Page 30 of Borrowed Bride

“Sort of. After that whole thing, I became so much better at choosing marks. And I never forgot them because I knew they would know I put them away.” Digging around in my pocket, Ipull out a small, worn photograph that’s been folded so many times my own face is creased out of existence. I show it to Tara.

“That’s Cherry. And that’s Mango.” I point them out in the group photo and Tara nods slowly. “But I saw Cherry the other night, at the dinner.”

“What?” Tara hands the picture back as her head snaps up. “She’s free?”

“I think so. It’s so early, though, so I’ve been trying to find out how that’s possible because they got sent away for a long time. I half thought it was a trick of my mind but I saw her a few times. Enough to be sure it’s her.”

“Not a twin?” Tara suggests with a small smile.

I shake my head and fold the picture back up.

“So if she’s out, she knows I put her away. And suddenly she’s here, so I’m…” I have no words. I can’t imagine what she will do to me if she finds me, and knowing Marco is busy with Leonardo leaves me feeling adrift and alone.

“I can ask around,” Tara says suddenly. “I have loads of contacts with the other families, especially with the staff at that dinner. I can poke around and see if anyone knows anything. Maybe we can find out who she was with.”

“You would do that?” I gaze up at Tara with wide eyes.

“Of course.” Tara squeezes my hand. “You’ve been so kind to me since you got here. It’s what friends are for, right?”

For a moment, I’m speechless. Deep down, I was expecting Tara to be horrified by what I had done, but then again she lives in this Mafia world. Maybe my actions are tame compared to what she has been around.

“Thank you, Tara. Thank you so much.”

“Of course,” she smiles. “At least then you’ll have some facts, and it won’t be your mind running with what-ifs.”

“Can I ask for something else too?”

“Anything.”

“Could you pick me up a pregnancy test?”

Tara’s eyes drop to my stomach. “Are you…?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so, but Marco was supposed to bring me the morning-after pill last week, and he hasn’t yet. I don’t want to take any chances.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Just as Tara slides from the bed, the door opens and Marco strides in. I shove my old picture under the pillow and adjust myself so Marco doesn’t see.

He glances at Tara, and with one look, she bows her head and scurries from the room, but not before flashing me a comforting smile. With her gone, I wipe my eyes.

“Why are you crying?” Marco demands, pausing at the foot of the bed.

“Tara and I were watching videos of animals greeting owners that had been away for a while,” I lie smoothly. “It always gets me emotional.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Are you okay?” I ask, quickly redirecting to him. “Are you still trying to find Leonardo?”

“I found him last night but it…” Marco shakes his head. “That bastard makes no fucking sense.”

“Does he know about Emilia?”

“No. I mean…he’s convinced about my sister but then he gave me this.” Marco pulls some paper from his pocket and hands it to me. “He thinks this is my sister and seems pretty set in that knowledge.”

I glance down at the paper, and my body freezes like I’ve been tossed into a frozen river. My chest tightens and I can’t breathe; the picture before me dances in and out of focus.

It’s a picture of Cherry.

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