Page 24 of Dangerous Games of Trust

Catherine wraps an arm around Elisa in a show of support. It’s obvious how strongly they feel about each other. I wait patiently, wondering what on earth could be worse. If Carlo worked out what they were to each other, I’m sure he would kill them both. She’s no good to him unless she can marry a man, strengthening family ties and giving him grandchildren.

The girls look at each other, exchanging a silent message, and Catherine gives her a nod, encouraging her to go on. “Ricky’s my cousin,” Elisa blurts out.

I look into their terrified eyes, and my heart feels like it’s on the verge of stopping. “What the fuck?” They must be confused. “Ricky’s not really a Moretti, he went to live with them when his mother died.” I stumble over my words as I attempt to understand what she just said. She’s just confused, that’s all, she has to be, because that doesn’t make any sense.

Catherine’s head shakes sadly in disagreement. “Have you ever asked why Enzo would just accept two stray orphans he shouldn’t give two fucks about into his home?”

Her words send tiny knife prickles directly to my soul. I didn’t think about the boys like that, and I’m sad for them all over again. I recall the conversation I had with Maddox, that theywere both so little when they had to deal with such an awful loss. But Maddox was adamant what happened. “The man who killed their mother worked for him. That’s what Maddox told me.”

Now it’s Catherine’s turn to look confused. “That’s the story Enzo told them?” She shakes her head vigorously in disbelief, unable to fathom how Enzo could be so heartless as to deceive his own son for such a long time.

“Ricky’s Enzo’s kid, we just need a DNA test to prove it,” Elisa agrees with her.

A cold shiver slithers down my spine. I understand that’s what she’s saying, but I don’t believe it. Glancing over my shoulder quickly, I wonder where the fuck Geovani is. He needs to be here listening to all of this. “That’s a pretty wild accusation to make.”

“Harley, do what you need to with this information, but you never heard any of it from us. Catherine will lose her job if anyone ever finds out, and she could also end up with prison time.”

“You have my word, I’ll never tell a soul.”

She produces a piece of paper from her jacket and unfolds it then lays it on the tattered chair directly in front of us. “I knew my story would be hard to believe, so I brought the proof Catherine’s been gathering for months. And when my pa told me I would have to marry Ricky, she came to my rescue.”

“At first, I was looking for any excuse to get Elisa out of the marriage, but after we found this, you can see why this marriage can’t go ahead. It’s unethical. And just plain disgusting.”

I glance over the sheet of paper; it looks like a hand-drawn family tree of sorts, with names and arrows connecting people.

“Moretti family.” Catherine points to the paper. “Three siblings. Enzo’s the eldest, then two sisters, Sofia, who was Elisa and Geovani’s mom before she died, then the younger sister Nicoletta, she’s also deceased, died giving birth to a baby boy.Maddox. She points out the names and where they sit on the tree.

I raise my brow like what the fuck. Then I grab her wrist because I need something to hold me up right. “Maddox is a real Moretti as well. His mom was Enzo’s sister?” I ask in utter disbelief. This is all so crazy.

I can see the truth in her wide eyes. It all makes so much sense. “And from what I have been able to decipher from the research Catherine’s done, Enzo wasn’t just married to Valentina, he had a mistress on the side. Ricky’s mom. The newspaper article we found about this place said she was an actress and stage performer. Quite famous before he got his hands on her. He knocked her up then bought her a place out in the middle of nowhere so she could raise their child out of the public eye. But from Catherine’s research, it looks as though Ricky’s mom got a little too close with Maddox’s dad who was one of Enzo’s enforcers, and it got them both killed.”

Got them both killed? Or Maddox’s dad killed her, then himself. That’s what Maddox told me. “For fuck’s sake. This is likeDays of Our Livesbut with gun-wielding madmen,” I joke, but there is no humor in my voice. I’m devastated for the boys. They have been lied to their whole lives. This will crush them. Who would want to be a part of this fucked-up family, really. Who cares what kind of money and notoriety you have?

“I know. It’s all so crazy, but I’ve checked all the facts, checked birth and death records. Catherine works as a criminal analyst and has access to the archives. I know I’m right on this. But now we’re both scared about the risk it’s going to put her in.”

Seeing the genuine concern painted all over her pretty features, I know I have to do something. “As strange as it all is, I believe you. I knew there had to be more to his control over those boys.”

“That’s just it. I don’t think they know. Otherwise, why would Ricky agree to marry me?”

I feel a shiver going down my spine. “Why would Enzo agree to the union in the first place if he knew, that’s just disturbing.”

They nod, agreeing with me. “Control over all the families. And my pa would do anything to get what he wants, and after realizing he was losing you to the Morettis, he threw me under the bus, using his only daughter to get what he wants. He and Enzo together are lethal. No one in Ravens Hollow will survive.”

“Just about anything like force you to marry your cousin.”

“That’s just it. My pa doesn’t know. No one does except us, and I assume Enzo and Valentina.”

“And you’re trusting me to help you?” I squeak, knowing the responsibility they’re placing on my shoulders. But I can’t let Enzo keep controlling this family and force this marriage to go ahead. I can’t even believe Ricky would have agreed to it in the first place. What the hell does Enzo have over him that he would? I need to talk to Ricky and Maddox and tell them what Enzo has done. The secrets he’s kept for years.

“Geovani worships the ground you walk on, that’s why he stopped at nothing to get you back from them. And from what I saw at the rehearsal dinner, Alessandro, Ricky, and Maddox are the same. You’re more powerful than you realize, Harley. You’re the only one who can help me and put a stop to Enzo’s and my pa’s power trip. Please help me.”

I take her hand and give it a squeeze as a stray tear falls down my cheek for her. For both of us. We’re just pawns in this sick game, used to help these power-hungry men get what they want. But I’m not going to stand for it. “I’ll see what I can do.”

I don’t make promises I can’t keep, but I want to help her. No one should be forced to do anything they don’t want to, and I might have just met this girl, but I already feel protective of her. Geovani finally returns, and his deadly serious expressiondoesn’t fill me with a lot of hope. Whoever he was talking to hasn’t given him good news. But he doesn’t say a word to us, just simply strides back into the room and stands by my side like he was here all along.

“We need to get your sister and her friend some protection. Get them out of the country. Do you have a safe place for them to go?” The words spill out of my mouth as I try to work through how to help her. “What did Dani say about being able to make new identities for people so they can disappear? We need to do that.”

He takes my arm firmly, moving me back toward a curtain running along the back wall. “Red, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

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