Page 77 of Twin Deception

I stared at him, wondering how he could be so evil to his own flesh and blood. If Miguel and I had started a family already, if there was a baby growing in me, I would love him or her and defend their life until my last breath.

“You can just die in your sister’s place instead.” He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels, mighty pleased with himself.

Sister?

I stared at him, trying to understand.

I have a sister?

“You…” I shook my head, too slow to connect the dots. “I have a sister?” I opened and closed my mouth, stunned at this news. It was too ludicrous. Too out there. Too far-fetched for me tobelieve it for one second. “You mean one of your girlfriends had a child too?”

Ahalf-sister?

He shook his head. “No. You can die inyoursister’s place and the witch hunt will be called off for her.”

Shaking my head faster, I tried to understand, to comprehend what he could mean.

“I don’t have a sister.” I would’ve known. I would’ve remembered. Older or younger, I would’ve heard about her or saw her or?—

“You have a twin sister.” He tilted his head to the side as he roved a critical gaze over me. “You’ll never compare to her, never match up to her beauty with how you’ve failed to take care of yourself.” His face contorted in a sneer as he took in my tattoos. “You could’ve done well to watch what you eat over the years.”

Ignoring his jabs, I stared at him and tried to back up. I was stuck on what he’d said. That I had atwin. Not that he preferred her over me. Not that he’d thought I’d ruined my life by getting tattoos or putting on a little weight. But that he’d hidden atwin sisterfrom me my whole life!

“I have a twin sister.” It should’ve been a question. Shock didn’t begin to cut it. I was baffled beyond any stretch of my imagination.

“Yes. She’s always been so much more…” He gestured at me, cringing. “So much better. I knew right away, when you were born. She was able to come home right away, but you had to stay in the hospital for another few days. Already so weak.”

“I can’t… I don’t believe you.”

He rolled his eyes.

“My mother would’ve said something and… and…”

Oh, my God.She had. Shehadtried to remember this other daughter. She’d asked about where the other girl was, and I assumed she was talking about one of his mistresses or flings. She’d slipped and said daughters, not daughter, and I wondered if she’d lost a baby before me.

She had given birth to twins, and all my life, Louis had conned her into not believing that. He’d spent over twenty years making her believe she was crazy instead.

“I sent her away so she would be raised with a better woman. A team. I couldn’t let her live with your waste of a mother and be too soft or weak.” He shook his head as he looked off to the side, growing absent in his focus. “She was such a waste. And I couldn’t let Graciella be affected by her.”

“You separated me from my twin?” I had to stop looking at this as a question. The shock and confusion was a lot to cut through, but I knew he wasn’t bluffing.

That was who those Cartel members thought I was when they showed up at Rueben’s house.

That was who that one man was talking about when they referenced Louis’s woman and mentioned a femme fatale.

That was who Rueben reported to Miguel about, these cases of Louis promising his daughter in marriage and then reneging.

That’s why… I’ve always felt half. One part of a whole.

I’d been born with a partner, a twin sister. I’d shared a womb with her. And I spent all my life without her.

That strange sense of loss I’d suffered with wasn’t just loneliness. It was the fact that I was missing my twin. A bond my father had severed without telling me.

“I knew Graciella could be the ruler I needed to expand with. I recognized her intelligence from a young age, and that was why I sent her away, to exploit that strength and raise her to be the leader I wanted to count on as I grew my empire and wealth.”

“I can’t believe this…” I didn’t say it out loud to him to express my opinions. He wouldn’t care about my reaction. I just had to speak it to vent the thought out of my mind.

“It’s unfortunate that the Carmello men have to be such sore losers.” He twisted his lips as he rubbed the back of his head. “They just had to be so bitter about losing that idiot she’d gone back to kill.” He shrugged. “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. They just had to get angry and put a hit on me like that. Not that they’d ever win. They’ll never succeed. I’ve got enough morons out there who owe me favors and will tip me off to when I can hide.”

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