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I stop at the threshold of the living area. Instead of Dad, Lucio stands there, a smug look on his face as if he’s been waiting for me all along.
“Hello, Georgina,” he drawls.
I’d met Lucio here before when Dad made us both sit for a family dinner. During the entire meal, I’d been stealing looks at him, expecting him to jump and kill me — which wouldn’t be a surprise considering that I took Lucio’s place and he hates me.
I jut my chin, refusing to let him see how much he scares me. “Hello, Uncle.”
“Looks like you’re enjoying the life here, aren’t you?”
“I’m happy with my dad if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Enjoy it while you can.” He smirks, placing one hand over the other. “I admit, you got me with the whole cross-dressing business, but now that I found you...I’ll dote on you like a good uncle.”
I don’t miss the sinister edge in his tone. He’s out for my head.
“Jasper hasn’t told you how doting I can be?” He approaches me slowly, but surely. “Oh, right. You haven’t seen him after my last torture session with him.”
Torture?
Lucio tortured Jasper?
I swallow, but I try to maintain my posture, refusing to let Lucio get the reaction he seeks.
Is that why Jasper disappeared? Oh, God. He didn’t find me right away because he was tortured. I can’t believe I left when he was in so much pain.
No wonder he was mad I left. I would’ve been if I were in his shoes.
What have I done?
“Give it up, Georgina. Tell Paolo you don’t want the throne and I will let you live. I’ll even let Jasper live. See how generous I am?”
“I’m not a kid, Uncle. You’ll kill me the first chance you get and watch Papa die inch by each agonizing inch. You’re a monster and I’ll never let you take what you don’t deserve.”
“I don’t deserve?” He grips me hard by the arm. “What do you know about what I deserve and what I don’t? I’ve built this over the years. I stayed in the background as my father ruled, waiting for the chance to finally take the throne. Neither you or that fucker Jasper will get in the way. So what if people died? All wars need sacrifices.”
I try to wiggle free, but Lucio’s hold is like steel.
“Let go of my daughter this instant.” Dad appears from behind me.
“I was only greeting her, Paolo.” Lucio leans in to whisper so only I can hear him. “You’ll pay for coming in to ruin my plans. The clock is ticking.”
I slightly stumble backward when he releases me. The brute.
Dad stands beside me, his presence bringing back some safety. “What are you doing here, Lucio?”
Lucio hugs Dad, smiling. “I only came by to see if you’re doing well.”
“I am. You can leave now.”
“You don’t have to kick me out every time your daughter is in the scene.”
“We’ll meet at the inauguration banquet where I will announce Georgie as the Costa heir, Lucio.”
My uncle’s jaw ticks, but he forces a smile. “Of course. Early congratulations, Georgina.”
He hugs me and I stiffen as he murmurs, “Tick. Tock.”
A shiver still goes through my body even after he leaves.
“Are you okay?” Dad caresses my arm.
“I’m fine.”
“He won’t hurt you, Georgie. I didn’t protect your mother, but I’ll protect you from him.”
It dawns on me then, the maliciousness in Lucio’s tone, the spider tattoo. My fear of spiders over the years. When I was a kid, I thought a big bad spider murdered my mom.
It all makes sense now.
I lift m chin as I stare up at Dad. “He...he killed Mom, didn’t he?”
“I have no evidence, but Alessio mentioned it.”
“Alessio?”
“Alessio Vitallio. Jasper.”
“I know who he is, Dad.” I lower my gaze. “I’ve been with him in Sicily.”
“You mean he kidnapped you to Sicily.”
“Yeah.” But I don’t know why my brain finds trouble keeping up with that fact.
Maybe because Sicily became so much more than the place I’d been kept captive. It slowly became...a home.
I miss it; I miss Salli and Francesco and even Angelo and Enzo.
“Can I ask you something?” I face Dad.
“Of course.”
“Jasper says you killed his family. Is that true?”
“I didn’t participate.”
“But it happened?”
“It was a strategic decision made by your grandfather.”
“What’s strategic about killing people?”
He holds my shoulders. “We don’t live in a rainbow world, Georgie. If you want to survive, you need to make tough decisions.”
“Does it have to be this way? Isn’t there legitimate business within the family?”
“It’ll take a long time to get clean.”
“I don’t care. We can do it together.”
He kisses my temple. “We’ll see.”
No, we’ll do it. I’m sure we will.
Maybe then, Jasper can finally forgive Dad for the past.19JasperWhen my little Petal comes into the room, she finds me lying on my elbow on her bed.
A smile grazes her lips, it’s discreet, but I can see the happiness behind it and once again, the relief.
