Page 47 of Twins for the Mafia Heir

Sidony nods against my shoulder, and I gently tug her braid. “I’m pretty hungry,” I declare, hoping I can change the subject to something more productive. “We missed dinner, didn’t we? Want to grab something yummy from the kitchen?”

Sidony nods again, pulling back so I can stand up. Her free hand immediately weaves into mine, and I give it a gentle squeeze. “Let’s go.”

I’m surprised to find, once we get to the bottom of the stairs and pass a large grandfather clock in the hall on the way to thekitchen, that it’s not even nine o’clock. We all slept through the afternoon, but not the night.

There are still a couple staff working in the warm glow of the kitchen when we wander in, but the atmosphere is very relaxed. The cook is sipping some tea at the table as she waits for the pastries to cool on the stove. Two girls are giggling and chatting while they go through the pantry checking expiration labels. When they see Sidony and me, they all straighten, and I blush at the sudden attention.

“Ah, don’t mind us,” I say. “We missed dinner, so we’re just-”

“Oh, everything’s in the fridge, love,” the cook says immediately, and I feel a new layer of guilt at almost wasting food she made for us. “Let me just heat it up for you. Do you want some warm milk, sweetheart?” she asks Sidony, who shyly nods.

I sit out of the way with Sidony at a long table on one side of the room. She’s still seeking comfort, and climbs into my lap to get even closer to me. I undo the tie on my fluffy robe and tuck her into it, which makes her giggle.

“I like this house,” I tell her. “It makes me feel… peaceful, I think.”

Sidony nods, her cheek pressed into my collarbone. “The other place is sad.”

I expected her to describe Wesley Hall as scary, considering everything that’s happened there. But sad?

Is she saying she was sad? Or Achilles, maybe? Fantasia? I hug Sidony a little tighter, wishing for the thousandth time that a four year old didn’t have to experience so much trauma.

The cook brings us two plates of hot chicken and steamed vegetables, both of which are swimming in spices, butter, and gravy, along with cups of tea, of course.

“I brought you chamomile to help you sleep, since I wasn’t sure your preference,” she says. “Miss…?”

Oh right, they still have no idea who I am or why I’m here. I blush hard, wondering how to describe myself, but I don’t get the chance. Sidony puts her arms around my neck and squeezes me tight.

“This is Raleigh,” she announces. “She’s my friend, and I love her!”

That might not clear it up for the cook or the two girls obviously eavesdropping, but to me…

My eyes prickle, my chest aching. She said it so simply, so honestly, so… easily. I’m loved by a little girl who doesn’t love or trust easily, and who’s haunted by demons I’m all too familiar with. I can’t stop myself from wondering if I’d had a kind woman to hold me in my darkest childhood moments, would I have come out less cautious, less conniving, less alone? And then I’m helpless to keep my tears from falling, because I get to be that person for Sidony.

“I love you too, Sidony,” I say, trying to keep the tremble out of my voice.

I love her… and I don’t want to lose her.

This second blow threatens to knock me over, but Sidony’s arms around my neck keep me anchored. I don’t want to lose this little girl I share so much with.

A much quieter voice inside my heart says that I don’t want to lose her father either, whose love feels like it’s enveloped me as well, just by virtue of its strength.

What a dangerous little thought. I push it away quickly, only to be faced by another. That I can’t really be connected with either of people… if they don’t even know who I am.

Just like I never actually held power as Silver because I existed under a false identity, I can’t really be loved by the family I’ve been swept up into while they think I’m Raleigh Warwick. If I want to keep Achilles and Sidony and the tentative bond between us… I have to come clean.

Of course, the second Achilles finds out I’ve lied to him, he could cut me out just as easily as he brought me in. Maybe he’ll be more understanding considering I hid my identity for the sake of protecting someone else, something I think he might do himself, but I can’t be sure.

The longer I wait to speak the truth, the more I risk breaking something I’ve grown to love. But if I don’t speak at all, I lose them for certain.

Chapter 25

Achilles

As happy as I would be to never go back to Wesley Hall again, I do need to come to an official agreement with Fantasia and arrange for the removal of my and my family’s possessions. I wake up before the sun rises feeling like I haven’t rested so well in years… with Raleigh sleeping deeply at my side.

At some point during the night she got dressed again, which makes sense since we forgot to get the fireplace going and the room is freezing now. I pull on some clothes for myself and light a fire under the logs so she’ll be a little warmer by the time she wakes. Hopefully, I’ll be back by then, but with how much Fantasia tends to rant, I can’t be sure.

Downstairs I beg a small cup of espresso from the head cook, who is all too happy to oblige. As soon as she realizes I’m leaving on an errand, she also refuses to let me leave the kitchen until I’ve choked down some poached eggs, ham, and avocado on toast. Thus prepared, I call the limo around and leave my sanctuary.

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