Page 56 of Twins for the Mafia Heir

How have I avoided hearing Raleigh’s married name up until this point?

Because everyone at Wesley Hall knew our marriage was a sham, and no one at Ashwood House had any idea who Raleigh was. I never got a chance to claim her there, not in an overt, nonsexual way.

The loss of that opportunity is just another thing to blame Fantasia for.

Raleigh is flushed enough that I know she’s mulling over her married name too. Does she like the sound of it as much as I do?

No, I realize, she’s probably just debating what to tell Piers about our marriage.

“No need to come up with a story,” I tell her. “Piers here has been my closest friend for several years, and… he’s seen the worst of everything.” I meet his eyes. His cheeky smile fades.

“That’s true enough, I guess,” he says. “So? What’s the not-a-story?”

I’m mindful of Sidony leaning her head on my shoulder. “Why don’t you eat some pancakes, little princess?” I tell her, and set her down. To my bemusement, she runs off in search of the cat instead. I sigh. “It was a political alliance,” I tell Piers. “Raleigh is a member of the Warwick clan from after the schism Marcus had with his brother. Fantasia wanted their branch tostart paying tithes to her, and Thomas Sr.’s son was… less than enthusiastic.”

Piers raises his eyebrows at Raleigh, then frowns at me. “Political alliance,” he repeats with distaste.

“It was not my first choice,” I say. Why does that make me uncomfortable to admit now? I glance at Raleigh, who shifts awkwardly on her feet.

The last time I clearly outlined my expectations for our relationship, I told her I wanted nothing from her, and we’d be lucky to even become friends. I meant to sound cruel when I said them. I meant to push her away. Now my own words alienate me. I haven’t even known her a month, and already I can’t imagine keeping Raleigh at arm’s length. She’s too powerful, too mysterious, too neatly entwined in the emotional web of my life.

And she doesn’t know that, because I’ve yet to bother to tell her.

“Can I ask what your story is?” Raleigh says to Piers. “I only know who you are, not how you got here.”

Piers flashes a charming smile. "Well, it all began when Samantha and Charles Warwick browsed the orphan store and handpicked their favorite," he says, and I roll my eyes.

Once Piers starts telling a story, he can't resist embellishing every detail, building it up until you're hanging on his every word. He could be talking about a quick trip to the grocery store, and he’d spin it into an epic showdown with a woman who tried to cut him in line.

Raleigh’s eyes go to the older woman in the living room, still snoring away in front of the TV. “Is… that Samantha Warwick?”

Piers’s smile softens and saddens. “Yeah, that’s mum.” I remember his words from last night, how her condition is already so much worse from a year ago. “We won’t wake her, don’t worry.” To my surprise, he drops the dramatic intonation of his story. “She and da took me in when I was just about to ageout of the system. I’d have been on the streets without a pound to my name. Then all of a sudden I’m in this big old house with clothes and food and my own room? Oh, and this bastard, I guess,” he says, smiling wryly at me.

I was twenty-two when Piers came to live in Wesley Hall, and, at the time, desperate to get out. I was sick of feeling torn between my grandfather’s plans for me and the deference Marcus Warwick demanded I show him. I also wanted to get Fantasia away from our mum, who was pouring more vitriol into her daughter’s ear by the day. The problem was, I hadn’t come into my inheritance yet, and was essentially living off the charity of my elders. I couldn’t carry off a nine-year-old into a life of total uncertainty like that.

Then Piers arrived, and it felt like I finally had someone I could rely on and share some of my worries with. He was seventeen, but wise far beyond his years, sardonic and seemingly untouchable. He mocked me openly and endlessly for all the privilege I took for granted, but in the end, we adored each other, and he adored Fantasia too.

“Yeah, life was real good,” Piers says. “Then old man Marcus decided to make me his heir, and… well, we saw how well that worked out for himandme. Luckily, Achilles was a pal and decided not only tonotkill me, but to help hide me and mum. We’ve been living it up in Edinburgh since last year.”

Raleigh’s mouth is a thin line. I can tell she’s mulling over everything he isn’t saying, and what his true feelings must’ve been when he was faced with such a betrayal. Still, she doesn’t try to push further, and I’m sure Piers is grateful for that.

“So… what now?” she asks instead. Her gaze goes from Piers to me. “Are we all just going to… ‘live it up’ in Edinburgh now?”

“I’m not,” I say, drawing both their alarmed looks. “I need to go back to London. Fantasia… well, I need to speak with Fantasia.”

To be entirely honest, I don’t have a plan for how to deal with her yet. I still can’t look her betrayal full in the face, not without seeing the child she once was, the one that trusted me wholeheartedly. But I’ll have the flight back to think on what I’ll say-

“You can’t!” Raleigh bursts out, pulling me from my thoughts. I expect her to tell me it’s too dangerous, or that Fantasia will never listen to reason. Instead, she hits me with logic far more damning. “Christmas is in a couple days, isn’t it? After everything that’s happened, you should be with Sidony for it.”

Fuck, is it really almost Christmas? I check my watch, and sure enough, a tiny twenty-three stares back. My stomach sours. All of Sidony’s presents are still at Wesley Hall. Or, if any of our belongings were ever delivered to Ashwood House, they’re sitting there unclaimed. Fuck, again.

“I… suppose it can wait,” I say reluctantly. After all, Fantasia isn’t going anywhere. And Raleigh is correct, Sidony will be crushed if she has to go through Christmas without me. But she’ll also be disappointed when she wakes up the morning of and has no presents to open.

I glance over at Piers, then with a faint sigh ask, “Piers, you mind keeping an eye on Sidony for a bit?”

Piers looks up from his pancake prep, his brow furrowing as he considers it. “Aye, no bother. She’ll be right as rain with me.” He adds with a wry smile, “I’ll make sure she’s not adopting any more stray creatures, at least.”

I give a small nod of approval, then look down at Raleigh.

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