Page 117 of Cruelest Contract
“That doesn’t matter.” She frowns and frets with a section of her long hair, twisting it around her fingers. “He’s my brother.” She sighs. “You should have told me, Julian.”
And for once, I can’t think of a thing to say.
25
CECILIA
Spreadsheets have always been comforting. No matter how much turmoil rages elsewhere, neat columns of orderly numbers on a screen always make sense.
Today, however, my eyes keep glazing over and the numbers swim together as I scroll through the files sent over by the Tempestas’ financial team.
Julian suggested that I ought to start by overseeing the management of their local commercial real estate portfolio. The ranch aside, I’m now realizing they literally own half the town of Vigilance. This should come as no surprise, considering Tye’s comments about funding the high school football stadium.
Still, as I click through the many tabs included in the document, I’m aware that this is only a drop in the bucket of their overall financial picture. Julian has casually mentioned hotels in Vegas, construction firms in Phoenix and Chicago, and fleets of commercial trucks up and down the west coast, not to mention their considerable stock market assets.
At least no one can accuse Cass Tempesta of failing to diversify his holdings.
But these are just the legitimate enterprises. Layered beneath their assets is a tricky invisible network of mob patronage and cronyism that I’ll never hear about.
Blowing out a sigh, I shut the laptop lid and open my journal. The first item on my daily list can be crossed off now:Go to work in office.
Two hours have passed since I stepped into my office. All I’ve done is stare dully at spreadsheet numbers while my mind strays. Still, I’m going to cheat and call it ‘work’.
I run a neat line of black ink through the words and close the journal. My fingertips trace the name on the cover.
Cecilia Tempesta has a nice ring to it.
The name I choose for my child will also have a nice ring to it.
When Julian left four days ago, I didn’t tell him that my period was already late. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to hope for. My choice to quit all birth control measures was abrupt and impulsive. But by the time the date of my expected period rolled around, I was starting to wonder about my own reasons. Heavy, worrisome questions shadowed the edges of my mind.
Why am I rushing things?
What’s wrong with getting to know my husband better before adding a new complicated layer to our relationship?
And most troubling of all…
What if I’m trying too hard to transform into Julian’s perfect wife?
In the days following that humiliating visit to the vineyard, I felt anxious and mentally bruised. I barely even got to see Gabe and I don’t know when I’ll see him again.
Julian sensed my troubled mood and didn’t push. I’m mortified that he heard my grandfather’s hideous words. Though I’m grateful for the way he stood up for me, some tension remains between us.
He didn’t tell me he’d seen Matthias. If it were up to him, I still wouldn’t know. This bothers me. I don’t need to hear all the gory details about whatever Mafia business brought my brother and husband together. I know I’ll always stand on the outside of certain circles.
But what else would Julian be willing to hide from me?
All I’m asking for is some honesty. An apology or an explanation wouldn’t have hurt.
Neither were forthcoming.
What’s more, I doubt the idea ever crossed Julian’s mind. From the beginning, it was clear he expects to always run the show. But at times I don’t know where that leaves me.
Now he’s gone again. Before I even got settled into the routine of having him around every day, he got called to Chicago. Then to London. This time he took Tye with him. I don’t know what he’s doing or when he’ll return.
Yesterday, without mentioning it to anyone, I went on a mission to buy a pregnancy test. This wasn’t easy, considering I’m chaperoned on every visit to town. However, I couldn’t take the chance a delivery to the house would be intercepted.
I waited until Fort and Getty were distracted, flirting with the pretty pharmacist at the drug store. With Olympian speed, I seized three boxes of pregnancy tests and scrambled to pay for them at the front of the store, shoving them in my purse before Julian’s brothers noticed.
