Page 23 of Her Dirty Secret
“What could you have possibly said that would make her shut everyone out?” I muse out loud.
“It’s not just what I said. It’s also what she thinks I did.”
My eyes meet his and he sets down his own fork.
“I was technically sharing a room with someone,” he explains, “not that I spent much time in it. After our fight, I think she went looking for me there. As I understand it, a woman in our group I’d admitted to being previously involved with had been — what’s the phrase? Ah, yes — shacking up with the other person sharing the room. Anyway, this woman and he were in the room, and she thought it was me in there with her. She left before I could correct the misunderstanding.”
When he finishes, I’m gaping at him in disbelief. “So she thinks you had a fight, then went and fucked some other woman?”
He rolls his eyes to the ceiling and breathes deeply. “It sounds so much worse when you say it out loud.”
“Well, it explains why she is so upset,” I offer. “But it also convinces me you definitely weren’t just a fling to her, Alessandro.”
He looks back at me, again with that glint of hope. “You think?”
I laugh drily. “Yes, but I don’t know that that helps you much. Because she wasn’t wrong. Bryce is going to blow his lid. You’ll be lucky if you survive long enough to convince her you aren’t a disgusting prick.”
Alessandro goes back to picking at his food. But I’m thoroughly done with mine. My brain has moved on to other things.
“We needn’t ever upset him with the knowledge,” he finally mutters. “What good would it do? She’s even more stubborn than I am. She’ll never listen. And even if she does, she made it abundantly clear that she doesn’t feel the same about me.”
I fold my arms on the table and lean forward. “Oh, we’re going to tell him,” I insist. “Because if we don’t get him on board, Emily will never know what really happened. Until she does, you’ll never know for sure what was possible. Is that what you really want?”
This time he tosses his fork down forcefully. “It doesn’t matter what I want, dammit. Your husband is never going to let me anywhere near his sister after he learns of all this.”
“He will,” I assure him. “And then you’re going to tell Emily what really happened. If she doesn’t want to be with you after that, then at least you’ll know it wasn’t meant to be.”
He stares at me for a minute, clearly confused and upset. “Why would you go to all this trouble?”
I grin gleefully. “Because once, when I’d given up hope, she was the obnoxious little thorn in my side. She meddled and meddled until Bryce and I got together. And now I’m going to return the favor. But I think the better question is, if you really love her, why wouldn’t you?”
Alessandro smiles dimly. “Because she doesn’t love me, Serafina. You may know her in many ways, but I’ve known her in a way you can’t. She’s still finding her way, and I think she’s too scared of opening herself up to someone. I’ve been there. It’s why…” he trails off, looking at me thoughtfully. “It’s why all of us casually date, never letting things get serious enough to matter, never letting anyone affect us.”
“Her walls aren’t going to break themselves down,” I reply firmly. “If she hadn’t helped Bryce break mine down…” I shake my head, refusing to finish that thought. “If you’ll let me, I’d like to do this. Please, Alessandro.”
“I think it’s cute that you’re asking my permission. I know you quite well, Serafina, and I’m fairly certain you’re going to do this whether I want you to or not,” he replies with a wry smile.
That gets a laugh out of me. “Excellent,” I reply, picking my fork back up. “Now let’s eat. We’re going to need the energy for what comes next.”
He raises an eyebrow. “I sense I’m not going to like this.”
I smile at him beatifically. “Not at first,” I agree. “But you’ll be glad once it’s over.” He looks at me, waiting for me to tell him what I’ve got planned. I shake my head and laugh. “I thought it would be obvious. We’re going to tell Bryce everything.”
Six
Serafina
I’ve been nervous all afternoon since leaving Alessandro. Since promising to call him as soon as I’d prepared Bryce. But now, sitting on our living room couch, waiting for him to walk through the door, I still have no clue how to break this to him.
When the door clicks open just before six, I don’t run to greet him like I normally would. I rise, unsteadily making my way to the entryway.
“Hey, baby,” he calls, grinning at me across the open space. “How was your day?” He removes his suit jacket, revealing the gun holstered under his left arm.
“Fine,” I reply vaguely. As I near, I point at the weapon. “Why do you still carry that thing? You’re the boss now. Surely you don’t pull security detail anymore?”
He raises an eyebrow at me. “It’s never bothered you before,” he remarks, undoing the holster and setting the whole thing down on the table next to the door.
Yeah, it’s never bothered me before. But I’d rather not tell him something that’s going to piss him off while he’s packing heat.