Page 98 of Gin & Trouble

“Is it?” I barked out a humorless laugh. “Think about it. I’d spent the night with you and headed out to the lab first thing. Did I charge my phone in the penthouse?”

“Lab?” The color drained from his face. “Why would you evade the security team, sneak out of the building, and risk your life to go to a lab? You’re not…”

What the hell is he asking me?

“Not what?”

“Pregnant.” Dante choked on the word.

“God, no.” This time I laughed for real. Although maybe I shouldn’t have considering his reaction. “I’m on the pill, plus we’ve always used condoms.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply anything. Gabe’s daughter Ella was a condom baby, and I’m assuming Gunnar wasn’t planned. And Zach, Joe’s oldest…” Once again, he tightened his grip on the wheel. “Tell me what you know about your sister’s involvement with my brother’s murder.”

The change of subject left me reeling. I’d finally worked up the courage to tell him about Enzo, but he wanted to talk about Sophia and Joe. Again. “She had nothing to do with it. Tommaso ordered the hit.”

Even though Giancarlo had told him the same thing, I’d expected Dante to dismiss me. Instead, he simply nodded and opened up the throttle, increasing the speed. “Did your father know?”

Now’s my chance to lay it all on the table.

“No, he didn’t. My dad would have never signed off on it.” I toyed with the Saint Christopher medallion around my neck.

Dante glanced over. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because Joe wasn’t the target. Enzo was.”

“Enzo? Why would your brother put a hit on a chef?” He seemed surprised, but not as much as I would have thought. I had the feeling he’d spoken to Marco, but I doubted Dante knew about Enzo’s paternity.

“Tommaso didn’t order the hit—he did it himself.” I swallowed past the emotion clogging my throat.

“That makes no sense, not even for your idiot brother.” Dante shook his head. “Tommaso was the heir apparent to the Abruzzo’s seat on theFratellanza. Why would he risk an unauthorized hit?”

I debated doing as Marco had asked and keeping quiet about Enzo, but I couldn’t. Not anymore. Not after everything that had happened. “Because Enzo is my half-brother and can challenge his position.”

Dante’s entire body jolted as if I’d tased him. “You have proof?”

“Yes. That’s why I was at the lab.” I pulled the crumpled DNA results from my pocket.

He glanced from the paper to my face. “My God.”

I wanted so badly to hold him, to tell him I was sorry, to promise I’d take the secret to the grave, but I didn’t dare touch him. Not when his anger was as thick as the sea air.

His mouth fell open. “The bloody bandage?”

I couldn’t stomach the disgust in his expression. “Not my proudest moment, but yes.”

“Enzo and Shanna just found out they’re expecting a baby. This is going to kill him. And my family? Fuck. It’s going to blow us apart.” He spoke as if he’d forgotten I was there.

And then he turned to me and I wished he hadn’t. Never, not even when he found I’d lied about my name to spy on his family, had he looked at me with such cold, hard hatred.

“I’m sorry. I was desperate…amdesperate. My sisters—”

“Who else knows?” Not only had he interrupted me, he’d waved his hand as if I were discussing what shoes to wear to dinner.

“Sophia suspected it the night Pietro Lazio had his…breakdown.” I sighed. “But Tommaso must have known much longer.”

Dante narrowed his eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”

I glanced over the water to make sure there were no rocks or smaller boats in our path and because I couldn’t stand the way he was glaring at me. “Marco has suspected it since the night he took over as the Marchionnicapo. So has Nicolina.”

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