Page 143 of Cruelest Contract
Probably.Yes, he probably did know.
For months I’ve avoided dwelling on the fact that Gabriel seemed to have no problem with sending me into the lion’s den of the Tempesta world. He might have felt a twinge of discomfort but he never pleaded with me not to go. He never insisted that he’d figure it out for himself.
All this time I’ve hidden from the cold facts about my twin brother. Julian finally forced me to examine them. When Gabriel’s life was in danger, I would have done anything to protect him. But to him, I was expendable.
Loud snoring comes from Angelo’s room. Gabe’s room is silent. The one inch gap beneath each door is dark. The hour is still early, barely mid-morning. And it’s not as if either of my brothers are acclimated to ranch life. I nearly snort with laughter at the idea of Angelo mucking out the stable in his leather jacket.
With no wish to deal with my brothers at this moment anyway, I return to my original mission. The room selected for the twins’ nursery is the same one where I stayed when I first arrived. It’s been completely transformed. The walls have been painted a soothing sage green and the theme is zoo animals.
Two plush giraffe rattles are sitting on the changing table. They were in the large package filled with presents from Alice that arrived the other day. I pick one up and squeeze its middle until a high pitched squeak emerges. The giraffe’s permanentgrin is getting on my nerves. I stick the thing under a receiving blanket.
“What was his crime?” asks a deep voice that captivated me from the day I arrived here.
I turn around to find Julian watching me from the doorway. His hair is wild, he hasn’t shaved, and his eyes are bleary. He still looks so damn gorgeous that I want to weep over the unfairness.
“He smiles too much,” I reply.
Julian smirks and walks into the room. He sets his hands on his hips and gazes around as if he’s never been here before. “You’ve done a lot here.”
“You can thank your brothers for that. Fort painted and put up those wallpaper borders. Getty and Tye put all the furniture together.”
He looks at the identical dark wood cribs on the opposite wall. “That must have been entertaining to watch.”
“It definitely got loud. They kept fighting over the tools. Tye finally gave up and took a nap on the elephant throw rug.”
Julian flashes a smile. My heart skips.
“Sounds about right,” he says. He moves to the nearest crib and runs his hand along the railing. His wedding ring clinks against the smooth wood. His smile has vanished. “Do you regret your choice, Cecilia?”
He isn’t talking about the nursery theme. I rest my hand on the soft flannel covering my belly. Julian watches me with caution. He’s wary, almost fearful of what I might say.
“No,” I tell him as our babies move under my palm. “But the choice was never really mine, was it? You had me figured out from the beginning. Before I even got here. Isn’t that right?”
He doesn’t need to confess but he does it without even blinking. “Yes. By the time your plane landed I already knew all about you. I knew you loved the color pink and libraries and small towns. I knew you had only one real friend and barely anysocial life. I knew you liked to sit alone at charming cafes and write in your journal. I knew everything.”
I’d already figured out this was the case but hearing him admit it opens up a whole new can of worms. “You obviously did your homework. Clearly, you wanted to see if I was suitable to play the part of your wife. And I overlooked every single red flag because I was so lonely and so desperate to be part of a family again.” I croak out a humorless laugh. “Pathetic, huh?”
Julian’s fingers curl into a fist atop the crib railing. The face he makes suggests he’s in physical pain. “Yesterday you said you understood everything. But you don’t, Cecilia. You really don’t.”
“Of course I do, Julian. You told me how you felt that night in the bar. I remember every word. You said real love can destroy you, leaving you heartsick with an addiction to memories. You never wanted to fall in love and you knew you could never love me. That’s why I was chosen.”
He stands completely still. I can’t account for the horror on his face or why he looks as if he might vomit. Maybe hearing the stark, unfiltered truth out loud is just too much.
But now Julian’s name is being shouted from somewhere down the hall and within seconds, a breathless Tye appears in the doorway.
“There you are,” he says. “Sonny needs you.”
Julian heaves a deep sigh and looks down while pinching the bridge of his nose. “What is it now?”
“Security system is out. Must be the storm but you know Sonny. He’s still freaking.”
“All of you can freak the fuck out without me!” Julian yells.
Tye pauses over his brother’s furious tone. He looks at me for an explanation. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” I say. “Julian, go ahead. This sounds important.”
My husband’s haunted eyes cut to me. “We’re not finished talking.” His voice sounds hoarse, tormented. Very unlike him.
