Page 58 of Secret Match
Gio then said, “Anthony, go.”
His brother left without another word.
Victoria crossed her arms in a stubborn manner. “Gio, Peter’s important to me. He’s always looked out for me.”
“And he has his own life to lead,” Gio reminded her.
Victoria lowered her arms. “You’re right, but if Anthony knows where Belle is, I want to help.”
Gio slung an arm around her shoulders and they went toward Kiwi who stood like the Venus de Milo as she beckoned him closer. Gio patted his sister’s side and teased, “Victoria, relax. It’s not good for you, mamma.”
A huge smile frew on her face as she laughed. “Good? You know?”
With a wink, he glanced at her belly. “So you confirmed it. Congrats.”
Victoria’s face paled as she scanned the wedding. “You don’t know this, but I was run over and lost my unborn baby last time I was pregnant. I don’t want to tell anyone. What if something happens?”
Gio hugged her tight then placed his hand on his heart like he was sworn to secrecy. “I won’t tell a soul though you should be safe enough from my cars in my vineyard.”
A cautious smile graced her pretty face. “True. There’s a black fence surrounding your villa and vineyard. Can I ask you a quick question?”
“Of course.”
Her lips thinned as she was uncertain but then she asked, “What happened to your sister Aurelia?”
Kiwi’s beauty called to him, but he stopped and looked down toward his feet at the thought of his little sister, dead all these years. “That was a long time ago.”
His sister nodded but frowned. “Our father said I was dead. He kidnapped Catherine and he hid Elizabeth, Luke and Matthew. Our father’s MO seems to be to take the women from their mom’s as a way to control his wife and girlfriends.” She touched his wrist. “So I wondered about Aurelia?”
This wasn’t something he’d considered possible, but he glanced around his wedding to the women who were his half-sisters. If his own sister was alive, then he’d like nothing more than to see her again. He stepped toward Kiwi, forcing Victoria to move with him. “It would be wonderful if she was alive. But if that was his usual MO, it failed with my mother.”
Victoria stayed in step with him as they crossed the party. “Why?”
“After Aurelia died, Father came to visit my grandfather, but my mother shut him out of her life and bed.”
Victoria let out a slightly disbelieving chuckle. “It’s good that he failed with your mother, but what happened to your sister?”
Fifteen years had passed. He tried not to think about it, but he remembered his mother waiting at the bus stop until sunset. “Aurelia never came home from school.”
Victoria didn’t blink. “That’s it?”
Years ago his mother cursed his father over and over again, kicking him out of her house. The memories replayed in his mind like he was still a teenager too as he said, “Father said she was murdered but my mom, she never accepted that.”
Victoria motioned with her head toward Caro and the small group she was with. “Would you mind if I give this information to Rafe and John so they can look into the disappearance?”
“Go for it,” Gio said. He’d grieved with his mother for his sister and it hurt to open that wound again, but he would. What a miracle that would be. He reached for Kiwi, sliding his arm around her side. She quickly kissed his cheek while bouncing his son in her arms. He had a family of his own.
Victoria stopped like she just understood where she’d been led as she said, “Kiwi, sorry I kept your groom.”
She turned to leave, but Gio shook his head and motioned for the non-alcoholic grape juice from a waiter. “Let’s get Caro.” He handed out the flutes filled with juice as he said, “I think the four of us need to toast merging the House of Morgan fashion line as we’re going to dress the world fabulously,” he winked. “Shoes to scarves, everyone will be wearing House of Morgan by next year.”
Victoria had waved at Caro, who joined them and accepted a flute of champagne. She held her glass up. Victoria smiled and said, “Our company is nothing without you, Kiwi, and Caro. I’m happy we’re all family too.”
Kiwi said, “So let’s toast to the four of us taking next year’s fashion world by storm.”
The four of them clinked glasses. Gio, with his wife and son, and his daughter on the way, realized that he had perfection in his grasp. Perhaps like a feather in the wind, it might fade away, but for right now, right here, he’d found his happily-ever-after.
THE END