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“You seriously care more about a potential investor than your own sister?” I whisper.
He shakes his head, turning away from me. “We’re not having this discussion again.”
“I think we need to. Ever since you became the boss, you’ve acted differently. This isn’t you, Antonio. You’re not the man who fought tooth and nail to save his family from Franco. Leadership has changed you. I don’t like it.”
“Maybe I’ve just changed in the past five years. Did you ever think about that? When I was on my own because our uncle tried to kill me?”
“Yes, I did. Every day. I worried about you every day. For five years. I thought about you ever day, Antonio. How you were doing. If you were okay. I missed you every day.” My words come out as a sob. “Why can’t you extend me the same courtesy?”
“I missed you every day, too,” he admits, his expression softening. “Our entire family.”
“So, then, why are you doing this?”
And just like that, his guard is back up. “Because I have to. Because Salvatore can provide me the kind of money I need to make a difference with my men. I need to become such a powerful leader that when Nina and I have children of our own, they’re born into a safe place. A world where they don’t need to be afraid because their dad is the most powerful man in the entire world.”
“So, I’m just the collateral, huh? For you to get your perfect future with your perfect wife?”
“We were close once. And I clung to that every day when I was in hiding. But you act like I’m the only one who’s changed.”He points at me. “You’ve changed, too, Cecilia. You’ve developed this inappropriate crush on Theo, and it’s blinded you. You can’t see a good thing when it’s right in front of you.”
“And Salvatore is agoodthing?” I can’t hide the malice in my voice.
“Yes, he is. He will bring more prosperity to this family. He will make me so powerful I’ll be a god.”
“You do that, Antonio.” I walk around him to open my door. “Go be a god. But see who you leave in your wake. You’re going to hurt this family more than you realize.”
He stares at me hard before huffing and leaving my room.
I shut my door gently before sliding down and curling into a ball on the floor.
How have things become this?
How have I lost my brother, Theo, and my future, all in the span of a week?
CHAPTER 7
Theo
The little ranch house on the quaint street instantly fills me with warmth.
It’s the house I grew up in. No loud, large city. Just the quiet suburbs.
After the incident with Cecilia and Salvatore, I was livid and knew I needed to get out of town for a bit. I saw Salvatore trying to kiss Cecilia, and it took everything in me to not bash his head into the fireplace mantel. And then, Cecilia didn’t even want my help. I can’t blame her. I’ve pushed her away too many times.
It just hurts knowing there isn’t anything I can do to save her. I tried talking to Antonio—he brushed me off. The only other option would be to kill Salvatore, and I’m not a murderer.
My mom’s face shines through the window of the front door after I knock. She smiles brightly as she opens the door, motioning me inside. “Theo. This is a pleasant surprise.” She gives me an all-consuming hug. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”
I follow her inside. The house is just as I remember—the warm brown walls, the shaggy carpet my mom hasn’t changed since the ’90s, and the delicious smell of a candle burning.
My mom, Sarah Williams, is a tall woman with light brown hair and the kindest eyes I’ve ever seen. Ever since I was a kid,people compared me to her, and I always thought it was the best compliment.
“Sit down, sit down,” she says, nodding at the couch. I take my seat, sinking into the plush couch the same way I did when I was a child. “How are things? Usually, you just call me to check in. Why the surprise visit?”
I have feelings for a woman much younger than me, one I’ve known since she was a kid. It’s fucking messed up, but I don’t care. And now, she’s getting married to some asshole, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
But instead of saying any of that, I smile tightly. “I just needed to get away for day. Clear my head.” Try to, anyway.
“Something bothering you?” She gets up and heads into the kitchen. I can hear pots and pans banging around before the sound of the water tap turning on.
