Page 54 of Black Widow's Kiss

“Does father know about this?”

“He knows none of this. And you must be sworn to secrecy. Until we figure out who tried to kill him, this can’t get out.”

“Your secrets have always been safe with me.”

“I know,” I said glancing down at the dress.

Yuki might have known my secrets before I had. She had bought me my first dress before I had tried one on. Staring at her first gift, I hadn’t known what to think. I had felt both exposed and humiliated. But the joy she expressed when I had tried it on was what had made it comfortable.

Now, my dresses were as much a part of me as any of my clothing. It was my way of expressing who I was. It had been my rebellion while under my father’s strong thumb, and a way of throwing off my enemies. How were they supposed to respond to someone who looked like me knowing the wrong word could be their last?

“Why is it that your husband suspects his brother?”

“They think he was ordered to by their father?”

“And you are joining them for dinner tonight?”

“I told Dante that I would be able to see his guilt.”

“Have you gained a power I am unaware of?” she asked teasing me.

“I have gained many,” I replied jokingly. “I can now see through walls.”

“That is great skill.”

“I can also move the saucer from under the cup without touching it,” I told her holding my hands above it as if about levitate it. “I just don’t want to right now,” I said relaxing in mock refusal.

Yuki put her hand over her mouth hiding her laughter. It always made me feel good to make my sister laugh. It had never been easy. But when I did, I felt complete.

Enjoying the rest of the day with my sister, I left her promising that I would visit again. And I did plan to in spite of all of her emotional outbursts.

Calling Dante’s assistant, the helicopter was there with enough time to return home, shower again and get dressed for dinner. I knew what I would wear, but I hadn’t decided onthe makeup. What impression did I want to make on my new brother?

He certainly needed to know that I would kill him if he went after Dante. What would communicate that? Cat eyes were so out of fashion that someone would have to crazy to wear it. Was I that type of crazy? Or would that be going too far?

Deciding on a pale foundation that would give me a ghostly look, I emphasized my already thick eyebrows and chose black lipstick. It was very 1980s Grace Jones. It said, don’t turn your back on me because I’m crazy enough to have sex with O.J. Simpson.

“What the fuck?” Dante said when he came to change and get me. “You know that we’re having dinner with my brother, right? He’s not gonna go for any of this shit you’re wearing.”

As Dante waved indicating everything about me, I ignored him.

“Well, the purpose of tonight isn’t to have him go for me. It is to find out if he tried to kill you.”

“Yeah, but if he didn’t, you’re gonna have to see him on a regular basis. Matteo isn’t as open minded as I am.”

“Then he’s going to have to learn to be, isn’t he.”

Dante looked flustered. I didn’t think it possible for someone with so many tattoos. Taking my hand, he said, “I want you to know that you look fuckin’ great right now. I’m serious. I love everything about it. But when it comes to my family…”

“When it comes to your family, they’ll have to get used to it.”

“Kuroi…”

“Are you asking me to stab you again?”

Dante let go my hand and jumped back.

“No!” When he saw I wasn’t going to, he added, “I’m still healing from the last time.”

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