Page 24 of Dearly Betrayed

Istroll with Rian down the boardwalk. It’s a lovely day, a little on the cold side, but not so bad. We don’t talk much. I look out at the ocean, and he gazes at the building, both of us lost in thought.

The night before was strange, sleeping in that guest room. Jayson didn’t break down the door, which was good, but I got maybe a few hours of sleep at most. He was gone when I woke up, no note, nothing to indicate he was ever there at all. I ordered room service then arranged to spend a little time with my brother.

“My flight’s in a few hours.” He doesn’t sound stressed about it, only resigned.

“And I’ll be staying here.”

“I’m sorry, Fallie.”

“Sure you are, Chim. What else did you get from the Costas, by the way?”

“Business relationships mostly. Lots of complicated little deals, but I think they’ll work out for everyone in the end.”

“A stronger clan. That’s good then.”

“Was he kind to you? Last night, I mean.” He grimaces, looking away.

I burst out laughing. “Chim! Are you asking if my husband took my maidenhood?”

“No,” he says sharply, eyes panicking. “That’s disgusting.”

“Oh, now I’m disgusting?”

“Stop it, don’t be like this right now. I just meant, was he a bastard to you?”

I grin at him but my smile soon fades. “Do you really want to know?”

He doesn’t answer right away. Then he shakes his head. “I guess not, unless he crosses the line.”

“Where’s the line then, Chim?”

“Don’t do this.”

“Really, I mean it, where’s the line? Can he control how I dress, where I go, what I do? If he doesn’t hit me and doesn’t insult me, can he turn me into a prisoner?”

Rian stops walking. His intense expression returns. “You get to decide where that line is. Do you hear me? That’s your decision, and if he ever crosses it, you tell me and I’ll make sure you come home.”

I cock my head to the side, studying him. I think he really believes this, that somehow he can pluck me away from the Costas if things get bad.

“Alright, Chim.”

“Alright.” He starts walking again and I fall into line. Another long silence, but this time, I’m the one who breaks it.

“I need to tell you something you’re not going to like.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

“I have a plan for how to deal with Jayson Costa.”

He looks at me, eyes sharp. “You can’t kill him. You can’t even hurt him. That’ll end everything.”

I smile and shake my head. I suppose I just found out where the real line is. “No, I know I can’t. Even if I tried, it wouldn’t work.”

“What are you thinking then?”

“He’s like us. His family’s structured like ours with legitimate businesses up front hiding the less than legitimate income streams. The direct Costa members will be mostly insulated from the very bad stuff, but like our family, there will be places where he’s exposed. I’m going to find those places. I’m going to dig them up with my fingernails, bit by bit, and use what I can find to ruin him.”

He shakes his head. “Fallie, come on.”

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