Page 95 of The Devil's Pawn

“Fine, maybe a little,” I tease. “How could you not tell me about any of this when we spoke on the phone? Who Dominic and Dante were? Killing your damn father?” My eyes widen as I remember what she did. “How much have you actually been hiding?”

Pressing a button, I lift up the top half of my bed, which allows me to sit up.

I can see pure exhaustion in her eyes. See it plaguing her body. That’s one thing about us: we’re as close as sisters. I know every one of her expressions, even when they’re as simple as an eye twitch, which usually means she’s mad as hell but trying not to show it. You don’t want to mess with her when she’s that pissed.

“I’m sorry, Raquel. I only wanted what was best for you.” Her eyes plead for understanding as her head slants, lips set in a deep frown. “When I called you that day we spoke, Dante begged me not to say anything, and just hearing how he talked about you, then listening to how happy you finally were…” She exhales harshly. “I didn’t want to rip it away, even if it meant you being mad at me in the end.”

Her palm lands on my knee, squeezing gently.

“But I knew I’d win you over eventually. I’m very hard to resist.”

A bubble of her laughter blends with mine as my eyes meet hers.

“Now I kind of want to stay mad at you,” I throw in. “Just to prove a point.”

“Well, it worked out anyway, right?” Her face winds with a grimace. “Kind of. You know, minus you being here and all. But Carlito is dead.”

She grins mirthlessly, like someone pointing out the positive in a crappy situation.

“Yeah, we seem to have a row of dead bodies following us, don’t we?” I shake my head, hating the way our life has been.

She shrugs, but I can tell how much it bothers her too. She’s always been the strong one between us. The one keeping people up when all she wants is to hide where no one can find her. I don’t know Dominic at all, but I hope he’s the man who can finally holdherup for a change.

“How come you never told me about Dominic when we were kids?” I’ve been wanting to ask her that as soon as I found out about them from Dante.

“I was afraid you’d blab to your parents, bigmouth.”

“Hey!” I swat her on the chest. “I was good at keeping secrets. Maybe. Sometimes.” I roll my lips side to side. “Okay, fine, I was awful.”

“Yeah.” She giggles. “Remember that time I told you I had a crush on that neighbor of yours, and you told your mom, who told your dad, who ended up telling mine? Yeah. Mm-hmm. I wasn’t telling you shit about Dom, especially not with how much my father hated him.”

“Dante filled me in on all that. I’m sorry your life was such hell, Chiara. I know I’ve said that over the years, but I don’t think I truly grasped how much you had to live through, especially being so young.”

“It’s okay, cuz. What doesn’t kill you makes you one tough-ass bitch.”

“Well, you are that.” There’s genuine awe in my voice.

“Oh, I know.” She tosses her hair back while her eyebrows flip upward. “So, when are we busting you out of here? Dante told me all your wounds should heal well. I’m so glad you’re not dead.” She grins.

“Well, thanks. It was a close call there.”

She balls her hand. “Every time I think about it, I want to raise Carlito from the dead and kill him all over again. Dante said he suffered. Did he really?”

“Yeah, Chiara. He suffered. Dante doesn’t play games.”

She leans back in the chair, her eyes to the ceiling for a mere second. “My man.”

We spend a few minutes discussing our corrupted family, the people our fathers are involved in trafficking, and our uncles, who are still out there, probably wanting Chiara dead for killing her father. Probably wanting to take me out too. It’s risky for her to even be at the hospital, but I know nothing would’ve stopped Chiara from being here. Not me, and sure as hell not Dominic.

“I talked to my mom right before you got here,” I throw in. “We’re done.”

“Well, I’m happy for you. Cut the toxicity, and that woman was toxic. We both know it.”

“I know. It just hurts. I’d do anything to have the kind of mom you—” My pulse slams into my ears and my eyes bug out at my own stupidity as I look away.

“The kind I had? It’s okay. You can say it.”

Her face lights up at the mention of her mother, and my own turns with disgrace.

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