Page 86 of Married into the Mob
“The last will and testament?” It listed my folks’ names and mine, as well as Aunt Louisa as guardian and executor of their estate.
“What estate? I’d always been told my parents were dirt poor, and I’d been too young to remember.”
“Keep reading.” He shuffled papers around and handed me a sheaf. Bank statements.
The dates were from just after my parents died until last year around the time of Uncle’s accident.
“I don’t understand.”
“You had a modest inheritance, and Louisa withdrew money regularly.” He threw up his hands. “I had no idea and assumed the money was from her job, as mine wasn’t well paid, She always brought in more than me.”
“Okay. I don’t see a problem.” While I was a little peeved, if she had told me when I turned eighteen seven years ago that she’d needed it for our family, I would have understood. I was a financial burden, and my parents would have known that when they wrote the will.
“But my darling, when you turned eighteen, any withdrawals should have been done by you. Louisa’s power of attorney ended with your birthday.” He pointed out the letters from the bank were addressed to me after my eighteenth birthday.
Shit! My aunt had fraudulently taken out money, and Uncle wanted to expose her so he wasn’t theonlybad guy. My family was so messed up. I rubbed a fist into my eye, wishing I’d never… never… something.
I was annoyed at Uncle for telling me, and angry at my aunt for breaking the law. Geez!
“Uncle, maybe it’s best we forget it.” I was getting good at shoving things in my mental closet and throwing away the key. I’d done it with Uncle and him basically selling me to Draven.
But if I wanted to get past this, I had to have it out with him.
“Uncle, you’re retaliating against Aunt Louisa for divorcing you.”
He removed the papers from my grip and clasped my hands in his.
“Not at all. We hadn’t been happy since I had my accident. She resented me for my disability. Hadn't been happy for years, if I’m honest.”
No, that was a lie. “She did everything for you.”
“When you were around, yes. But when we were alone, she refused me food, wouldn’t get me water. Or my pills, even on the days I was bedridden.”
This version of my aunt was the opposite of the one I’d always known. It couldn’t be true.
“You adore her, and I know that. But your aunt has a personality of steel. She never considered what I had to say.”He leaned forward. “I take full responsibility for what I did with Stefan, but I…” He gulped. “I was so weak. I should have stood up to her.”
That word sent a shock wave through me, and I jerked upward. “Her? It was Stefan and Draven.”
Uncle clasped his head. “Draven, Draven, Draven. I never met Draven until he came to get you, though his name has been bandied about.”
“But you had to.”
“No, your aunt introduced me to Stefan, saying he could help us financially.”
“No, you’re wrong.” I got up and paced the floor, noting my bodyguard was chatting to the ones looking after Uncle near the Red Beast. “How did Aunt Louisa know Stefan?”
“Through City Hall. Though she was the receptionist at the realtor’s, she sometimes had to file paperwork.”
I collapsed on the sofa, my mind working overtime. Shit! She’d met Stefan, he scented me on her, and they what? I couldn’t say it. Stefan was on one side, my aunt on the other. They had nothing in common. It couldn’t be. I grabbed my belly, wanting to throw up, my mind grasping at threads and trying to tie them together.
“This was a mistake.”
“She said we needed money, fed on my guilt that my accident had caused all our problems.” He held up a hand. “I should have stayed strong, resisted her, but Stefan said he’d kill you if I didn’t agree.”
He related how my aunt had played on his pride, saying he needed to make money and Stefan had an inside man at the race track. She said it was a sure thing.
“Louisa said I was dragging the family down with my medical bills, and I had to prove my worth.”
