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His voice nipped as frosty as a chilled bottle of Moretti. “Get over it, Michael. She doesn’t want to work for the bakery, and she’s not going to.”
Michael waved his hand in the air, used to getting what he wanted. “You can help me convince her.”
“No.”
Michael stared. “What?”
He uncurled himself from the chair and closed the distance. “I said no. She’s happy painting. And guess what? She’s amazing. Carina has talent and passion and she’s been told too many times it’s just a hobby by all of us. She’s finding out who she is and I love watching her. And if I’m not good enough for you because I don’t have your precious blood running through my veins, it’s time I moved on.”
Michael jerked as if hit. “Scusi? What are you talking about?”
“Give your precious bakery to Maggie, or to your children. I’m done hoping I’ll be enough.” A crazy laugh escaped his lips. “Funny, I think I finally see how Carina has felt all these years. Trying to measure up but just missing the mark. Leave her alone. Let her be who she wants, without us telling her what we want.”
Michael placed his glass on the coaster and stared. “I never knew you felt like this. Why haven’t you said anything?”
“I wanted to be enough without relying on our friendship.”
His friend threw out a tirade of colorful curses. “All this time I counted on you to be there and never questioned your role. Because you are family, Maximus. My brother, my friend, my right-hand man. You being involved in the business was never in question. I just never thought to put it in writing. Mi dispiace. I will correct this.”
The simplicity of his acceptance stunned him. All this time, and it had nothing to do with not being good enough. Just the common male trait of barreling forward and forgetting to make his feelings known. The dream of everything he worked so hard for shimmered in front of him. All he needed to do was reach out and take it.
Time to put everything on the table.
“I slept with your sister in Vegas.”
The words rang out like a tire blowout in the middle of church.
Michael cocked his head. A sharp birdcall rang through the open window. “What do you mean? You were married in Vegas.”
Max shoved his hands in his pockets and faced the man he loved like blood. “Before we were married. We had a one-night stand.”
Michael unfurled himself from the leather chair and crossed the burgundy oriental carpet. His dark features remained smooth, but a cold fury gleamed from his eyes. “You slept with her before you were married? On a business trip I sent you on?”
“Correct.”
“But you loved her enough to get married?”
“No. Your mother found us the next morning and convinced us to marry.”
His breath hissed from his teeth. “You never even loved my sister? Treated her like one of your cheap lovers when I trusted you?” Michael’s voice dropped with warning. “I want all the details.”
“No.”
He jerked back. “What did you say to me?”
Max held his ground. “It’s no longer your concern. What happens between Carina and me moving forward is our business. I owed you the truth, but I’m not helping you change my wife’s mind about the company. She needs to find her own path, and I’m backing her all the way.”
The betrayal in his friend’s eyes cut deeper than any knife wound. “How dare you speak to me like this? I trusted you to protect my sister, and you used her. You married her without love and mocked our friendship.” His hand shook as Michael stabbed a finger through the air. “You broke my heart.”
The scene from The Godfather flashed before his eyes, and suddenly Max knew what Fredo felt like. Merda, what a mess. He looked his friend dead in the eye and took the heat. He had no choice. He realized his core need to protect Carina from harm and finally stand up for her. “I’m sorry, Michael. I never meant to hurt you. But this is our business, not yours.”
“I was ready to give you a permanent part of the company! Make you partner. This is how you show your loyalty and respect for my family?”
Max shoved down his temper and tried to remain calm. “It’s my family, too. Carina is now my wife.”
“I do not know if we can work together any longer, Maximus. Not like this. And not without trust.”
The dream of partnership exploded like fireworks, and broken pieces flew around him like charred paper. Maybe if he explained more of the situation Michael would finally understand. They could talk together about options and—
No.
Just last night he’d thrust between those silky thighs and held her through the night. She’d pushed him toward anger, passion, laughter, and comforted him when he spoke about his father. She made him feel alive and whole. He loved eating long dinners, talking about work, and watching her with his dog. Damned if he’d betray what fragile trust they had by selling her out for a contract. Her brother no longer owned rights to her life.
Or his.
Max let out a humorless laugh. The realization he didn’t care about the partnership anymore rattled his composure. “I don’t care.”
“Scusi?”
“If you can no longer work with me, I understand. Carina means more.”
Michael narrowed his gaze. “What are you saying?”
“Don’t give me the partnership. Fire me. Doesn’t matter. But make sure you stay out of Carina’s life and let her make her own decisions—including what happens with our marriage.”
He left the room and his harsh words without a backward glance. The hell with it. He was tired of lying and making excuses for his crappy behavior.
He’d done enough of that to last his whole life.
Chapter Thirteen
She’d slept with Max.
Again.
Carina drove home from her shift at BookCrazy, tapping her fingers absently on the steering wheel while she tried to make sense of the situation. She resented his false, half-assed proposal under pressure from her mother. But the arousal in his eyes caused her brain to ooze from her head until there was nothing left but surrender. His body never lied. Why shouldn’t she enjoy that aspect of their relationship? They were married, for God’s sake.
The inner whisper screamed the truth.
Because she was still in love with him.
