Page 57 of Secrets of the Brother
I smiled. “With guns, money, and a disgusting amount of arrogance?”
“The unofficial family motto.”
We clinked glasses.
Cesare raised his again for another toast after taking a sip. “The baby is healthy. Milana said yes. And according to Papà, Amara turned downyet anotherwould-be marriage proposal. For tonight at least, all is right with the world.”
“At this point, I think she’s doing it just to fuck with him.”
“Oh she’s totally fucking with him, and God love her for it.”
We clinked glasses a second time and drank.
I wished I shared his optimism.
I just couldn’t shake this sense of impending doom. It wasn’t just the investigation. It was Bianca. My life. Everything.
I was a man who valued control and right now, nothing felt within my control, and that made for a very dangerous situation.
What happened between Bianca and me yesterday was only a taste of what I was capable of. I had spent a lifetime reining in the darker side of my personality, but it only worked when my life was in order.
When it was not…
We stood in silence for a few minutes.
I refilled my glass and studied Cesare. “I have to ask, how did you pull it off? With Milana?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“That woman hated the very sight of you. From what I understand, even the mere mention of your name would send her into an existential crisis of rage. She refused to be in the same room with you. Alfonso showed me what she did to the car you bought her. Matteo told me about the time in the office—”
Cesare rolled his cigar between his fingers. “Yeah, I know. I was there. She hated me. Do you have a point to thissuper funtrip down memory lane?”
“How did you do it? How did you move past her hatred of you?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Wait, is my big brother askingmefor dating advice?”
I threw my hand up. “Vaffanculo!”
“I’m sorry. I’ll be serious. Is this about Bianca?”
I stiffened. “Why? What have you heard?”
“Has someotherfemale slapped you in a spectacular fashion in front of the entire village in the last week?”
I relaxed. “No.”
“Out with it.”
“What?”
“You know what.”
I stared at the glowing tip of my cigar. “I fucked up.”
He remained silent.
I continued. “I crossed a line,in more ways than one. Now she hates me more than ever.”
