Page 221 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

‘You really think she was doing that?’

‘Susie, I spend half my working life sorting this kind of issue out. Family lines, succession, mergers of land... I didn’t get interested in that side of the law by chance.’

Susie exhaled shakily.

‘I told her she should take a test right there and then. I went and bought one.’ He gave a mirthless laugh. ‘By the time I got back from the pharmacy, lo and behold, she told me it had been a false alarm.’

‘Her period had arrived?’

‘Of course.’

‘You never told anyone?’

‘I wish to God I’d told my brother, but I didn’t.’ The regret in his voice turned to bitterness. ‘A couple of years later I was visiting home, walking on the walls, and she came running after me crying, telling me that she and Sev were in love, that he must never find out about us. I thought she must have pulled the same stunt that she tried with me and told him she was pregnant. Sev’s a lot more dutiful than me—or he was... I tried to talk to him a couple of times, but he just blocked me... On the eve of the wedding I was more direct. I said that if she was saying she was pregnant, it was no reason for him to marry her. Sev hit me—told me never to speak of Rosa like that. He said he loved her...’

‘Do you think he did?’

‘Who knows with Sev? I stayed back... I figured if he wanted to talk...’ He shook his head. ‘Then the accident happened. I tried to talk to him again, but he didn’t want to hear it.’

‘He might now.’

‘No.’ He looked over to where she sat. ‘I’ve thought about your question...if I regret sleeping with Rosa, or not telling Sev.’

‘And?’

‘I wish I’d never laid eyes on her.’ He stood. ‘Sev and I are finished.’

He headed back to the party and Susie just sat there for a moment. Then glanced at the time and knew she had to head back.

Dante watched Susie leave the private dining room and saw her pass the west side windows. He tried to focus on something Mimi was saying, and to tell her he wanted to leave discreetly.

But no...

That would not be fair.

And when Susie returned—when the cake had been cut and the catering staff were packing up—he wanted to go into the kitchen and kiss her neck...turn her in his arms and lose himself in her for a moment.

But that would not be fair either.

‘Dante?’

Sev was trying to be polite, for the sake of the wedding, and held up a bottle of whisky. Dante nodded, but he could see the hell in his brother’s eyes even as he attempted to be civil and knew he’d caused so much of it.

Then Mimi took the microphone again. Briefly he met Sev’s eyes and gave a small smile, one only the brother who knew him very well might understand.

Only Sev didn’t return the smile, and Dante looked away.

God, but he wanted Susie...

Dante gave in then—pushed back his chair and walked into the kitchen. But it was empty, and everything was neat and tidy.

The staff were gone.

It was just family now.

Two feuding brothers, whisky and wine.

Oh, and music that was set to play late into the night.