Page 87 of The Man with a Treasure

Since stowing away in the mountains with this Giordano had never been a contingency plan, I wasn’t sure how much we were allowed to answer. Did Scarlett’s grandfather truly want her to ever know that he was to blame for her mother’s abduction? That a deal had gone wrong and her mother paid the price, in turn making Scarlett’s own life a living nightmare?

“It’s time for the talk, Angelo.”

Still at the table, I threw my hands up in the air. “And say what? What is allowed?”

Sal, also seeming defeated, told me, “They are not the ones here dealing with her. I say they lost a vote. It is only you and me. We need to do what’s best for her. And that is being honest—”

I growled, “No.”

“She has a right to know what her ‘fathers’ did to her.”

“I said no.”

“Not discussing it will not make her past disappear.” He took a sip of his red wine.

“Stop speaking to me as if I’m not aware of that.”

He took a folded napkin from his lap and set it next to his plate. “Then let’s speak about what else is going on. Another subject you want to stay in denial about.”

“Stop it,” I warned as I tossed my own napkin.

“You have fallen for her.”

“Have not.” I pushed my plate forward for some space. I had. I knew I had, yet felt if it wasn’t spoken out loud, I still had a chance of reversing my feelings.

Casually, he leaned back in his chair. “And you’re still falling. Every day, you are more in love with her.”

“Sal, you are seconds from me punching you.”

“If that will help you face the facts, so be it.”

“Why do you keep pushing for something that can never be?”

“Because she deserves your beautiful love.”

I winced. “I don’t offer that.”

“Every. Fucking. Day. You do. And she knows it. And she wants it.”

“We have no idea what she wants. She doesn’t even know.”

“You’re wrong. On both accounts.”

I was. Scarlett was very intelligent and getting more so every passing day. “Fine, you want me to admit my feelings for her?”

“Yes.”

“Then what? Act on it? Openly give her my heart so that her grandfather can shred it? How do you think she will survive my murder?”

“Angelo—”

I stood. “No. We’re not attending some sort of teenage summer camp here. We are dealing with real life. We are dealing with a very powerful family. I am a Suit. That is all. She needs to get home and be a Giordano.”

Sal finally snapped and also stood, switching to Italian. “That’s what I’m afraid of! You know that family will be so hard on her tender heart! It’s going to be like tricking a lamb to enter a lion’s den! Give her some glimpses of Heaven before sending her to Hell, Angelo.”

After a moment, I finally said, “You have not thought this through,” and walked away.

Entering the living room, I saw Scarlett doing the same from the hallway to our bedrooms. She wouldn’t look at me, so I asked, “What are you doing?”