Page 171 of The Wicked

“Why does everyone think—”

“My father. He created the narrative to protect his image and build mine, rumors turned to rumors, and I became—the monster who went wild after a year in the army and killed my familythe day I got back just because I’d found out they weren’t exactly my family. My mother had been a whore and a cheater who sold out family secrets. So, I burned them all in a fit of rage, and I’d do it again to anyone who is a threat to our family name,” he said.

I didn’t know what to say, so I let him continue.

“A very embarrassing narrative, to be honest; my father was never creative. I could have come up with something better. Then again, it seemed to do the trick. I was named The Wicked and reigned amid assumptions people make of me. I must admit that it is fun sometimes.”

I breathed out, taking the bowl from between us before stretching to keep it on the bedside table. I shifted closer to him.

“Hey,” I said softly, and he gave me his attention. “I think it’s not too late to start changing the narrative.”

He shook his head. “It is too late. The narrative is who I am. It might not be who I am now, right in this moment with you. But the minute I walk back into that compound, it’s who I am.”

“But that’s not fair. To yourself, or the memory of your family.”

Something softened in his eyes; his stare grew deeper, more meaningful, and I almost shrank into myself at all the emotions it carried and how he didn’t make any move to hide them.

“You believe me,” he said, lowering his pitch.

I lowered the pitch of my voice too, keeping our conversation locked between us and nowhere else in the room. “From one liar to another, I think it’s pretty easy to spot our truths just as much as our lies, Elio.”

“That might be the wisest thing you’ve ever said since I met you.”

I let a small laugh bubble out of my chest. “Come on, I have said wise things… a lot of them, actually.”

“Your sexual innuendos?”

I shot him a deadpan stare, struggling not to smile. “Now you’re the one bringing sex into the conversation.”

“I’m only stating facts.”

I smiled. “Well, what can I say? Sexual innuendos come with my whole package.”

He raised both his brows. “Oh, you’re a package now.”

“Mm-hmm. I know people who would kill to have me stand by their side,” I said with a proud smile.

He switched to Spanish.“With you offering them what?”

I loved his accent when he spoke in the language. It rolled naturally and deeply off his tongue and throat. It was seductive, even though I was positive he didn’t mean for it to be that way.

I responded in Spanish too.“Words of advice, strategic planning, ways to get information because it is the most valuable thing you could ever hold against your enemy.”

“Is that what you offered Manuel?”

I knew he was going to ask, and I thought I knew the answer I would give, but looking at him now, I didn’t know how to lie… so I just went with the first thing that came to mind.

“It wasn’t like that, at first… I was just living with him, helping with chores here and there because I’m all things but a freeloader.”

“Why were you living with him?”

I swallowed, looking away from his face. “I-I can’t really remember much about those times, but… I think he saved me. Um—from my buyer in the trafficking business, and he brought me to Sicily. I was sixteen. I thought I was finally free from the life I’d had, but—”

“It wasn’t freedom,” Elio pointed out, and I nodded.

“It wasn’t… It was worse.”

“Did he hurt you?”