Page 16 of No Merciful Corruption

“No.”

“Then why do you?”

At that, Karina tilts her head at me with an expression I find all too familiar. “You’re the eldest in your family, right Alex? You tell me.”

It’s the curse of the eldest child, eldest grandchild. We always know too much even without wanting to.

Silence befalls the table and I’ve taken to pouring too many sugar packets into my tea.

“I know my uncle is flawed. Our entire family is.”

I look up to meet her gaze.

“She has every right to feel the way she does. When Dahlia loves, it’s with every fiber of her being; loyally, unconditionally, and with blind devotion. But she can be so unfair. Not to mention cruel.”

“Are you speaking from experience?” I ask.

She lowers her chin as if ashamed to look at me head on. “So…she’s told you?”

I have to be careful with how I answer her question. Right now, all Karina knows is we’ve been in New York for an undisclosed period of time and she thinks we’re still together. I’m not opposed to telling her the truth but Dahlia isn’t here to decide so I’ll maintain the façade for as long as I can without telling an outright lie.

“With regard to you, Dahlia tends to keep things to herself.”

She sips on her tea before saying, “I found out she was back in New York last spring when I was visiting my grandparents. She was on her way out with Lyss and I…I froze. I was at once humiliated and relieved to see her. When I finally worked up the nerve to say hello she walked right past me like I was some stranger on the street. She didn’t even look at me. It was horrible.”

“You told her you never wanted to see her again.”

“And she told me I would deserve it if my husband ever laid his hands on me.”

“And has he?” I ask. “Laid his hands on you?”

She stills and all the air leaves the room.

“Karina?”

“I don’t feel comfortable discussing the private details of my marriage with you.”

“You aren’t comfortable or you’re afraid?”

Frustrated, she slams her cup down on the table. “For your information, Brent has never raised a hand to me.”

“He better not have because I’ll kill him.”

When she reaches for her cup again, she nearly knocks it over. Her head shoots up and I watch in real time as the color drains from her face. The fearful widening of her eyes draws attention away from her trembling chin and if not for the fact her reaction has so deeply confused me, I might’ve reached across the table to comfort her. I expected her irritation and perhaps a dismissal of my overprotectiveness but the way she looks at me now…

It's almost like she believes me.

“Hey!”

We look over and Lyss crosses the cafeteria to reach us.

“Rian’s okay, they just finished patching him up. Sasha’s upstairs with him.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask—who called Sasha?” I say.

“Damiano. Patrick and Orla are in Ireland and he was afraid…” her voice tightens. “Half brother, full-brother, it doesn’t matter. He’s still Rian’s next of kin.”

“And Dahlia?” Karina inquires almost desperately.