“Dominic still hasn’t told you anything?” Paige asked.
I huffed. “No.”
She frowned. “I haven’t been able to get in touch with Sophia. I mean, if you don’t count the few texts she’s sent to check in. I hope… I don’t know… I hope she’s not hiding anything else from me. I don’t think I could handle that.”
“She might be having service issues,” I suggested, then gently bit my tongue.
I still hadn’t told Paige the guy in the photo with her parents was Moretti.
Unfortunately, the thing about secrets is the longer you go without revealing them the harder it becomes to do so. With each passing day, you risk looking like more and more of a dick for having kept something to yourself in the first place.
Maybe I needed to just let it out. Get it over with. I hadn’t wanted to hurt her with the information, but in the long run I would do just that. Once she found out I kept something from her she’d probably never trust me again.
And even if I didn’t tell her the young man was Moretti, she’d find out eventually. He didn’t look that much different today. She would know the second she saw him.
And by then she’d be gone from my life.
I took a sharp breath in through my nose. No. No way would I just sit around and let that happen.
“Angelo!”
“What?”
“You just drove right by the office.”
“Oh. Sorry.”
I took a right and circled around the block, Paige silently watching me out of the corner of her eye.
“Here we go,” I announced, pulling up to the front of her office building.
“Thanks.” She leaned over to give me a kiss. I tensed, anticipating her familiar taste. I was too used to it, too used to everything about her. Her all round cuteness, the sound of her laugh, the way lines crinkled around her eyes when she smiled…
How could I ever do that?
I needed to clear my head, needed to stop feeling sorry about all of this. I needed to get something done.
“Have a great day,” I forced myself to say.
“You too. Bye.”
She climbed out of the car and sashayed into the building. Her tight ass got the attention of a couple of guys walking by. I resisted the urge to roll down the window and threaten to hurt complete strangers. My day was already packed so I pulled my cell phone out and made the call needed to book a last-minute private jet.
After dropping my car back off at the garage, the driver I’d just booked picked me up to chauffeur me to the airport. This way I wouldn’t have to worry about parking.
I texted Paige on the way.
‘Something came up with work in Chicago. Will send a car to get you from work. See you tonight.’
The car glided smoothly across the tarmac, coming to a stop right in front of the private jet. The stairs were already put down, just waiting for me to climb them. So I lied about the work part. Not a huge deal. It was too late to undo it. At least this one secret could never be as big as the other one I found myself keeping.
I rehearsed my unplanned speech to Dominic during my flight and on the drive to his office, making room for a few different ways to approach him. Pleading was a definite no. Borderline threatening him gave me a slim chance. One that asked him to please just stretch his empathetic muscle and see things my way—probably a waste of time.
The front desk reception knew me well, and waved me up to Dominic’s office. I knocked once and went in without waiting for an answer.
Dominic turned around in his leather office chair, his eyes wide. “Angelo. What’s the hell is going on?”
“We need to talk.”
His eyes narrowed. “You couldn’t call first? I’ve got things to do.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit. I’ve been calling.” I walked across the room and rested my hands on the edge of his table.
Guess I’m going with the angry, threatening approach.
“I’ve been answering.”
“Yeah well you don’t say much.”
“Let me guess,” Dominic coolly said. “This is about Paige.”
“I need your help.”
Dominic steepled his fingers and stared at them. “You know there’s nothing I can do. Honestly. I don’t know what you expect. The way you’ve been talking, demanding this information...” His eyes flicked up to me. “It’s like you’re a different person.”
I said nothing. My hands clutched the desk, the tips of my fingers glued there.
“Tell me,” Dominic said. “Is Paige really this important to you? So important that you’re willing to risk everything? For what? A piece of ass? You need to let this one go. Hook up with any one of the countless women out there lining up to sleep with you.”
I straightened up. “She had no idea about any of this. All she wants is to live her life just like any other normal person.”
“Yes, well, our world isn’t exactly normal, is it? Some things just come with the DNA.”
I shook my head and turned to the window for a few moments. “Let’s change it,” I told him. “This is crazy.”
Dominic’s leaned back in his chair. “You sound insane. You know that, right?”
“I need your help with this.”
He leaned forward and studied me for much longer than I had time to tolerate.
“You’re in love with her.” His back fell against the chair. “Well, this is unfortunate.”
I took a seat, tired all of a sudden.
“What do you really think I can do?” he asked. “You really believe I have the kind of influence it’ll take to convince Moretti he doesn’t want Paige, or whatever he damn well wants?”
“You’re persuasive. You understand the big picture.”
“Don’t try to kiss ass and think you’ll get me on board. I can’t help you. Paige is promised to Moretti. It’s a done deal. None of the fine print is important.”
“We can talk to Pops. If we both try, he’ll listen.”
Dominic chuckled. “Look at you, little brother. All grown up and fighting for a sweet piece of ass.”
“Fuck off.”
“You’re different. I’ve never seen you like this.”
“Focus, Dom. Pops can talk to Moretti.”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Maybe make some kind of exchange.”
“Possibly.”
“I’m willing to make payments of my own.”
His head whipped over at me. “You’d buy Paige?”
“I didn’t say that, idiot.”
Dominic inclined his head. “It’s a poor choice of words, but it’s basically what you’re saying.”
“Fine. Sure, I’ll buy her freedom. Does it sound melodramatic enough for you, brother?”
“Fuck yeah,” he grinned. “And you know what else?”
“What?”
“I’ll help…if I can.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t expect miracles, though. You know, if this plan doesn’t work, it can be very bad for the family. Moretti likes to know people are on his side, that he has their absolute loyalty. This could piss him off. It could put a lot at risk just starting a dialogue about Paige. I’m not just talking about Pops. I mean. You. Me. Our family. Paige and Sophia. Paige may not want this marriage, but the best thing for everyone, including her, might be to let it happen.”
I swallowed hard. He had a point, but I didn’t care.
“She can’t. It will break her. I know Paige. Marrying Moretti, giving into a life where she’s practically chattel… She won’t be able to live through that.”
“I just want you to know what you’re walking into, because it won’t be about Paige alone. Anyway, I said I’ll help.” Dominic lay punched me in the arm. “Dude. I’ve never seen you like this over a woman.”
“Shut it.”
“Anyway, getting time with Pops will be tough. If he’ll talk about it at all. And that’s still just getting our foot in the door.”
Dominic nodded. “Okay. I’ll make the call.”
Paige
“Where… the… heck… is it?” I muttered, scooting along the floor on my hands and knees. My skirt made a stretching sound and I froze, afraid of ripping the fabric.
Reaching down and pushing the skirt up and over my knees for better access, I continued on. I swept my palm underneath my bed, feeling along the floorboards. Something hard brushed my fingers and I seized hold then pulled out the laptop charger.
“Gotcha.” I shook my head at the charger. “You little devil. What the heck were you doing under the bed?”
Knocking the dust from my skirt, I stood. My heels, which I was getting incredibly good at walking in, smacked along the floor while I collected the last few objects I stopped by the apartment for.
It was strange being there after weeks away. It almost felt like I didn’t even live there anymore, like the apartment was one I’d stopped renting eons ago.
The few times I’d come into it since running off to Atlantic Beach I met memories of my last morning there. I saw Sophia, her eyes tired and her mouth twisted up. I’d hated her in that moment. Now I felt nothing but pain. She’d only wanted to take care of me. It wasn’t her fault that, in the end, she couldn’t protect me.
I did another check through the bedroom, seeing if there was anything else I needed. The pictures stuck alongside my vanity mirror caught my eye.
Taking a seat on the little plush stool, I studied the snapshots. It would be nice to take the one of Sophia, me, and our parents. It was from a day at Coney Island. Sophia and I were about seven, standing on the boardwalk, the wind whipping our hair all around our faces. On either side stood our parents, their hands on our shoulders. Dad looked pretty happy, but Mom tired.
Not that I blamed her. I remembered the little cooler she spent the morning packing, full of lunches she stayed up late the night before to make.
Though it wasn’t the best photo of her, it was testament to just how much she loved us.
I could frame it and put it up in my room at Angelo’s.
Wait. No. I couldn’t do that.
I shook my head, chastising myself. Three weeks spent at Angelo’s didn’t mean I lived there.
And had I so quickly forgotten about the arranged marriage? Though I knew I couldn’t go through with it, if I resisted I likely wouldn’t be able to stay at Angelo’s.
That would get him in massive trouble, right?
What else was I supposed to do? Flee the city?
I hadn’t really thought much about it, but if Angelo didn’t find a way to stop the marriage that seemed the only option.
My stomach twisted. I’d been doing everything I could to not think about this, but with my birthday looming so close I needed to start considering my options.
I could take a bus to another state, settle down in some random small town. Start waitressing at a dinner somewhere. Work on a farm. Tell everyone my name was Mandy and act like I was from Arkansas or some other random state. No one would find me.
I shut my eyes.
This is insane. I can’t leave New York.
Sophia… Angelo… I couldn’t leave them behind.
Maybe marrying Moretti would be the best option after all. Perhaps he would let me still see the people I cared for.
The front door opened, snapping me to attention.
“Hello?” Soph called.
I popped up from the stool and hurried across the room. “In here!”
Sophia stood near the front door, unwinding her thick, red scarf from around her neck. Two suitcases sat next to her.
She gave me a curious look. “Hey.”
I stopped in my bedroom doorway, just as unsure as she looked. “Hi.”
For a second we just gazed at each other.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said.
She sighed. “Me too. For everything. For keeping the truth from you, and then for fighting...”
“I understand why you did it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s all… It’s complex.”
“You’re telling me.”
“You did everything you did because you love me…thank you.”
Sophia’s bottom lip trembled like she was about to cry. “I do love you, Paige.”
“I love you too.”
I bridged the space between us and wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me tight then pulled back and looked down to study my outfit.
“Wow! Look at you. Those heels and that skirt. Hot as fuck!”
I grinned. “I guess you’re rubbing off on me.”
“It’s about time.”
“And I haven’t fallen all week.”
“Wow, look at you. You make a momma proud.”
Leaving her bags where they were, she headed for the kitchen. “I’m starving. That flight kicked my butt and the food on it was awful.”
I plunked down on the couch. The driver that picked me up from work had already left, since I told him I didn’t know how long I would be. I planned on taking a cab back to Angelo’s. Since he wouldn’t be home till some undetermined hour later in the night there was time to kill.
I needed to talk to my sister. I just had to figure out how to get the words out.
“Ew!” Sophia squealed.
My head swiveled towards the kitchen doorway. “What?”
“This milk is spoiled! Have you not gotten any more?”
“Um...”
She came to the doorway. “Or have you just been drinking bad milk and not even noticed?”
I took in a deep breath. “I haven’t been here, actually.”
Sophia’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean you haven’t been here?”
“I’ve been staying at Angelo’s.”
Her eyes went from tiny slits to dinner plates at the speed of light.
I hurried on to explain. “After I left here that day something happened. I had an asthma attack, a really bad one. I passed out. I went to the hospital and even though I was technically okay, Angelo wanted me to stay with him so he could keep an eye on me.”
“For three weeks?”
“Did you not hear the part about me passing out?”
Her face softened a bit. “Yes, I did… But why the hell were you with Angelo that long? Paige, I told you to stay away from him.”
I stood, starting to feel a little heated myself. “This isn’t even the important part, Soph.”
Her arms crossed. “Really? Because it sounds super important. You’re really stirring the pot here.”
“I found something out. In Atlantic Beach.”
“Atlantic Beach? When were you there?”
“It’s where Angelo and I went for a couple days right after we left the apartment. Look.” I reached into my purse and retrieved my cell phone then hurried over to her.
She remained stoic, her arms folded and her eyes shooting daggers at me.
I scrolled through the picture gallery, passing photos of Angelo in Central Park, till I got to the one I looked for.
“I saw this on the mantel at the Salvatore’s place. Mom and Dad were friends with Angelo’s parents.”
Sophia stared at the phone I held. For a moment, nothing in her face changed, but then it grew red.
“I mean, I guess I should have guessed that,” I went on, “Since you and I knew their kids.”
Sophia still didn’t say anything.
“Soph?”
“I can’t believe you stayed with him this long,” she spat through a tightly clenched jaw.
I stared back at her. I’d seen my sister angry before, but something about the emotion seeping out of her said she was at a new level of rage.
“That’s not important! What’s important is this man.” I jabbed a finger at the young man standing near the edge of the frame.
“You know who he is?” she asked.
“Well...” I licked my lips, scared to death to repeat the story I knew I needed
to.
She went on. “That’s Alfredo Moretti. Your future husband.”
My breath caught in my throat.
Was I having an asthma attack?
Or flat out dying?
“Mor… Moretti?” I stammered.
“Yes,” she tersely replied.
I took a step backwards, then a few more, not knowing where I was headed. My calves bumped into the back of the couch and I reached out to it for support.
“Angelo didn’t tell you this?”
I didn’t want to answer.
“Paige?”
“He told me the man was a family friend.”
Sophia snorted. “He was telling the truth about that much.”
“Why would he not tell me?” I blubbered, more asking myself than Sophia.
“Because he’s just trying to get what he can while he can get it.”
“No. He’s helping me. He’s working on finding a way to get me out of it.”
“He’s not,” Sophia sadly said. “Angelo knows the rules of the game. He knows this marriage has to be honored. There’s no backing out of it.”
“That’s not true. He promised me that...”
Sophia waved her hands frantically around. “Then he was lying! He’s just trying to get what he wants, Paige, while he can get it. That’s the kind of guy Angelo is. He’ll keep you around for fun until the day he has to turn you over. Do you see that now?”
I hated it, and I didn’t want to believe it, but yes. I did see things for what they really were.
Angelo could have just as easily told me the man in the picture was Moretti. And yet he hadn’t. Because he didn’t care.
“He’s not as innocent as he seems,” Sophia fiercely said. Then, in a softer voice, “I’m sorry.”
I nodded, unable to speak. Unable to do anything but stare at the floor.
And then something else hit. The bigger issue I’d been ignoring.
“He was there,” I gargled, finally looking at her. “Moretti. He was there.”
“There where?”
“The day Mom and Dad died. I saw him there.”
Sophia paled. “What are you talking about? I thought you didn’t remember anything about that day.”
“I thought I didn’t either...” My eyes filled with angry tears. “But it came back when I saw this photo. That’s why I had the asthma attack. I remembered it… I remembered it all.”
The Billionaire and The Virgin Page 19
