Page 371 of Under Her Skin

He had meant it kindly, but it struck at the heart of Enda’s misgivings. He hadn’t yet decided that he wanted to be part of this family. It had been four years ago when Olivier had found him, and since then, he had grown close to his older brother, but his father was still distant. The youngest Gallo son, Jackson …Enda had loathed him onsight.

He looked over to him now and saw him standing with his girlfriend, Penelope. They were obviously having some sort of argument, Jackson berating his girlfriend for some slight he perceived she hadmade.

Penelope was a lovely young woman. With caramel-colored hair and dark blue eyes, she was the head of a local charity. Her family was old money, but Penelope worked tirelessly to help others. What the hell she was doing with Jackson, Enda had noclue.

It was two days later,in the city, that Enda had seen her meeting with another man. From the delight on his face—and hers—they were obviously in love. Enda was glad. Penny looked radiant as she talked with the man.Good,Enda thought.Jackson can go fuck himself. You go for it, Penny.He had intended to just walk away, but she suddenly spotted him and the color drained from her face. Enda cursed to himself, then walkedover.

“Hey, Penny. Hey there, I’m Enda Gallo.” he smiled at her companion and shook hishand.

“Danny McNamara. Would you like to join us?” The young man looked uncomfortable. Enda hesitated, looking at Penny. He didn’t want to be rude. Penny noddedtightly.

“Just for a minute, then I have to begoing.”

They sat, and Penny explained who Enda was. The young man, Danny,nodded.

Enda couldn’t bear the tension. “Look, I just wanted to say. I’m glad. You both look so happy. Hell, I’mdelightedfor you, Penny. You have my word; Jackson will not hear of this from me.Fuckhim.”

Danny looked relieved and Penny looked close to tears. She put her hand on hisarm.

“Thank you, Enda.” She sighed, wiping away her tears. “I tried to finish it with Jackson …he won’t accept it. He just cuts me off. I can’t do it anymore, Enda. He’s …abusive. He cheats constantly. And he …” She broke off and shook her head. Enda and Danny exchanged a concerned glance. Penny didn’t have to say anymore. That Jackson beat her wasobvious.

“You don’t have to worry about it anymore, Pen,” Dannysaid.

Enda nodded. “Is there somewhere you can stay while he gets themessage?”

Penny nodded, looking over at Danny. “We’ve just bought an apartment in Palo Alto. He’ll have no clue we’rethere.”

Aweek later,Penny had called Enda in hysterics. “It’s Danny. He was in a hit-and-run. Oh god, oh god, they’ve taken him to the hospital, but it’s bad, Enda, so bad. I know it was Jackson …please, can youcome?”

He raced to the hospital, but it was too late. Danny was pronounced dead on arrival, and Enda had to help a hysterical Penny while processing his own shock. Was Jackson really capable of murder? He didn’t want to believe it, but something in his half-brother’s make up made him think he would be. A month later, his worst fears wererealized.

Astill-grieving Pennyleft her office just after eight p.m. and went down to the parking garage. She got into her Mercedes and was distracted by her phone ringing. She smiled when she saw who wascalling.

“Hey, Enda, how areyou?”

“I’m okay, sweetheart. I was just thinking about you. How'rethings?”

“I …”

Penny never got to tell him. From her backseat, a masked attacker pounced, one arm curling around her neck. When she grabbed at his arm to try and prize it free, he drove a knife into her stomach again and again. Penny screamed until she could no longer breathe when the blood loss and shock grew too much. Her killer was savage and merciless, stabbing her again and again until she slumped in the seat. In her last moments, she could hear Enda screaming her name and the final whisper of herkiller.

“Jackson Gallo wants you to know—nobodyleaveshim.”

With a last thrust of the knife, he stabbed Penny in the heart and ended herlife.

Enda would never forgetthat night. The sound of a defenseless woman being brutally murdered …and the worst thing was, in the midst of it, Jackson had walked into the room where Enda was with a triumphant look on his face, and Enda knew, for sure, his half-brother was a murderer. Enda flew across the room and punched him, the brothers rolling around until Olivier pulled Enda off Jackson. Enda stormed out of the room, calling the police as he got into his car and sped to Penny’s office. He got there just as the police arrived. He would never forget the sight of Penny, slumped in the driver’s seat, covered in blood. She had been butchered. That much was obvious. Enda had no compunction in telling the police everything he had heard and that he thought Jackson was behind themurder.

Jackson was questionedabout Penny’s murder, but never arrested or charged. There was simply no evidence against him. Penny was buried, at her request, next to Danny, but at her funeral Jackson played the part of the grieving boyfriend perfectly. Staggered by the lack of justice wrought by Jackson’s position and billions, Enda was repelled by him and had left the country. He’d stayed away from his family since then—even Olivier, who he adored. Olivier had finally flown to Italy to plead with him not to abandon him and Mac, just because of Jackson. It had taken some persuasion, but finally, Enda agreed. When Olivier told him, a few years later, that Jackson was marrying Amalia, Enda couldn’t help but feel a chill go down hisspine.

When he found out the circumstances of the marriage, the arrangement, and the coercion of Amalia Rai to marry Jackson, Enda had felt the shock keenly. Enda determined then to go to the wedding and make sure that the signs weren’t there—that Jackson had finally fallen in love forreal.

He had been disappointed, but not shocked, when he saw in his younger half-brother the same possessive contempt that he had shown Penny. Amalia was there to be his property. Enda was pleased to see that Amalia hadn’t been as subservient as Jackson would like, even on her wedding day. And when he, Enda, had made love to the beautiful bride in the garden just hours later, he’d seen herstrength.

He just hoped it was enough to save herlife.

Ama was relievedwhen Olivier accompanied them home. “I just want to talk to dad for a while,” he said, but she knew he was there to keep the peace, at least until Jackson calmed down. Enda had been desperate to do the same, but she had shaken her head at him.I don’t want him to guess, she tried to communicate with her look, and she thought Enda had gotten it. God, she was crazy about that man, though. She would call him later, when it wassafe.

She went to her room as soon as she got home and began to run a bath. Going back into her room, she checked the door was locked, then propped her usual chair underneath the handle.God, what a way to live.But Jackson scared her. There was violence in him, she was sure, and it wasn’t far from the surface—ever. Ama knew Olivier and Enda thought sotoo.