Page 2 of Sins of the Son

Not finding it, I dumped the contents of my purse out on the courtyard bench. Pushing aside shiny tubes of various shades of red lipstick, my compact, my mascara, the gold earrings I wore yesterday, the silver ones I wore last Monday, the onyx resin bangle I’d been looking for—which I slipped on my wrist—and a purple silk change purse filled with perfume samples, I finally found the cottage keys.

I unlocked the door and slipped my arm inside. My palm slid along the interior plaster wall, searching for the light switch. I couldn’t enter until the light was on. Once the main room was flooded with a warm, welcoming glow, I opened the door wide and crossed the threshold. I rushed from room to room, turning on all the lights. Only then did the tightness in my chest ease.

Returning to the courtyard, I swept my arm over the bench and scooped all the items back into my purse which I tossed, along with my ruined heels, on the seat of a nearby chair before securing the door.

I sank to the floor and hugged my legs to my chest as I rested my chin on my knees.

What did I do now?

My best friend Amara was practically engaged to Barone Cavalieri, Cesare's father, and moving on with her life. Soon she would be married and starting a family. Not that I worried she would push me aside. We were ride or die girlfriends and always would be, but things were changing in our lives. It was time I made some changes as well.

Changes that didn’t include being under the influence of the Cavalieris.

I'd only stayed for Amara's sake.

Now that she was happy with Barone, I could leave.

Cesare had made his intentions clear.

Especially after that kiss a few weeks ago.

And the kiss we almost shared tonight.

He not only wanted me… he wanted answers.

And no would not be one of them.

I tightened my arms around my legs as I tried to control the shiver that wracked my body at the terrible memories. As always, I silently berated myself for being so foolish. That was the messed-up thing about trauma. It didn’t really respond to rational thought. I knew rationally that things could have been much worse. That because I fought them off, they didn’t finish their intended attack, but still… the memories… the trauma… haunted me.

Being trapped in the darkness like that for hours and hours on end.

Screaming for help until I was hoarse.

Not knowing if they would return to finish what they'd started.

And it was all Cesare’s fault. He was my friend back then.

He should have protected me.

But he didn’t.

I didn’t care if the rest of Italy’s women thought he was God’s gift.

I hated him and would always hate him.

Anger gave me renewed vigor and purpose.

I got up off the floor.

I hurried down the hallway, passing Amara’s old bedroom.

The second I did, I backtracked.

I threw open the oak wardrobe's paneled doors. There were still several Gucci, Valentino, and Dolce outfits she hadn’t moved over to the villa yet. Without a second’s hesitation, I swept them all off their padded, pale pink silk hangers, then reached down and grabbed the matching shoes. I stretched my arm up to the top of the wardrobe and slung the purse straps to two purses over my neck and hustled out of the room.

She’d have wanted me to have them.

After depositing my new wardrobe items on my bed, I got on my knees and pulled my suitcases out from under the bed. I could stay at Amara’s old house and leave at first light. When I didn’t show up for work, Cesare would come looking for me. Of that, I had no doubt. I needed to be long gone by then.

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