Page 40 of Risky Vows

Amara

"Areyou ready to see your brother?" my mother asks on the other end of the line.

"Yes," I say before swiping my finger and making the Facetime screen bigger.

It's been a while since I last saw Alonzo. In the past weeks, I've heard about the strides he’s made in his recovery and asked my mom one too many times to get him on a video call, but she always told me to wait until he felt better. That didn't stop the constant updates about his improvement.

A part of her is almost… lighter, happier if possible. She always favored my brother, so I'm glad he's back. Perhaps she'll stay off my back more and focus on him.

What does Alonzo going back to his old self mean? I don't know. The idea brings bile to my throat. I want my brother well, but his being well means my marriage is in jeopardy. What will Massimo do to me when he finds out I kept this under wraps all this time?

A chilly sensation moves through my chest.

"Amara?"

I hear my brother's voice, and my heart sings.

Alonzo’s face shows on my screen. He's still underweight if I compare his slim frame to his buff, muscled body before the accident. His face is clean-shaven, but I see a rosy touch on his cheeks that wasn't there when he was confined to the bed. His hazel eyes sparkle, even with the faint, dark circles under them. I bet he's also been lying awake, worried about his return.

Or maybe overwhelmed by my mother's constant visits. It must be hard to recover away from extended family and friends—but that's the safest way.

"Alonzo!" Emotion wells up inside me, and a lump lodges in my throat. Memories from our childhood flash in my brain of the many times he tried to be there for me as a big brother. Even when I could voice my concerns, I didn't believe sharing them was worth it.

I doubt he always knew what I went through with my mom and her bullying or what it meant to be a mafia princess, but he was always kind and mindful.

"Amara, it's so nice to see you," he says, his voice sounding so much like I remember. I know he's worked with a speech therapist and other therapists daily to get up to speed, exercising those muscles to return to his old self—or the best version of what he can be. "How are you?"

"I'm good… Happy to see you." I caress the screen like it's his face. "I want to see you in person, but it's a bit complicated now."

"Yes. Mom told me. You’re married," he says, frowning. "If I had been there, I wouldn't have agreed."

If he had been here, there wouldn't have been a need. He was a good businessman and would never have compromised our finances like Dad did—especially as his illness started to show. I can't tell him that, though.

"It's okay. I'm happy."But for how long?When Massimo discovers that Alonzo is back… and that I've kept it from him, hell will break loose.

"Well, we'll have to talk about the future. I'm getting better every day. I miss home," he says, and I detect sadness in his voice.

"Yes, I know…" I inhale deeply. "We need a plan. You can't just show up."

"Do you think you can talk to your husband about me? You know, test the waters?"

These are not regular waters. They're shark-infested waters.I clear my throat, acknowledging my cowardice. I'm being selfish by delaying this conversation with Massimo—I know he'll see me in a different light after he finds out. "I get that you miss home, Alonzo. What does that mean, though? Are you prepared to stand back as our family gets the generous cut from the Gallos?"

He shakes his head. "Why would I stand back? I want to return more than anything. What do you expect me to do, retire at thirty-six?"

"No, of course not. But things have changed. I don't know how much Mom told you, but Dad put us into financial holes, and if it weren't for the Gallos?—"

"I appreciate their help," he cuts me off. "But I can't let them take over my legacy and clap from a distance."

My heart skips a beat. With this romantic notion of his return, I forgot he's not only my brother. He's also a mafia boss who won't take a back seat to another man.

"Listen, let me see what I can do. Don't do anything until you hear from me again, okay?" I say. "Please."

"Sure. Just don't take forever, sis. It's been years already."

"I won't," I say, ending the call.

I thread my fingers together, frustrated. I knew that my happiness wouldn't last forever, that reality would burst my bubble when I least expected it.

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