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She blinks. "So, he told you about his past?"
"You mean about being expelled and everything that followed? He shared that with me."
She seems taken aback. "I wasn’t expecting that. His past is not something Cade speaks about to many people. He’s made sure to erase it from his online profile, so the very fact that he told you, is significant." His gaze intensifies. "You understand what I’m saying?"
I frown.
She snatches up her phone and her fingers move over the screen. The phone in my bag vibrates. "I sent you his number." She rises, then walks around and leans a hip against the table. "He feels something for you, I promise. There’s no other reason he’s revealed his secrets to you. It’s also why I think he’s now running scared."
"Oh." I blink rapidly. "Cade doesn’t seem the kind of person who’d be scared of anything."
"Except maybe when he’s on the verge of losing his heart?"
I laugh. I can’t help it. "Now, I really don’t believe you at all."
Zara doesn’t join in. "I mean it, Abby. That man is a stubborn jerkface, and I say that with the greatest affection. He’s my brother, but he’s obstinate and cocky and has too big an ego. I should know; I suffer from the same faults. But he’s also the kind of guy who, once he’s admitted his feelings, will not waiver. It just might take him a while to get there."
I draw in a breath. "You mean I shouldn’t expect to hear from him for eight months?"
"I can’t predict what he’s going to do, and I think he should have let you know he was going to be away, but—" She takes my hand in hers. "As your friend, I’m going to tell you that you’re too good for him, and that he’s an asshole for not seeing it, and that you can do much better."
Nicely played, Zara.My lips twitch. "But?"
"But as his sister, who recognizes how good you will be for him, all I can ask is that you give him the benefit of doubt. And because I do believe that the two of you have a connection, which doesn’t happen very often, all I can ask of you is"—she inclines her head—"to be patient with him. Can you do that?”
23
Eight months later
Abby
“Oh, hope I’m not interrupting?” I squeeze my fingers around the vase of flowers and peek inside the hospital room.
Zara, holding the newborn in her arms, and Hunter, who’s fresh from his victory at the general election, glance up at me. I hunch my shoulders and look away, then back at them.Why do I have to be so diffident? Why can’t I feel half as confident as the woman who fixes me with her unblinking gaze. Don’t flush now; you didn’t do anything wrong. You’re only here to update them on the new campaign you’re working on. Why can’t I find it in me to be courageous? To hold my own and face the world head on?The silence lengthens. My cheeks turn fiery.
"I could come back," I begin, but Hunter rises to his feet.
"You’re not interrupting. And actually, I’d be reassured if you’d keep Zara company while I make a few calls." He kisses her forehead, then prowls past me.
"Come on in." Zara, who’s also my boss, gestures to me.
I walk over to the table pushed up against the wall and place my flowers amongst the many bouquets and toys scattered there. The scent of roses, lilies, and other flowers mesh to form a heady, floral perfume that embraces me. No hint of antiseptic or any of the smells one would associate with a hospital dare intrude here. After all, Zara is the wife of the Prime Minister, who also happens to be one of the richest men in the country. "Wow, this room smells like a garden!"
"All the Seven and the Sovranos sent me flowers and gifts for the baby," Zara says in a soft voice.
I lower my chin. "You’re talking about Sinclair Sterling who runs the 7A company with his friends—"
"And the Sovranos." She nods.
I stare. "The Sovranos? As in, the Italian Mafia?" I met Michael Sovrano and some of his brothers at Zara’s wedding. And of course, I noticed their dark good looks. I attributed it to their Italian heritage, but I didn’t connect the dots. "So, they’re part of the—"
"Theywerea part of theCosa Nostra." Zara touches a finger to her baby’s forehead, then glances up at me. "But since they found their women and settled down, they’ve gone legit."
Which doesn’t mean anything. They’re probably running their Mafia businesses by proxy, as criminals who like to be viewed as being on the right side of the law like to do. I should know, after all. It’s the background I come from. I strive to keep my thoughts from coloring my expression. "So, they have a criminal background?"
"Doesn’t everyone have skeletons in their closet?" She raises a shoulder.
The flush which had receded comes back with a vengeance. This time, it’s accompanied by the flip-flop of my stomach. My guts churn.Stop feeling guilty. You have nothing to be afraid of. And if I’m hiding the fact that my background is closer to that of theCosa Nostra, then… Well, I don’t need Zara to find out about it, do I?I glance away, then back at her.
