Page 48 of Claim

“I knew it. My gut said you were up to something nefarious.”

I lifted a brow at her use of the word “nefarious.”

“That’s why you came over? Your gut told you to do it?”

“Someone in the family has to make sure you don’t get into trouble.”

“Too late for that. I’m a lost cause, remember?”

She folded her arms. “I’m coming with you. Take it or leave it.”

The stubborn set of her jaw and the way she tried to look all stern had me biting my lips to keep from laughing. Lizzy possessed not a single intimidating bone in her body.

“I don’t want you involved in this.”

“I don’t care what you’re doing. You’re not going alone.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“I’m either your sidekick in this adventure, or I’m ratting you out to Lucian. Take it or leave it.”

I gaped at her.

“Blackmailing your own sister, I see. So I guess you aren’t the nice Morelli after all.”

“Maybe I was always like this, but since I’m the youngest, no one noticed.”

“What made you decide to assert your skills on me?”

“I knew you’d say no, and the only person you listen to is Lucian. So I thought, why not threaten you with him.”

“What about our other brothers? Didn’t think to use them?”

“No. Lucian is the ace in the hole when it comes to you. With both of you being the outsiders in the family and all.”

I signed. “That we are.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” She grew quiet, released a deep breath, and then continued. “College made me realize a lot of things about our family.”

“Like?”

“Mom and Dad don’t even know me. They have an idea about who I am, but how do they know any of it is true? I’m the youngest, the baby. I’m just there, so I follow along. That got me thinking about you. Everyone makes assumptions about you, but how much is fact, and how much is fiction?”

Her words felt like a fist to the gut.

I’d waited years for one person in the family to acknowledge just maybe the things said about me were lies. And it turned out to be the youngest of us who questioned everything.

“I’d say twenty percent fact and eighty percent fiction.”

“In other words, you push Mom and Dad’s buttons as retaliation.”

“Not anymore. Maybe when I was your age, now I don’t care. No one cares what I do anymore as long as I don’t embarrass the family. Image is everything to Bryant and Sarah Morelli.”

“I care. That’s why I’m going with you when you do whatever you plan to do tonight.”

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