Page 50 of Secrets of the Brother
“It’s not that. It’s just I think you’re being too hard on both of you. You guys had barely started dating when he… fucked up.”
“Knocked up my sister and then married her, you mean?”
“Yeah, that. Although, speaking of rumors, I had heard a rumor that Renata put something in his drink that night.”
She played with the edge of the tablecloth. “That rumor is true. Don’t tell anyone. I wouldn’t want people thinking I’m going around trashing Renata’s memory or anything, but yes, she put something in his drink.”
“So it’s not really his fault? And no offense, but the man was married to your sister. I think he’s been punished enough.”
She sighed. “It’s worse than that.”
My stomach muscles tightened. “What do you mean?”
“Can you keep a secret?”
Fuck, no. Not if it concerns your psychotic bitch of a sister.
“Absolutely.”
“Enzo probably never slept with Renata.”
My mouth dropped open. “What? But the whole pregnancy thing?”
“I only just found out a few days ago. My mother was trashed when she called to tell me about Renata. She let it slip that Renata was never pregnant.”
“Not to be crude, but that doesn’t mean, you know….”
“She gave him too much of whatever the drug was. It knocked him out cold. When he woke up, she let him think they had slept together.”
“No offense, but your sister was a real piece of work. Are you going to tell Enzo?”
“Fuck no.”
“Why not?”
“Are you crazy? My parents are already freaking out about losing thegreat Cavaliericonnection. They are worried as it is about all the millions they will miss out on by not being in their inner circle. They are even trying to pawn me off on some cousin named Matteo. If I tell Enzo, he’ll be furious. Who knows what kind of revenge his family would be capable of? You know what the Cavalieris are secretly like. You don’t get all that power and money by playing nice in the sandbox. Besides, would you want to know the reason you were forced to marry someone was a complete lie?”
I decided to play along. “It’s been months. I’m sure he figured out by now she wasn’t pregnant.”
“Yeah, but he might not know the other part.”
“Don’t you think he deserves to know he didn’t betray you?”
She bit her lip. “It’s my only protection.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I wish I could be like you. I really want to hate him, like you hate Cesare. I know I have plenty of reasons, but I’m not strong enough to resist him. I know he’s all wrong for me. Toxic. I just can’t stop thinking about him, especially since being back in Italy. I missed him so much. I tried everything to get over him and I really thought I had…but then you know what happened. So him thinking that we can’t get beyond the past, that I can’t forgive him for his betrayal, is the only thing protecting me from making a terrible mistake.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you kind of already make that mistake?”
“Yes, but it was a one-time thing. It’s not going to happen again.”
I said under my breath, “Sounds familiar.”
“What?”
I waved my hand. “Nothing. Just a word of caution, the Cavalieri men have a funny way ofoverlookingyour objections.”
