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I didn’t ask him how he knew because I knew he wouldn’t tell me. Willis Petrafuso had another persona. The less the two of us knew about each other’s dark sides, the better off we’d be. Secrets were meant to be kept and history told me Willis was as good at that as I was.
“I just found out.”
“It’s only a few days old, so that’s not saying much.”
“What did you want me to do? Call you while you were seducing my sister, which I am very pissed about by the way.”
“She’s been trying to reach you. That’s another one of those dick things I was referring to.”
At least with that he had the decency to look contrite. “I know. I fucked that up. I didn’t know what to say to her. I was afraid I’d give myself away, so I thought I’d just keep my mouth shut.”
That wasn’t like him, usually. There was more on his mind than his sister’s virginity. While he said he was pissed about the two of us together, there was more he was worried about. And I’d be damned if I discussed details with him. Noemi was a grown woman. Her life was her own to share or not share as she chose. I didn’t owe him a goddamn thing, and the fact that he hadn’t punched me yet told me he was well aware of that.
“So, you have no idea who set up the contract and you had that asshat follow us just to scare her away from me? It didn’t occur to you that she’d want to know why someone would go to such lengths?”
“It did, but I didn’t care. Besides, the fool wasn’t supposed to get caught.Youwere never supposed to see him. She’s my sister, Dante. What would you have done if you were me?”
“I’d have stayed out of it.”
“No, you wouldn’t have,” he said softly, studying me carefully. “There’s no fucking way you would let your sister date a man like you.”
If he had taken out a knife and shoved it into my heart, it would have felt better than the way his words sliced through me. He was right. Of course, he was. That’s why I had left Noemi trembling with tear-filled eyes at the airport. That’s why I’d made her care for me, buying her silence with her heart, just so I could ruin her and walk away with no regrets.
Because she was an angel.
And I was the devil.
And the universe knew we didn’t belong together.
“Do you have any other questions? If not, you can see yourself out since you let yourself in.”
Willis’ nonchalance shocked me. He and Noemi were close. I expected more from him, which made me the biggest hypocrite on the East Coast. Despite telling me to see myself out, Willis followed me to the door.
“If I hear anything about the contract against you, I’ll pass it on.”
I turned back to him as I opened the door. “I’d apprecia... ugh,what the fuck?”
My jaw took the brunt of Willis’ fist as it slammed into my face. The words were rhetorical. I didn’t need an answer to my question, not when I could supply it myself.
Rubbing my jaw, I straightened up and shook off the pain reverberating through my head. “If I didn’t understand why you did that, this would end quite differently, my friend.”
He shrugged. “You earned it. I’m just wondering if you understand why?”
“I assume it’s because I slept with your sister.”
“No.”
I winced with anticipation, steeling myself for the next blow which stung every bit as the first one. I didn’t know Willis packed such a punch. My fucking jaw was going to kill me in the morning, but I knew I deserved it.
“That one was for sleeping with my sister. The first one was for breaking her heart.”
I stopped rubbing my jaw. “She’s a grown woman.”
He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb. “She’s my sister. Grown or not. We’ve been friends for years, Dante. But one of the things that forged that friendship was Noemi’s relationship with your family. Don’t take that for granted. In fact, considering the position you’re in, don’t take any friendships for granted.”
When he started to close the door, I put my body in its path.
“Don’t get mysterious with me. I’ll bypass the cryptic crap and let you know that someone, several someones actually, tried to kill me this weekend. I took them out before they got into the room your sister slept in. Someone else tried to blow a hole in the side of my yacht. Outside the cabin your sister was changing in.
“I know I’m a cold-hearted bastard, but if you know anything about why someone wants to end my life, you might want to consider your sister.”
“Why? You walked away from her, or did you forget that?”
Words echoed in my mind.It’s not about you. Then it was about her. It had to be about her.
“I haven’t forgotten a damn thing.” But someone was going to wish that I had.
