Page 28 of Depths of Desire
“Why didn’t you tell us you were going to do a runner?” Pippa demanded.
I blink back tears. Hearing my best friends’ voices almost breaks me. I’m exhausted. I’m scared. All I want to do is go back in time to our boarding school days when the worst thing we had to deal with was a math test.
I swallow again. “I…you two are so happy, and I didn’t want to bring you into my mess. I knew if I told you, then you’d haveto hide it from your husbands, and I didn’t want to put you in that position.”
“Honey,” Mia snorts, “we don’t tell the boys everything. That would be idiotic.”
Pippa laughs. “Yes, they don’t need to know all that we do, so don’t worry about that.”
The knot in my stomach loosens slightly. “I can't tell you how much I've wanted to have this conversation with you. I've been so scared, and it's hard, because whenever I've been scared before, I've always shared it with you both.”
A soft groan comes through the line. "Luna, you should have just said something. What's going on with your father?"
I take a breath. Do I tell them the whole truth? No way am I sharing about the magickal creatures and vampires. They wouldn’t believe me. But the rest of it? Honestly, at this point, I don't think I can hold it all in anymore.
"Okay... so, my dad, years ago, made a deal with someone. His name is Malrick Comescu—" I don’t tell them how many years ago because Comescu looks about thirty-five. God only knew how old he really is.
"Wait," Mia cuts in. "I know that name."
"Yeah. I figured you would. He's part of the organized crime family from Moldova."
"What kind of deal did your dad make with him?" she asks.
I take another breath. When they hear what I have to say, I have a feeling they’re both going to regret telling me I should share. The kind of regret that makes them keep secrets from their own husbands.
"When your father was still running the family—Mia, way back in the beginning—they were having some serious problems. Power struggles with the southern Italian families. Tension with some of the other big-name mafias—the Albanians, you know the drill.
"Anyway, my father made a deal with the Comescu family. They offered some security for shipments, and I don’t know for sure, but my guess is they took out some key players, which helped solidify your father's hold on the family. It also solidified my father’s and Pippa's father's places beside him. And it all went swimmingly.”
I don’t even try to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. “The thing is, part of that deal was… me.”
There’s silence on the other end of the phone.
“What do you mean—‘you’?” Pippa asks slowly.
“I mean, my father agreed that I would marry Malrick Comescu when I was old enough. At a time they could both agree to.”
“Holy shit,” Pippa whispers.
Mia has remained silent this entire time. That worries me.
“Mia?” I call her out.
“I’m thinking,” she says.
“I know what you’re thinking,” I respond. “You’re thinking my marriage to Comescu would tie the families together. That, business-wise, this would put us ahead. I know that’s exactly what you're thinking. It’s what my father thought all those years ago.”
“Luna—” Mia starts.
“Don’t you Luna me. I know that's what you're thinking, because ever since you married Renzo, you’re all business. This is why I didn’t tell you anything. Because you'd just be right there beside my dad, selling me out."
"That's not true. You're not giving me a chance?—”
“Really?’ The perception of my good friend’s betrayal stings. “Tell me where I'm wrong.”
She stays silent for a second, and I know she's choosing her words carefully. Which means she's selling me out.
"Comescu is a son of a bitch," she says finally. "He and his family have been a thorn in our side for as long as I can remember. And you're right—back when my father was in charge, Comescu was making inroads. Now that Renzo’s in charge, it’s stepped up. He was always content to take a back seat or at least rule his own area. But he's expanding. A marriage to you could change all that."
