Page 329 of The Black Trilogy

“Maybe it’s coincidence,” Seb suggested. “They say everyone’s got a double out there, don’t they?”

My gut told me otherwise. “No way. This is connected to the drug trade somehow. I’m sure of it.”

“Brothers, perhaps?”

“Black was an only child.”

“Are you sure?”

“A secret brother? No way. He’d have told me.” And even if he hadn’t, I’d have found out for myself, nosy little cow that I was. Stray paperwork, a whispered conversation… But I’d seen nothing.

“What if he didn’t know?” Seb asked.

“I suppose it’s possible, but how would that work? Either Black’s parents must have adopted him, or they gave up Carlos. He never had an inkling of either.”

Eduardo had simmered down from earlier, and now he gripped my upper arms as he looked into my eyes. “I don’t know either, angel, but we will find out.”

I truly believed he’d do his best. But would it be enough? My life had been tilted on its axis once again, and I didn’t know where to begin with unravelling this mystery.

“It feels like my whole life’s falling to bits at the moment.”

“We will fit the pieces together again. I promise you.”

Eduardo gathered me up in his arms, holding me tight. My eyes prickled as he kissed my hair, telling me everything would be all right. An assassin being comforted by a drug lord—how surreal had my world become?

A long minute passed before Eduardo let me go. “Let us rest. We will start our search for the truth in the morning.”

“There’s a friend who came with me, and he’s staying at the Coralia. He’s known Black longer than me.”

“I will send a car for him tomorrow. Now, we sleep.”

CHAPTER 12

SLEEP? THAT WAS all very well for Eduardo to say. I barely slept a wink that night. After a lengthy phone call to Nate where I updated him on the situation and found him as incredulous as me, I spent hours in my silver room tossing and turning.

Yes, silver.

After my flippant comment to Eduardo many years ago, he proudly showed me the room he’d redecorated just for me on my next visit. Everything was silver. Silver sheets, silver tiles in the bathroom, matt silver wardrobe with glossy silver accents. He’d even found a silver television. The room had been made-over several times since, usually when he had a change of wife, but the overwhelming theme was still freaking silver. I’d tried so hard to pretend I loved it.

I was still blinking from the glare coming off the furnishings when Nate arrived in the morning. A uniformed butler led him out onto the terrace where I was sitting with Eduardo, soaking up the first of the morning’s rays. Nate eyed up the older man with suspicion, but Eduardo acted oblivious, greeting him with a handshake like they were old friends then offering him some pastries.

“They’re Emmy’s favourites. My chef makes them especially for her.”

Nate perched on a dainty wrought iron chair and picked up one of the tiny morsels, clutching it between thumb and forefinger as if he wasn’t quite sure whether it was safe to eat.

“It won’t poison you,” I told him, popping another one into my mouth.

He chewed his pastry slowly before a smile spread over his face.

“You’re right; these are good.” He helped himself to a couple more.

“So, about the whole Black/Carlos thing. Any ideas?”

“I’ve been racking my brain. I’m certain Black didn’t know he had a brother, if that’s what Carlos is, and looking at the photo of Carlos, I agree he’s Black’s double. But I didn’t meet Black until three months after his parents died in that car crash, so I never saw the relationship between them firsthand. It was still pretty raw for him. If anyone brought up the accident, he shut down. Even years later, he never wanted to talk about them, not really. Did he ever say much to you?”

I shook my head. “Not about the accident. Occasionally he mentioned his life growing up. His mother doted on him, but he found it a bit stifling sometimes. His dad was pushy, I think, but fair. He was determined his son would make something of himself, not just sit around like a spoiled rich kid.”

“Yeah, Black said he never dished out money.”

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