Page 199 of Anti-Heroes in Love Duet
We had crossed the lawn, but stood at the edge of the stone terrace, speaking in hushed voices while Frankie, Tore, Dante, and Xan set the table for lunch with platters of charcuterie and baskets of fresh bread, red bowls of gazpacho like blood at each setting.
“So, you aren’t my sister,” I said as I digested the news, my stomach growling then cramping around the weight of the truth.
“Iam. Of course, I am,” she snapped, stepping forward with anger tightening her pretty face. “Do not ever say that to me again.”
“I’m not saying it because we have different fathers,” I said, watching each word cut into her flesh. “I’m saying it because you’ve been keeping so many secrets from me, I feel like I don’t even know you right now.”
“And you?” she countered, fisting her hands on her hips. “I show up in Naples because I’ve read in the paper my best friend has fled the country, and only when I called Tore did he tell me thatyouwere here with him. I may have been keeping secrets longer, Lena, but don’t be a hypocrite. You’re just as culpable here.”
We glared at each other for a long moment. Vaguely, I was aware of Frankie murmuring something about the Lombardi woman stare and shuddering comically.
“You’re right,” I muttered finally, feeling petulant but knowing I was wrong. My sigh was a long ribbon of sorrow. “Some things are just difficult to tell.”
“Yes,” she agreed, her face softening with surprise.
I didn’t blame her for that. Even six months ago, I wouldn’t have capitulated so gracefully to any kind of blame. My defensiveness was almost legendary.
“No more.” The words were a promise as I extended my hand to her and linked our fingers. “Insieme sempre.”
She smiled at the word we’d used in our youth to symbolize our bond as siblings. “Insieme,Elena mia. I am sorry for my secrets, though I meant to protect you. I’m even more sorry that you felt you couldn’t tell me about Dante. I want to be here for you always, even if I can’t be with you in New York. You are important to me and I never want you to doubt that.”
We walked to the table, holding hands loosely. The men were already seated, but Alexander and Dante stood to pull out chairs for Cosima and me.
It was only when his scent was in my nose that I realized what I had forgotten.
I froze, then slowly swiveled my head to look up at Dante, whose own face was carefully, uncharacteristically blank.
“You knew about this.”
His slow blink was the most eloquent expression.
I pushed back from the table even though he tried to cage me in.
“No,” I growled, ducking out from under his arm and backing away from him as I lifted a trembling finger of accusation. “Youknewthis? How could you not tell me?”
“It wasn’t exactly my secret,” he tried to explain calmly, opening his palms to the sky in benediction.
But this new Elena was still too tenuous, this thing between us so fresh, we had barely taken off the plastic.
“You lied to me.” I wanted the words to be a shout, an accusation, but they fell waterlogged to the floor between us where we both stared at them.
He was a capo. Of course, lying came easily to him. It was essential to his survival. But…I’d believed him when he told me he was the most honest man I’d ever meet because almost every action up until now had proved exactly that.
Now, though, my mind was reeling.
Keeping the knowledge that Cosima was Tore’s daughter from me felt like such an obvious betrayal.
My gaze swept around the table, tracking Alexander and Frankie’s expressions.
“You all knew,” I concluded hollowly, holding up a hand when Dante stepped toward me. “Everyone in this house knew, didn’t they? And I’ve just been wandering around like an obliviousstronzo.”
“No, do not say that,” Dante snapped.
He was coiled with energy, ready to spring at me, to force me to listen to his reason.
I didn’t want to.
That old, bitter self-loathing flooded my veins like water through a broken dam.
