Tommy makes himself scarce, leaving Giacomo and me mostly alone as the other two guards linger near the door, rummaging through a smaller crate.
The nerves jump at the back of my neck.
“It’s fine,” I say, flexing my arm to shake away a little cramp.
“It’s been an intense few months, ain’t it?” Giacomo leans against a crate. “All these threats against my father and my sister…it’s crazy to think it’s almost over.”
“Almost over?” My brow lifts. “How can you be so sure when there are no suspects?”
He snorts. “Please. Peace is all but guaranteed with the Irish now and I earned extra brownie points by ensuring my sister doesn’t have to get sold. Just call me the golden child.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.” I can take him. The three guards might be a problem since Tommy hurried outside, but I’m not dumb. Giacomo’s overly friendly demeanor when we barely know one another is more than enough to put me on edge, but relying on my loyalty to Guido to force me away from the estate? He’s grasping at an opportunity.
So I will too.
“Fair. Let’s be honest, we all know the Irish are behind this. They wanted a better deal, wanted to stop my family down into a pit of oblivion so they could walk all over us, and what better way to do that than go after the heir?”
“So it was the Irish, all this time?”
“Mhm. And it would take something catastrophic to reignite the war now that I’ve worked out peace. Even Guido is impressed with me.” Giacomo leans off the crate and walks a few feet away to a crowbar resting on top of another crate. Picking it up, he returns to the last one while swinging it back and forth.
My back tenses and I grit my teeth.
He thrusts the crowbar into the edge of the crate and begins cracking open the seal. “Remember last night?”
My heart surges up into my throat. “Last night?”
“Yeah.” He works the crowbar once more, widening the seal. “Let’s not play games here, Falco. We both know what you did last night. My question is, how long have you been fucking her?” The lid cracks off and slides down to the floor with a crash. “How long have you been fucking my sister?”
In the next few seconds, my mind races.
No one was around last night.
I’d looped the cameras in my room so no one would see anything, and we were under the covers. I’ve been careful, so fucking careful to hide this. So how does he know?
He’s bluffing.
“I wouldn’t break an oath,” I reply tightly.
“Ouch.” Giacomo smirks. “My poor sister. Does she know that? She always was foolish in that regard. A lick of attention and she’s as happy as a puppy. You saw how she was when I told her she didn’t have to marry that Irish bastard anymore. That’s all it takes for her.”
“You’re mistaken.”
“Am I?” Giacomo smirks and half-turns toward the two men busy at the door. “Recognize him?”
I glance past him, not recognizing either of them. “No.”
“Huh. Well, he was on guard duty last night. Followed Aerin all the way to your room and then waited until she left. Only, she didn’t leave until you carried her out at four in the morning.”
“We talked. She fell asleep.”
“Huh…” Giacomo’s hand rises to his chin and he rubs thoughtfully. “I saw how she hugged you yesterday. And you two were alone in the garage. She talks about you like a teenager’s first crush.” Giacomo clutches the edge of the crate and leans over. “You really want to keep lying to me?”
“You’re clutching at straws,” I reply stiffly, keeping my voice as level as possible. “And son or not, I know what Guido would do to you for spreading rumors.”
“Ah. My father.” Giacomo sniffs sharply then jerks his head toward the crate. “Do you know what this is?”
I take a cautious half step forward, one eye on him while I peer into the crate. Brick after pure white brick fills the crate, all stacked neatly and all carrying the stamp of the Paramatti estate. “Sure.”
