Page 93 of His Two Hidden Masks

“Why would he say that about my father?” I froze.

“I don’t know.”

“And about Sara, how did he talk about her?” My heart pounded.

“I always thought they were more than friends,” Dylan said.

“That’s not possible,” I said. “Roberto was always away at school. He barely knew Sara. When he came back to Venice, he pursued me. It was years after she died.

“And now you expect me to believe that Roberto hates my father, but don’t worry, the one I really need to worry about is your brother, James.”

I got out of bed. Pulling a blanket off the ground, I wrapped it around my shoulders as I paced. “I heard Roberto and James arguing. James said something about a new deal. Roberto did not like it.”

“My brother has a habit of changing his mind,” Dylan said, shaking his head.

“He lies?”

“He seizes opportunity,” Dylan said. “He values the deal over anyone and everyone else.”

“You mean, he lies.”

“James never intended to appoint Roberto CEO post-acquisition,” Dylan said. “My brother plans to dismantle your family’s company and sell it off, piece-by-piece. He always did.”

His words felt like a punch in the gut. “And you knew this? You knew it the night we met? And you’ve known it every time we’ve been together since?” I spun around to look at him.

“Bella, I don’t want to keep secrets from you anymore.”

“You can’t be serious,” I said. “You lied to me the moment we met and you haven’t stopped.”

“It was supposed to be one night. I didn’t expect to feel the way I do about you.”

“So now you want points for having feelings for me?” I clutched the blanket around me with clenched fists.

I couldn’t properly fill my lungs with air. “You should have told me everything sooner. But you just kept lying. Is that why you told me about being Strand? Was that some sort of guilty confession?”

“No. I never wanted to share that part of myself with anyone,” he said. “I wanted you to know all of me. I can’t explain it any other way.”

“You wanted me to know everything, except the information that was most important to my family and me. Even tonight, we are only talking because I brought it up. Me. Not you. Why didn’t you tell me any of this until now?”

“Because I’m a self-centered asshole who takes what he wants,” Dylan shouted, sitting up, eyes flashing.

He got out of bed, pulling on his briefs. “I told you I was a fuck-up. I warned you. I thought we would have one night. Onenight only. I was here to survive Carnival and leave. My home is not in Venice with you, Bella.”

“Don’t worry. I know it isn’t.” I picked my clothes up off the floor piece by piece and held them to my chest. “You have made that very clear. Fuck you, Dylan,” I shouted, pulling on my panties.

“How could you? How could you be like this with me? Is that why you have been fucking me and making me think we are making love? Did James tell you to distract me, since I was the only person not on-board with his plan? I was the only person who dissented, right? He called me out for that.”

Dylan stared at me, his expression full of regret and guilt.

“Say it,” I said, suddenly seeing our first dinner together in a different light. “James wanted you to see me again. That is why he left us at dinner together.”

“James encouraged me. He knew you might be one of the only people who could stop the acquisition.”

“You have been distracting me, pretending to encourage my business, telling me stories about your sad life.” I felt sick with every word.

He flinched, but didn’t deny it. “I wanted to tell you the truth.”

“I can’t believe anything you say.”

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