Page 42 of Angel

“Did you not hear the part about me passing out?”

Her face softened a bit. “Yes, I did… But why the hell were you with Angelo that long? Paige, I told you to stay away from him.”

I stood, starting to feel a little heated myself. “This isn’t even the important part, Soph.”

Her arms crossed. “Really? Because it sounds super important. You’re really stirring the pot here.”

“I found something out. In Atlantic Beach.”

“Atlantic Beach? When were you there?”

“It’s where Angelo and I went for a couple days right after we left the apartment. Look.” I reached into my purse and retrieved my cell phone then hurried over to her.

She remained stoic, her arms folded and her eyes shooting daggers at me.

I scrolled through the picture gallery, passing photos of Angelo in Central Park, till I got to the one I looked for.

“I saw this on the mantel at the Salvatore’s place. Mom and Dad were friends with Angelo’s parents.”

Sophia stared at the phone I held. For a moment, nothing in her face changed, but then it grew red.

“I mean, I guess I should have guessed that,” I went on, “Since you and I knew their kids.”

Sophia still didn’t say anything.

“Soph?”

“I can’t believe you stayed with him this long,” she spat through a tightly clenched jaw.

I stared back at her. I’d seen my sister angry before, but something about the emotion seeping out of her said she was at a new level of rage.

“That’s not important! What’s important is this man.” I jabbed a finger at the young man standing near the edge of the frame.

“You know who he is?” she asked.

“Well...” I licked my lips, scared to death to repeat the story I knew I needed to.

She went on. “That’s Alfredo Moretti. Your future husband.”

My breath caught in my throat.

Was I having an asthma attack?

Or flat out dying?

“Mor… Moretti?” I stammered.

“Yes,” she tersely replied.

I took a step backwards, then a few more, not knowing where I was headed. My calves bumped into the back of the couch and I reached out to it for support.

“Angelo didn’t tell you this?”

I didn’t want to answer.

“Paige?”

“He told me the man was a family friend.”