Page 123 of Gin & Trouble

The door opened and footsteps echoed off the terra cotta tiles in the foyer. “Dante, it’s Enzo. I need to talk to Frankie.”

“Be right there!” She shot out of bed and was half-dressed before I’d registered his words.

Mourning the loss of her warm body beside mine, I was far less enthusiastic to speak to my brother. “You’re getting around better. How’s your leg?”

“It’s fine as long as I don’t think about it too much or try to run a marathon.” She flashed me a smile as bright as the star on the tree. “Come on, Enzo is waiting.”

I pulled on a pair of sweats and followed her to the front room.

Enzo stood near the smoldering fireplace with his back to us. Judging by the slump of his shoulders, he was either in pain from the gunshot wound or something else had happened—something we weren’t going to like.

“Buon Natale,brother.” I stepped forward to give him a hug, but his somber expression stopped me short. “Everything okay?”

He scrubbed his hand over his face and turned to Frankie. “I’m aware that I am your half-brother.”

Blood whooshed through my ears so violently, I could barely hear myself think.

Frankie gasped. “You know?”

Enzo sank onto the sofa. “I found out the week before the shooting.”

“But how?” She glanced at me as if expecting the answers.

“I’m married to a private investigator.” Enzo deadpanned.

“Oh.” Frankie rolled her lips in, shifted her weight from one foot to the other, and finally seated herself beside Enzo.

To say seeing them side-by-side, and knowing they were siblings, was jarring would be an understatement. I didn’t know what to say or do, other than to give them some privacy. “I’ll get some espresso going.”

“Thanks, bro.” Enzo softened his voice. “I should start by apologizing for stealing your mail.”

“That was you? You stole the DNA results?” The lift of her voice told me she was stunned, but amused.

“Technically, it was Shanna,” Enzo said. “I couldn’t figure out why you took the bloody bandage, or why you were following me around at the party. She put two and two together.”

Frankie nodded. “I should have come to you, but I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”

“It’s a good thing you didn’t.” He drew a deep breath. “It’s taken time and a few conversations with my mother to come to grips with all of this.”

“How did Ma react when you confronted her?” I set the Moka pot on the burner and plopped into a chair.

“She was surprised, but not overly so.” He dipped his chin. “She was more ashamed than anything.”

“I can imagine.” I hated that my mother had been unfaithful. She’d done a lot of questionable things over the years, but stepping out on my dad took the freaking cannoli—no pun intended.

“This isn’t the end of the world, Dante. In fact, it explains a lot about me and my childhood.” He glanced at me and shrugged a small embarrassed shrug. “I’ve always been the odd duck in this family.”

I agreed, but that wasn’t the time to get into it.

“Marco told me about the situation with your…oursisters. I’m sorry, but I’m not going to challenge Tommaso for the Abruzzo’s seat on theFratellanza.”

She nodded.

“Please understand. I’m going to be a father. I will not have my wife and child involved with the Cosa Nostra.”

Frankie rested her hand on Enzo’s. “You don’t need to worry about challenging Tommaso. We have a plan to get them away from Tommaso that doesn’t involve you.”

He nodded but looked away. I had a feeling the decision to refuse to help his newfound sisters had weighed heavily on him.

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