went to great lengths to prevent one.Someonewith enough influence and inside knowledge to get it done under the radar, and before we hastened her body into the ground. We know it wasn’t her parents because they have their own reasons for toeing the line and claiming it was an accident.Someonewanted this investigation.”
He straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest. “Which means Cesare will be as much of a suspect as Enzo. You had just as much motive.”
“I was at the hospital keeping vigil over Milana.”
“We can’t assume that alibi will hold. Either way, if we can’t stop this investigation, the less you know about what actually happened the better.”
Cesare stood and faced Papà. “I’m not going to slink off and stay ignorant in the shadows like some fucking coward while my brother sacrifices his entire future. Not after what he didfor meto protect the woman I love!”
Papà squared off with him. “You can and you will. You have a family of your own now to worry about. Focus on Milana and the baby. I will worry about your brother.”
Cesare fought back. “Fuck that! We face this as a family, same as we always do!”
I vaulted out of the chair, knocking it over. “I didn’t do it.”
Both heads turned.
Papà lowered his head. “This isn’t helping, son. I told you that night I'd be the last person to judge you, but—”
I paced away a few steps and turned. “I didn’t do it.”
Papà frowned, “Then why did you say—”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I never said I did. Everyone just assumed. No one actually asked me.”
Cesare and Papà both sat down and stared at me.
I righted the chair and gripped the back. “I’m no saint. After learning it was… her… who attacked Milana, I left the hospital in a rage. After shaking off Vito and not finding her at our house or her parents', I headed to the cottage. The truth is, I’m not sure what I would have done if Ihadactually found her. I was so fucking pissed. I can’t remember ever being that angry at another human being in my entire life.”
I slumped down in the chair and buried my head in my hands, like hiding from the morning sunshine would somehow prevent it from revealing the darkness of my words. “I wanted the bitch dead. I wanted her out of my life, out of my family’s life. By that time I was pretty certain she wasn’t even pregnant. I wasn’t sure if there had been a baby and she got rid of it or if it had all been a lie. The coroner’s report confirmed it for me.”
My father laid a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Son….”
I shrugged him off. “Don’t. I don’t deserve it. You both tried to warn me about her, and I wouldn’t listen.”
