Page 95 of When She Unravels
“She’s your cousin,” I grit out. “Even for you, that’s sick.”
“We’re related by our great-great-grandmother,” he says as he places his empty glass on the coffee table. “C’mon. You know that barely counts.”
“Martina’s not looking for a husband.”
“Why not? She’s almost nineteen.”
“Single,” Vito says.
“And beautiful,” Nelo adds. “I could see her warming my—”
If he finishes that sentence, I’ll rip out his tongue.
CRASH.
Vito jerks in his seat. “What was that?” he asks, looking toward the stairs.
Nelo arches a brow at me. “Is there someone else here?”
It must have come from Vale’s room. I grit my teeth. What the hell is she doing in there?
“I thought you said Martina wasn’t home,” Nelo says, looking at me as he moves toward the stairs.
I stand up and block his way. “It’s not Martina.”
“Who is it then?”
Cazzo.
“Give me a moment,” I bite out. “I have a guest staying with me.”
Without giving Nelo a chance to ask me more questions, I scale the stairs and duck into Valentina’s room.
She’s standing by the bed, her breakfast tray broken at her feet. She’s wearing Martina’s clothes—a pair of spandex shorts and a white T-shirt. Her eyes shoot up to me. “It slipped off the bed.”
I lock the door behind me. “Listen to me. Nelo and Vito are here sniffing around. The don sent them. You’re going to come downstairs with me. You don’t know anything about who I really am, got it? You’re only an employee who’s sleeping with me.”
Her lips part in shock. “The guy Istabbedis here?”
I pick up one of my sister’s sweaters off the floor and toss it to her. “Put this on. Yes. Did you hear what I said?”
“We’re sleeping with each other, I got it. Why do I have to go down there?”
“Because they heard the crash.” I grab her by the elbows. “We don’t have time for explanations. Just follow my lead.”
She nods, and we exit the room.
Nelo is waiting at the foot of the steps, just where I left him, and the stunned surprise on his face when he sees Valentina with me is unmissable.
“You.” The word is an accusation.
“Me,” Valentina responds.
When he won’t move to let us pass, I give him an annoyed look. “You were so curious to know who was in my room, I thought I’d show you.”
A prominent vein appears in his neck. “Vito, you know who this is?”
“Who?” his brother calls out from where he’s still sitting on the couch.
