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“That’s enough,” I cut her off.
I don’t believe this. I thought she would at least understand me, accept Triss. But she’s acting like she’s still seven.
“I’m not the teenage boy you used to follow around, either,” I tell Maggie. “I know what I’m doing. You don’t have to worry about me.”
She sighs. “If only it was that simple.”
As her shoulders droop, a lump forms in my throat. She may be a woman now, but she’s still Ned’s little sister – and mine. Maybe I was a bit too harsh on her.
I place my hand on her shoulder and speak softly. “I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again. You don’t owe me anything.”
Maggie turns her head to look up at me. “I hope you’re right, Antonio, because if I find out she’s making a fool out of you, I’ll never forgive her.”
She walks away, her back straight and strong. When did she grow up?
I let out a sigh. If only she’d grown out of her stubbornness, too. But I guess some things never change.
I go back inside. I find Triss washing dishes in the kitchen sink.
“Where’s Sally?” I ask her.
“Putting Lara to sleep upstairs.”
I grab a sponge. “Let me help…”
“I’m fine,” Triss cuts me off. “I’m almost done anyway.”
True, I realize as I glance over her shoulder.
“Did Maggie leave already?” she asks.
“Yes. She told me to thank you for the wonderful dinner.”
“Did she?” Triss narrows her eyes at me.
I’m confused. First, Maggie was making Triss sound like an enemy. Now Triss. What’s going on with these two?
“I was hoping the two of you would get along,” I confess as I touch the back of my head. “After all, you’re just two years older than she is, right?”
“Maybe.” Triss continues washing the dishes. “But we don’t have anything in common.”
I let out a breath. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to force the two of you to become friends.”
Though I hope they will be.
Triss says nothing.
I place my hands on her shoulders. “Hey. Is something wrong?”
“Nothing,” she answers.
Yet I can tell something is bothering her.
I wrap my arms around Triss’s waist. She goes still.
“What are you doing?”
“You know you can tell me anything, right?” I whisper in her ear. “I’m here.”
“I’m fine, Antonio.” Triss tries to push my arms away. “Let me go.”
“No.” I hug her tighter.
When I was falling apart after Kevin’s death, she didn’t go away even though I kept telling her to, even though I literally pushed her aside. I’m not going to leave her like this either.
“Antonio…”
I grasp her chin and turn her face to mine so I can kiss her. I do it gently at first, but the taste of her lips awakens the flames of lust beneath my skin and I crush her mouth. I push my tongue past her lips and pin hers down. It tastes even better, the combination of the flavors from the dinner she prepared and something uniquely her own intoxicating me. My hips move on their own, my half erect cock grinding against the small of her back.
Suddenly, I feel a jab against my stomach. It stings, so I stop. Triss turns and glares at me. Her lips are pursed in frustration. Her shoulders rise and fall.
I step back. A sickening feeling starts in the pit of my stomach, right where Triss hit me.
What have I done?
Chapter Eleven
Triss
“Maybe I shouldn’t have done that,” I tell a wide-eyed Lara in a cute blue dress as I feed her on my lap.
I shouldn’t have hit Antonio, especially not stab him with my elbow in the same place where Otto punched him. He was being persistent, true, more persistent than usual, but he was only trying to help me, comfort me, distract me because he knew there was something on my mind. And there was.
Maggie. The moment I saw her, I had a bad feeling in my gut. I managed to thwart her suspicions, I think, but seeing her has reminded me of the lie I’m living. Now that I’ve decided to stay in Summerset, it’s something I have to stick to. But what if someone finds out the truth and tells Antonio like Maggie almost did?
“Do you think I should tell him?” I ask Lara.
She just keeps sucking on her bottle while playing with the flower embroidered on my blouse.
Maybe I should tell Antonio the truth. He’s already promised me his home. I don’t think he’ll kick me out if he finds out I’m not Lara’s mother. He might not think I did the right thing and he might get mad at me at first, but he’ll understand eventually. He’s got an open mind and a big heart. And now that I can go to the police since I’m not wanted for murder, I can ask them to help find Lara’s parents. I probably won’t get accused of kidnapping if I explain everything to Ned and Antonio backs me up.
