Page 19 of Touch of Hate
“I’m not offended by it. I just think it tastes like ass.”
“How do you know what ass tastes like?” I tilt my head and ask coyly.
Quinton smirks while Aspen’s cheeks turn a shade pinker. “That’s a conversation for another day, little sister.”
I love the way my brother loves his wife, the way he turns to her a moment later and presses his lips to her forehead.
His adoration for her is unmistakable. He would burn down the entire world to keep her in his arms.
“I don’t even want to know the details.” Tessa gags across the table.
She doesn’t have the slightest clue that ass-eating is the least of her worries with this family. I hope she never loses her innocent shine.
I force myself to take a couple more bites. The last thing I want is to make my parents or brother worry more about me.
Dinner passes smoothly, and a two-tier chocolate cake is brought out once the table is cleared. Chocolate and cake. Two of my favorite things on any normal day. But not today. I’m not sure what could possibly cheer me up, except maybe to go back in time and tell Ren not to do whatever he was doing.
Could I have convinced him to make a different choice?
I’m not so certain. Especially if I had no idea what his intent was. Ren was next-level secret. He only told you something when he wanted you to know it. Not sooner or later. When he was ready, he’d reveal himself. A lot like a predator watching his prey from afar, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
My father lights the candles on the cake, and I stare at all sixteen, the flames flickering as a slight breeze blows through the space. All eyes are on me as they sing “Happy Birthday.” There isn’t any point in trying to hide my somber feelings. Everyone feels the same way I do. They’re simply doing a better job at hiding it, which takes effort—effort that I do not have.
“Make a wish,” Quinton exclaims, his expression grim.
He expects me to hold it together like him, but I can’t. Won’t.
I stare at the candle, the flame staring back at me. I have only one wish, and it’ll never come true. I bite the inside of my cheek until I taste blood.
He’s never coming back. I blow the candles out and force a smile. The beautiful cake is cut, and everyone digs in.
I take a couple of bites, the luscious buttercream frosting makes me salivate, and I’m tempted to eat more, but my churning stomach makes me halt. My father and Quinton disappear into my father’s office.
I know they’re discussing business. My brother will soon take over the Rossi empire, and technically, I have no right to be a part of the business, not that I want to, either.
Women, though respected and treated well, aren’t to fiddle in the mafia dealings of the family. We’re to be seen and not heard, but I’ve never been the type to stay quiet. I’m a Rossi, after all.
I shove from the table and start toward the office.
“Sweetheart, they’re discussing business.” My mother’s sing-song voice fills my ears, but I ignore it.
Their voices are hushed when I reach the door, which is cracked open. I’m tempted to barge in but instead knock.
“Come in.” My father’s voice is businesslike, and he doesn’t bother asking who it is, almost as if he suspected it would be me.
I shove the door open and walk inside. Neither he nor Q looks all that surprised by my appearance, confirming my thoughts.
“I don’t like secrets.” I cross my arms over my chest and glare at my brother, who wears an expression of guilt. I know whatever they’re discussing has to do with Ren, and I already told Q if it pertains to him in any way, I want to know.
He was my friend too.
“Sit down,” my father orders, and I take the seat beside my brother without so much as a breath. Sitting back in his chair, he stares at me, his expression blank. “I know you don’t want to believe what’s been said about Ren. No one does. Not his parents or sister, and even your mother and I are at a loss, being how close he was to all of us.”
I’ve fought at length with Quinton about Ren. Even with all the evidence in front of me, I can’t mentally make myself believe he was some evil man intent on killing any of us. That wasn’t Ren.
“I’m going to assume you have more evidence?”
Quinton nods. “We tracked his phone further and discovered he was leaving Corium almost nightly. However, we don’t know where he was going. The signal must have been lost, or he was out of radius.”