Page 58 of The Angel

“She became pregnant, and I was the result of that.” He still doesn’t react even though he believes differently, and I say roughly, “She was told the baby had died.”

There is no reaction from Winter, and I wonder if she’s even listening, and Massimo shrugs. “I still don’t understand what that has to do with me. Wesley was mistaken. Your visit is a futile one.”

He looks bored already and so I dive straight in. “So, I turned to the next name on the list for answers and searched for Iris Young.”

Massimo looks up with interest. “And did you find her?”

I watch a steely glint flash in his eyes as I nod. “I visited her with Louisa, and she told us a very interesting story.”

Massimo looks angry and I’m guessing he hates knowing we were granted access to her, and I wouldn’t want to be in the manager’s shoes when he goes looking for answers.

“What did she say?”

Again, Massimo merely looks interested, and I say roughly, “I introduced myself as your son and she denied it. She told me you never had a son.”

“She’s old and riddled with dementia. She was wrong.”

Massimo sighs heavily. “The truth is, Flynn, Wesley told your mother a lie. She isn’t your mother, but I am your father, as it happens.”

He grins, hoping I will be shocked, emotional even, so he can disown me all over again. Perhaps rant at me for killing his beloved wife, so I lean back in my chair and shake my head. “Actually, you’re wrong. She told me you had a baby, but it was a girl.”

For the first time, the blood drains from Massimo’s face and he appears speechless. So, I carry on relentlessly aiming blow upon well prepared blow.

“She told me the baby was born shortly before Imogen hemorrhaged and died. The doctor arrived too late to save her, and she called Wesley because you were out of town at the time. They agreed you were never to discover you had a girl. You would blame her for the death of your wife and the fact you wanted a son would guarantee her suffering.”

“Wesley said that?” I watch the anger flare in Massimo’s eyes as he curls his fist and Louisa interrupts. “Wesley told Iris that he heard about an abandoned baby. The mother didn’t want him, and they agreed on a swap. Flynn was that baby and apparently Wesley used him to protect himself by making you believe he was taking on your hated child, promising to make his life a living hell for causing the death of your wife, guaranteeing his own safety in the process. You would be indebted to him, and he would live under your protection. We now believe that Wesley was Flynn’s father and the man who raped Vivian Clark.”

We watch in fascination as Massimo’s rage spills out and his crazed expression should scare me right now, but all I can think of is delivering the final blow.

“So, I’ve come to you with a deal.”

Massimo looks up sharply. “Which is?”

“I deliver you Wesley to deal with as you wish, and I take over as the head of his family.”

Massimo leans forward and says darkly, “Does Wesley know this?”

“Wesley knows nothing.” I twist my mouth into an evil grin and growl, “I interrupted him raping another woman and he is currently shackled to the wall of his own torture chamber. I decided to offer him to you as a sign of my loyalty.”

“Your loyalty.” I glance casually at Winter and if anything, she looks even more stiff than before, and I swear I see her lower lip tremble before it freezes back into place.

“You want to replace Wesley as my trusted friend?”

Massimo laughs darkly. “An interesting situation. The man I thought was my hated son turns out to be an imposter who is offering up his own father to me as a sacrifice.” He shakes his head and laughs darkly. “I love it. It’s perfect. I almost wish you were my son.”

Then he slips the mask back in place and says roughly, “Why should I believe you?”

“You don’t have to believe me. You can hear it for yourself.”

Without another word, I pick up my phone and press play and the entire conversation we had with Iris Young plays out in glorious stereo. With every word, Massimo gets even angrier and as the conversation ends, he thumps his fist loudly on the table, causing the glasses to crash to the floor.

Still, Winter looks down and as he lifts the bottle of wine and hurls it through the window, we all stare in shock at the red liquid spilling against the clear glass like blood from a massacred body.

Massimo appears unhinged as he thumps the table in a steady beat and mutters under his breath. His men appear nervous around us, and the atmosphere is so tense anything could happen.

A slight movement opposite diverts my attention, and I watch in fascination as Winter raises her hand and rests it calmly on Massimo’s arm. Just that one gesture confuses me. Sheisin there, but why offer him comfort? What the fuck is going on and why won’t she look at me?

It appears to do the trick as Massimo gets his breathing under control and looks at his wife with an expression that almost makes me believe he loves her. “I’m sorry, my darling, you are right to check me.”

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