Page 52 of Skin Deep

“I can tell. Besides. If you’re not better after all that fresh sea air, nothing will ever make you better. How’s it going?”

We talked for a few minutes about where I was. All the things I’d seen.

“I’m so glad you’re there,” she said. “You do sound better.”

“Even at your husband’s expense?” I looked at the sky. The moon was full, but so were fast-moving clouds. Every so often, it seemed like smoke drifted over the light.

“Psssh.” She made a dismissive noise. “If he can’t keep himself out of trouble for a couple of days, he doesn’t need a lawyer; he needs a parole officer.”

“Or his wife to keep him walking the line.”

“Let’s talk about something else.”

“Like?”

“You,” she said. “Or Lachlan.”

“What about Lach?”

“Always so quick to change the subject.” She blew out a heavy breath. “He’s keeping secrets.”

How the hell she knew that? I had no clue. But I was the rock stuck in the middle of two hard places. Keely was keeping him in the dark about her situation, and he was keeping her in the dark about his. But I knew it was only a matter of time before the situations collided. The main force of impact would be her husband, Cash Kelly. I was going to have to tell him about the situation with Lachlan working for the Craigs. If he didn’t know already. Maybe he was waiting to see how honest I was going to be with him. He sure the fuck wasn’t honest with me when he used me as bait to lure my sister in.

“Lachlan always has secrets,” I said.

“I don’t like this ‘bro code’ shit,” she snapped. “I never did. If I have to, I’ll beat it out of one of you.”

“You have your secrets,” I said.

“A woman is supposed to, but let’s not go there.” She hesitated for a few seconds. “You okay? I mean…Mari. I know…”

“Yeah, I am,” I said. It wasn’t like her to hesitate or stumble over what she wanted to say. “I’m going to talk to her tonight. Things need to be said.”

“Tonight? You’re back at the place in Modica? I thought you were in Costa Smeralda?”

“Yeah, that’s where I am—”

“Mari’s still in Sicily, last I checked. They’re not leaving for their honeymoon right now. Nonno? You remember him? He’s—”

My sister’s words died in my ear when I turned to find Gigi standing across the pool, staring at me. Her chin was lifted, her eyes narrowed, but she was holding tight to a glass of whatever she was drinking.

She knew that I knew.

She’d fucking lied to me.

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