Page 9 of King

“He’s not my son. It’s not true. And you need to leave before I have you dragged away by my security.” I snarl.

Santino steps close, ready to drag her away himself.

I let go of her and step away. She isnotmy responsibility.

She is.

And so is her son.

My son.

No. She can’t just walk back into my life like this.

“He’syours, Giovanni.” She says with strength and determination.

I press my lips tightly together and turn towards my oldest son.

“Get them to take her away. I don’t want to see her again - ever.”

He grabs her arm, ready to do as I asked, but she shouts.

“I have proof.”

My heart stops. Every cell in my body freezes in panic.

“Bullshit.” Santino snaps, pulling at her again.

“Wait.” I say with heavy reluctance. If she has proof - I need to see it. I can’t have her going to the media or spreading this information around behind my back. If there is proof, I need to get it under my control before things get out of hand.

“Dad, she’s lying.” Santino says with desperation. He doesn’t want to believe it.

“Son, you can go inside.”

“No.” He shouts angrily. He drops his hand away from her arm and glares at me.

I turn towards Zina.

“Show me.” I say tightly.

She sticks her hand into her pocket and pulls out her phone. She’s shaking as she scrolls through images until she finds the right one and holds the screen towards me.

I take the device from her and stare at the print out on her screen.

It’s a screenshot from a website. A website where people trace their DNA. Romeo had sent in an application years ago for a school project when he had to trace his DNA to find out his heritage. He was about ten at the time.

I remember how upset he was to find out, even though he was through and through Italian - on his mother side there were traces of gypsy. Three percent, to be exact. The smallest, most insignificant amount - but at his young age, this seemed like a world ending disaster. He thought we would disown him, and it took hours to convince him we wouldn’t.

He refused to hand in the school project and got a zero for it. But the zero was safer than having anyone else find out the horrific truth.

Bella and I had stayed up late that night giggling about it over a bottle of wine.

Poor Romeo.

I’m looking at Romeo’s DNA report - and she’s matched it up to Guido .

They are half-brothers.

For the longest time, I can’t look away.

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