Page 82 of Red Retaliation

She shakes her head. “No. I want to know about that photo. The one in your desk drawer that you didn’t want me seeing the day I came to you.”

I stiffen, but Arianna continues. “It was your fiancée, wasn’t it? The one... the one who died?”

“The one you reckon Idroveto suicide, you mean?” I snap.

“I shouldn’t have said that before, and I’m sorry,” Arianna says softly, her eyes meeting mine across the table. “What really happened with her, Red?”

I sigh, not expecting this question. I take another sip of my wine and then place the glass down, my fingers knitting together. “Her name was Lorna.” I pause. I don’t want to talk about this. Inevertalk about it. But I suddenly feel the need to. No doubt I’ll regret it, but I want to speak of it for reasons I don’t understand.

Arianna silently watches me and waits. I light another cigarette, slowly blowing out the smoke before continuing. “I was set to marry Lorna. It seemed the right thing to do...”

“Did you love her?”

“Love? I don’t know what that means, but whatever I thought, I ended up hating her.” I take another drag of my cigarette and then another. “Shewasn’t who I thought she was.” I keep my eyes fixed on Arianna. “She betrayed me.”

“She cheated on you?”

I smile - not a full smile - there’s nothing marginally amusing about what Lorna did, but more of a cold, knowing smile. “Not in the way you think.”

By the surprise on Arianna’s face when I mentioned betrayal - like the prospect of a woman cheating on me with another to be an unfathomable concept, I suppose I should take that as a compliment, but there can be no compliments surrounding Lorna. “I can’t say the same though. No one woman was ever enough for me, not that I made promises, even though I expect my women to look at no one other than me.”

I see the flash of scorn behind Arianna’s eyes but choose to ignore it.

“Was your cheating behind why she killed herself? Is that why people say what they say about you?”

I bristle - the age-old accusation I allow to run never ceases to grate. I take a swig of my wine. “Go on, say it - ‘Hypocrite’. Yes, maybe, but that’s not why.”

“Then how did she betray you?”

I stare in silence at Arianna. She won’t leave it. I wonder how she’d feel if she knew the truth. Would she think differently about her dear Papà then? Until I have proof, telling her is out of the question. “Lorna betrayed me in ways you wouldn’t understand.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised...” Arianna snorts. “Try me.”

I’d love to try you, I think, then hastily pull myself back to reality. “As said, Lorna wasn’t who she said she was, but regardless of what I let people believe, I didn’t drive her to suicide.”

Arianna purses her lips, like she doesn’t believe my words, and studies me strangely. “Then why act like you did?”

I snatch up my wine. “Because it’s easier.”Easier than explaining that I killed her and why. Easier than giving my brothers the option to steam in and kill your father before the time is right.

I stub my cigarette out in the ashtray with more force than necessary and immediately spark up another.

Arianna nods. “Do you think things could ever have been different?”

“Nope.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “What happened must have been very difficult.”

“Not really.” I smile coldly. “It was something that had to happen, andthat’s the way it is. Lorna should not have been involved with me at all.”

I see the confusion on Arianna’s face - she doesn’t understand. How can she? I’ll tell her all one day.

Maybe.

As it is, I’ve already said more than I wanted. I slap my hands on the table.Conversation over. “Anyway, that’s all there is to say on the subject. Now it’s your turn. Tell me about Roberto.”

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