Connor’s the real problem here.
He’s persuasive. Manipulative. He’s already lied to me so many times.
I don’t want to believe he’d attempt to brainwash me into believing my brother killed our father, but he’s the most cunning person I’ve ever met. I think he could talk anybody into anything.
So, if I shove all thoughts about Nino aside for a minute, the overarching question becomes…what motive would Connor have to convince me of this horrible truth? What does he have to gain?
Me.
If I flip on Nino and place all my faith in Connor, he has me. All of me.
If he gains me, and I’m the real boss of the Ricci family, then the Gallagher-Ricci alliance is back on the table.
After everything…would he actually do that? I’m already his.
He doesn’t need to lie. I belong to Connor, heart and soul.
Returning to the island, I avoid the man waiting for my reply and inspect the will. My eyes trace over that sentence, over and over and over again.
The Ricci family is mine to command.
Connor lingers in my periphery, nearly ready to leap out of his skin.
I take a breath, hold it, and exhale like he showed me.
Then I address him. “Go ahead. Say what you’re going to say.”
“I know this is inconceivable. This is what people mean when they say worst-case scenario. But no one had more motive to kill Eduardo Ricci than your brother.” He’s up close and in my face again. “And I mean in the whole wide fucking world. How can you not see that?”
That’s the issue. Icansee that truth, but I don’t want to.
I’m swallowing my emotions so quickly, I might choke on them. I can’t deal with a universe where my brother murdered my father. If my own flesh and blood could do this…slaughter our only surviving parent over a will, over an alliance with people we owe nothing…
Tears drag down my cheeks in hot streams.
Connor swipes them away before attempting to pull me close.
I push him away. “Don’t. Just… You can’t touch me right now.” My lungs ache. “I’m about to freak out, so just leave me alone.”
“Okay. Yeah, I get it.” He retreats and shoves his hands in his pockets. “But you know what this means?”
I glance at him for the answer.
“It means we have to kill him.”
I shudder, covering my face with my hands.
I can’t even conceive of killing my baby brother…
In fact, I think I’m going to be sick again.
I close my eyes, my voice muffled. “You lied to me.”
He scoffs, clearly done with the refrain. “I’m through lying to you. I told you that.”
“You had my father’s will this whole time.”
“I didn’t know what it was until just before you walked in. I opened it because Nino scared me.”
