“You’re glimmering,” he whispered.
Coldness crept over her flesh. Like TB, she’d never really believed Livia’s claim to have the glimmer, nor that Ildefanso shared the trait. It was far more likely that his brain was simply putting together clues and coming to realizations. But sometimes? He’d get this… look. Times like this, it made her think maybe Livia was truthful.
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s you. All this time, ever since Uncle Maico showed up, I couldn’t figure out—why now? Why did it take them so long to find you? The only reason to have waited so long is they’re seeking initiation to the Salieri, and the two of you are the last female descendants of my family.Madrebecause she bore a child for my father. You because you’re a direct family member of your father, and by extension, Rodrigo, and my wife. My family came after you because they were ordered to do so. I’ve been so stupid.”
“Someone better start making some sense,” God grumbled.
“Salieri forced their members to breed a son, then destroyed all evidence of the mother.”
“And Steel’s mother was alive. She was never executed, so they weren’t members first. Fuck me running!”
Fear somersaulted through her. “I don’t understand.”
Steel anchored her, his hands on her shoulders. “Rodrigo. Your other brothers. You all have different mothers, don’t you?”
“Yes,Papáwas married three times. Rodrigo was from his first wife, the twins from his second, and then me.”
“How did he lose his wives?” God growled.
“Rodrigo’s mother died when she committed suicide. Postpartum depression, I guess. The twins’ mother was killed in a car accident. My mother died from an unknown food allergy shortly after my quinceañera.”
“Let me guess,” Steel said. “Just before that party General Howard was at.”
Stunned, Daleyza replied, “Yes. A couple of weeks. It’s part of why I didn’t want to go. It seemed wrong to dress up and be happy when she’d passed so recently. The only thing I enjoyed about it was the dress. Wearing it made me feel closer to her. But what does all of this have to do with the Salieri?”
“I’ll bet that party was when the Salieri officially welcomed your family into the brotherhood. Not the party itself, but it was a cover for them to meet publicly.” Steel put his hands on Daleyza’s shoulders, grounding her, his expression sympathetic. “I’m sorry,belleza. Your mother’s death was their act of proof.”
She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. While she tried to process how the horror of her past could have been so much worse, they continued talking.
“Then why wasn’t Daleyza killed as well?”
Steel’s eyebrow arched, even though Midas couldn’t see him. “You’ve seen her.”
“Fuck. Of course. She’s beautiful and was of breeding age.”
“Yes. But she was too young, or they decided to save her as a prize for one of the Worthy.” His eyes seemed to burn with fury. “Perhaps even for a future alliance.”
“Maybe that was the plan all along. Give her a few years to mature, then give her to one of the three Colonel brothers to bring in the cartel. They had the logistics set up through her family, along with a small production source already in the fold. Steel’s father’s star was on the rise. He was sucking up the smaller operations with great speed.”
“My first child was a son, and my father knew I would never run and leave her unprotected. Eventually, I would have been broughtinto the fold, or met my end, as we expect Andres Deschamps’ father did. Remember? His wife died, then his car went over the cliff. Timing is suspect.”
“One of your brothers would have been a better choice. Why you?”
“A third son to help solidify the cartel’s hold is better than two. I was a bastard, but I was still favored. Maybe he thought I would comply if he threatened my son? Don’t know.”
“These people are insidious,” God growled.
“And patient. Remember, they tested new members hard. Offers into the brotherhood took a long time because an offer was never made without being absolutely sure that the men would be willing to follow Salieri tenets.”
“Yes. So they tested their loyalties. This whole process started with her father. He died. My father executed him for a shipment that disappeared.”
“Maybe it didn’t have anything to do with a shipment. What if her father had second thoughts?” Midas asked.
“Possibly,” Steel admitted. “Hardly matters now.”
“Fanso?”
