Page 53 of Angel of Light (Lords of The Commission: New York #5)

“The man you’re not marrying. The one who seemed a little too important to be just the driver that you told me was going to pick me up. You love him back, don’t you?” She curled up deeper into the couch, getting comfortable. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Max picked you up?”

Why would Max go out of his way to pick her up instead of Carl?

“So I am right.”

“Did you just bait me?” I faked anger as she laughed, carefree with no guard up. “Oh, just you wait! Matt is going to like you.”

Here was the sister I barely knew, reading me like an open book within minutes of moving in.

“How did you know?”

“Your face changes when you talk about getting married. It’s a huge contrast to your look when you speak of family.

They’re not the same, which means this marriage isn’t about love.

Plus, you have this look in your eyes that you didn’t have when you came to Providence. Like you’re grieving something.”

I tossed the rest of the wine down my throat. I was wrong. This conversation needed something a lot stronger than wine. Maybe gasoline.

“Perceptive little thing, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.” She bit back a naughty smile. “It might have helped that Max was practically gushing about you and how much I would love you and be thankful that I found you. Words like the ones he said to me on the drive over don’t come from the mouth of a man who isn’t obsessed with his girl.”

“His girl…” I muttered under my breath, those words bringing tears to my eyes.

“Tell me about him.”

So I did. I told her about Max, about the lies, and the truth, and the impossible situation we found ourselves in. I told her about the way he made me feel, about the way he saved me from that crumbling building, about the way he’d broken my heart and put it back together only to break it again.

“He sounds complicated,” she said when I finished.

“That’s an understatement.”

“But you love him despite it all.”

“I do. More than I ever thought possible. More than is probably healthy. What about you? Anyone special in your life?” I needed a break from the topic, so I turned the conversation back to her.

Adrianne snorted as if my question was absurd. “Hardly. I went on a few dates with this guy from the community college where I was taking night classes. Barry. He seemed nice enough at first. You know, funny, charming, said all the right things.”

“Barry? The only Barry I ever knew was a snooze. Let me guess. He turned out to be an asshole.”

“The worst kind. The kind who acts like he’s doing you a favor by being with you. Only, I didn’t see it at the time.” Her voice hardened. “He found out about my mom’s medical bills and how tight money was. Suddenly he had all these suggestions about how I could ‘help myself’ if I really wanted to.”

“Please tell me you kicked him to the curb.”

“Something like that.” Her smile had vanished now, and something in me told me this Barry was one of the monsters she referred to earlier. “It’s kind of hard to trust people when you’re always waiting for them to show their true colors.”

“I get that. Trust is…” I paused, thinking about Max, about all the secrets and lies. “It’s hard to know when it’s actually real.”

“But you trust him. Your Max.”

My Max.

My head told me I shouldn’t, but my heart was quick to reply with a resounding ‘ yes! ’.

“Even with all the lies, even with everything that’s happened, I still trust him with my life. I know I’m stupid.”

“You’re not stupid. You’re human. If it was all a lie to him, I don’t think I would have noticed the reverence in the way he spoke about you. I’ve never seen eyes sparkle quite as bright.”

“Maybe.” I looked at her, this sister who seemed to understand me in ways I hadn’t expected. “What about you? Any dreams beyond survival?”

I grabbed the bottle from the table and refilled both our glasses.

“I haven’t had the chance to think that far ahead. I never allowed illusions to wander in my head because I knew I had to take what life gave me.”

“Well, life just gave you a bunch of siblings to help you stay afloat. It’s time to let those dreams wander free. Dad’s job offer is just the beginning. You can do whatever you want now.”

“It’s strange to have options. Have choices.” She looked around the apartment again. “Have family.”

“You’ve always had family. We just didn’t know about each other.”

“Do you think he’ll…” She cut herself off, “Never mind.”

“Dad? He’ll what? If he’ll love you? He already does. I know he’s asking himself the same question now. If you can forgive him. If you can still find it in your heart to love him.” If someone told me just a few weeks ago that I would be saying these words, I wouldn’t have believed them.

“And your brothers?”

“They’re going to love you. Matt’s going to want to protect you from everything and everyone, and Liam’s going to want to make you laugh until you cry. And I’ll show you Alessandro’s grave when we get a chance. He was Matt’s twin. They’re good men, Adrianne. Dangerous, but good.”

Her smile faded just slightly at the notion that we’d lost Alessandro, sympathy flooding her features as silence settled comfortably between us for a moment.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Do you think we would have been friends? If we’d grown up together?”

“I think we would have been inseparable. Partners in crime, literally and figuratively. I think we would have driven our parents and brothers insane and loved every minute of it.”

“I think so, too,” She smiled. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad we found each other now. Even if it took twenty-five years. Thank you for looking for me when you didn't have to.”

“To family,” I started, raising my glass and clinking it with hers. “Messy, complicated, criminal family. You’ll love it here.”