Page 70 of Used By the Bratva

A few hours later, we are sitting on the terrace staring at the ocean, the food on the table between us getting cold as the breeze rushes over it.

He pokes around in his plate but eats none of it. “You said there was more when we were at the hospital this afternoon. What else is there?”

I nibble on my burger one more time before putting it away. My appetite has long gone, but I force myself to eat to make sure the baby is nourished.

My mouth goes dry. “Carlo told me that Antonio’s wife is not my mother. He said it was a woman called Ursula.”

His eyebrows draw together, and small wrinkles appear on his forehead. “Ursula Haynes?”

“Could be. I do not know. He said her name was Ursula, but he didn’t give me a last name. But he said she looked just like me.”

Leon tilts his head to one side, studying me for a moment. “Yeah, that would be Ursula Haynes. Her father was involved with the Italian mafia, but she tried to stay out of it as much as possible.”

“Well, Carlo said that she had started an affair with Antonio, but it seemed that Carlo was obsessed with her.” The words are hard to get out, bitter on my tongue as I look out at the waves crashing against the shore.

I count every white crest as I try to keep my racing heart from leaping out of my chest and tearing in two as I think of how to tell Leon the last part of the story.

He gets up, pushes his chair in front of me, and sits down, his knees straddling mine. “Whatever else it is, you can tell me, Natalie.”

“It’s just a lot, and I don’t know how you’ll deal with it. And I don’t think I’ve had time to process much of it, either. I keep thinking about it and wondering if there’s anything that could have been done differently, and then I think of all these other answers.”

“Natalie.” He takes my chin in his hand and forces me to look at him instead of the waves. “I can handle anything you have to tell me. I just killed a man for you.”

“It could change us.” I bite my teeth into my bottom lip, hating the way my voice wavers. “I think it will change us. Remember the conversation we had the other day about the people we'd be if we had normal families.”

His thumb strokes my jaw. “Yes, and I still believe we would have found our way to each other. Somehow, the universe decided we should find each other.”

“I think that's the sweetest thing you've said to me,” I say in a teasing tone to break the tension between us. “If you could keep saying things like that to me for the rest of our lives, it could be the best marriage ever.”

Leon laughs, eyes sparkling with amusement. “I’m not going to do that, and you know it. It’s not me.”

“You never know. You have this habit of softening around me.”

“I have my reasons.” His hand drops from my face as he crosses one leg over the other. “Tell me what else happened, solnyshko.”

My hands tremble in my lap as I nod. “Well, Carlo was ranting, and he wanted me to know everything. Like he wanted me to be impressed with how he screwed you over.”

“He didn’t screw me over. You’re still sitting here in front of me, and my family is already preparing to take the rest of the Mancinis down. Nothing is screwed over.”

I take a ragged breath and close my eyes before I open them, and those stormy blue eyes are fixed on me. “He fucked you over fifteen years ago.”

“What are you talking about?” he asks in a hollow voice. “Natalie, what did he tell you?”

“Well, Ursula was with Antonio, but from the sound of it, Carlo was after her. Antonio had her, but Carlo wanted her and was willing to do anything to get her. I don’t know how he got his hands on her, but he did.”

“What does this have to do with my family?” Leon’s voice is strained as he uncrosses his legs and leans forward. “Those were your parents, and I know it’s hard, but take some time to process this.”

I shake my head. “No, that’s not it. They may have been my biological parents, but they didn’t raise me.”

“Then what is it?”

“I don’t know how to tell you.” I run my hands over my face and wipe away the tears that are gathering there. “I thought it would be easier.”

“Then just say it.” Irritation resonates in his voice as he runs a hand through his hair. “I think I’ve proven at this point that you can trust me.”

“I know I can, and there is no one in the world I trust more.” I put my feet up on the edge of the chair and curled up. “Carlo hurt Ursula. Badly. She killed herself, but Antonio went looking for the one who hurt her, and Carlo blamed it on Pavel.”

Leon’s nostrils flare, not blinking. “He did what?”

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