Page 29 of Hidden Ties

Valerie wasn’t sure what to expect before Sal opened the door to his penthouse. The city lights glowed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and highlighted his decor. While the luxuriousness of the space was over the top, his furniture was understated with warm neutrals and touches of navy-blue hues. It was truly breathtaking and yet somehow felt like home for a space that should feel a bit pretentious.

In disbelief at the sight, she barely could get her words out. “A-And you livehere?”

Shutting the door behind him, he nodded. “Yes.”

“This isnice.” Clearly finding her voice, she dropped her bat and made herself right at home by throwing herself down on the lush couch. She felt the luxe material, thinking she could get used to this. The futon she had been sleeping on, she wasn’t sure she could go back to after a night on this bad boy.

Looking back over at Sal, she could see he fit in his surroundings here better. How she hadn’t noticed he didn’t belong on Prairie Drive sooner, she would never understand. It was like witnessing the difference between Clark Kent and Superman in real life. It wasn’t just the glasses that made all the difference; it was the personality—no, theconfidence.

Every piece of new information about him made him more enigmatic to her, and she needed to know more. The real question, however, was: Clark Kent hid who he was because of his powers …

So,whatis Salvatore hiding?

“Do allthe men who work for Lucca get a room at the Casino Hotel, or just you?”

The nonchalant way she tried to play it off didn’t work. Sal could see her curiosity behind her eyes, while behind his, he contemplated what he could or couldn’t reveal.

“Come on.” She gave him a knowing look. “I think it’s safe to say the rumors about the Carusos are true. I’ve seen behind the proverbial curtain, but don’t worry, because we both know it would do me zero favors to ever spill the beans. Plus, I have absolutely no one to tell. I have no friends. Well, that’s not true. I have one friend.”

Sal laughed mockingly. “Who? Yourhugeboyfriend?”

“Okay, fine, so I lied about having a boyfriend. Sue me.” She shrugged the lie off quickly. “They’re just a friend I’ve been playing games with online for a couple of years now.”

Shaking his head at her, he let the big fat lie slide, considering he’d known it was bullshit, anyway. He found himself taking the chair next to the couch to ask her a question with his curiosity piqued, though he chalked that curiosity up to deciding what he should or shouldn’t reveal to her about the family. “No family?”

“Welp, my mom left to go get a pack of cigarettes, but that was when I was two—”

“Ouch.” Sal couldn’t help but feel that pain for her.

“Then there’s my father.” She adjusted, making herself more comfortable on his sofa as she freely started to overshare. “I have to give him credit for at leasttryingto stick around for me at that age. But, you know, it was hard for him to raise a kid, and a daughter at that, alone, so he married another woman pretty quickly after my mother left. My stepmother was nice in the beginning, but I noticed the older I got, the more she started to begrudge me for spending more time with my dad as he got me into computers and video games. She made sure to dig a wedge right into us before I turned eighteen and forced him to choose between me or her after I graduated high school. And since I was going off to college, I think he was scared of the thought of being alone again, so he decided I was the one to cut off.”

Double ouch.While Sal couldn’t relate much to that part of her story, he supposed there was the perk of his father never wanting him to begin with. “I’m sorry about your jealous bitch of a stepmother.”

“It’s okay. I guess I should be thankful she at least waited till I could go live in a dorm to do it, so I wouldn’t be homeless.”

Swallowing hard, Sal was grateful not to have to comment as she continued speaking.

“My father’s the one who I really blame. She didn’t technically owe me anything. We weren’t blood related or anything, you know?”

That statement made his body seethe for Valerie.

“No, you weren’t. And while I agree your father is a piece of shit, she’s no less of a piece of shit than he is. Whether you’re related to someone by blood or not is irrelevant. The day she married your father was the day she chose to accept you as family as well, considering you were only a child. If anything, she should have encouraged your relationship with your father and, even more importantly, your interests and talent. I’m sorry, Valerie, but none of your family was your true family.”

“I guess I never thought about it that way.” Those words quietly left her lips in sadness but also realization.

A few quiet moments in contemplation passed before she spoke again.

“You know, it sounds like you’re speaking from experience. Is that how you ended up becoming loyal to the Carusos?”

“How I got where I am today is rather complicated and a long story that will put you to sleep considering how tired you must be.”

“Oh, I doubt that,” she said, highly interested, but it wasn’t hard to miss the heavy lids growing, her eyes looking wearier by the second.

“You can take my room upstairs, if you’d like,” he offered, but there would be no answer as she had fallen fast asleep after her eventful weekend and day.

Not bothering to move her, considering how comfortable she looked, he went upstairs to grab a few things before coming back down.

Placing one of his shirts on the couch beside her, he did so in case she woke up in the middle of the night and wanted to be more comfortable, before he covered her with a cozy blanket. Tomorrow, he would have to figure out a way to get some of her stuff here for the time being.

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