Page 82 of Be Still My Unbeating Heart

He’s hiding the truth from you.

27

Bastian knew there was a reason he couldn’t shake Salvador’s warning. He had tried to get De Luca to open up, but now his secret was laid bare, and he looked like he’d been struck across the jaw.

“It’s not what you think,” De Luca said, stepping closer.

“You could have told me you had a boyfriend.” Bastian tried to keep it light. “He’s cute. I can see the appeal.”

“Bastian—”

“Look, love, it’s no big deal. Monogamy isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. I don’t mind sharing. It would’ve been nice to not have been kept in the dark, though.”

And you wouldn’t have wanted to share De Luca.

You want him all to yourself.

“Just listen—” De Luca said, voice low, like he was afraid to wake up his boyfriend.

“You don’t have to worry, De Luca. It’s perfectly fine if you—”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” De Luca had grabbed Bastian’s wrist, and the contact silenced him.

De Luca’s blue eyes shone in the dark as he said, “He’s my brother.”

Bastian frowned. “Brother?”

He looked at the man in the bed, taking in the black hair and high cheekbones. His eyes were closed, but what if, under the lids, they were the same blue as De Luca’s?

“You have a brother?”

“He’s been ill for—” De Luca broke off as the man in the bed groaned. “Not in here.”

He pulled Bastian into the room opposite. He shut the door and left the lights off, walking over to a neatly made bed, his back to Bastian. He looked better than he did earlier. The shock of the vampire attack had worn off and his injury seemed to cause him only minor discomfort. Bastian remained by the door, stunned silent.

“Enzo’s been ill since he was a teenager. He used to be able to leave the house, but he’s gotten worse in the past couple of years. He’s bedbound now. He never leaves his room.”

“How terrible,” Bastian said. His chest was tight. He stared at the back of De Luca’s neck, wanting to reach for him, but he sensed that De Luca would close up if he did that.

“What’s…” Bastian began to ask.

“He has a rare blood condition. His blood is poisoning him. The doctor says he only has another year or two left.”

“I’m so sorry.”

De Luca sat on the edge of the bed. “Mum looked after him most of the time, but then she died, and Enzo became my responsibility.”

“That’s a lot to take on,” Bastian said.

“I have Rosa, at least. She’s a nurse who comes in most days to look after Enzo when I’m on shift. That’s who I was talking to on the phone earlier, in your kitchen.”

Bastian firmed his mouth to stop from speaking, because it made sense, now, why De Luca was the way that he was. Why his default position was “serious.” Why he had trouble letting go. Why he had no time for fun. De Luca’s life was all about duty.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” De Luca said, his eyes bright in the gloom. “I didn’t know where to begin.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. You’re a wonderful poliziotto, De Luca, and an even more wonderful sibling, I’m sure.”

De Luca straightened the bedsheet, which had already looked neatly tucked in to Bastian.