Page 62 of My Favorite Kidnapper

“It had better be.”

“Are you threatening me?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

“I’m warning you. She is a good friend of Carolina’s. She made her wedding cake as a favor. Not to fall prey to some whim of yours.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him she was not a whim. I had no idea what she was anymore, but I didn’t want to talk about it with him. And I didn’t want to say anything else that would make him suspicious.

The last thing I needed was for my brother to pay an impromptu visit and bring his wife. If they found out how I had acted, there would be hell to pay. I had never done anything so outrageous before. “Whatever,” I said dismissively. “Anything else?”

“Does she know what you do?”

“That I own some art galleries? Yes.”

“And?”

“And nothing. This is only temporary.”

“I see.”

“A couple months. Maybe less.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Something is going on.” He was too close to home with that statement. Something unexpected was going on, and I had no idea what it was or how to handle it.

“Nothing is going on except I have a houseguest and she is baking me a cake right now. You are reading something into all this that doesn’t exist. I’m done with this conversation. I’ll forward Carolina the number. Goodbye.”

I hung up, seething.

I hadn’t counted on my younger brother finding out she was here. At least, not this way. I had no doubt Carolina would call Brianna and ask what was going on. If Paolo discovered I had called Carolina on her honeymoon to pump her for information, he was going to have a fit. If Brianna couldn’t convince Carolina all of this was consensual, Paolo would show up here, and things would get messy.

I buried my head in my hands and cursed.

I would have to do some damage control.

Fast.

* * *

I headed for the kitchen, my anger still bright. I had texted Carolina the number and received an immediate reply.

Carolina

What is going on? Why is Bri with you in Italy?

My reply had been short.

Me

Ask her yourself. But give her a while. She is busy.

Carolina

Doing what?

Me

Baking me a goddamn cake. Later, or I will cancel her phone. I have been waiting all day.

Carolina