go'

e wasn't, I'd just gotten m

ss. It was a full-blown,

he wasn'

sure?"

. "I went to a doctor w

mach d

ght about was how good she had felt-how perfect it had been to sink in

ted. She wa

aged to her g

anyone

nant with your baby?" she says. "No. I didn't tell anyon

at way. It had defini

u met Carlot

I'd known who she was, we co

's ri

e shook even though she wa

lded her arms, and shifted in those str

hat d

ng for this pa

e want to ri

ped. "Why doe

She looked around to see if anyo

two w

turned slightly so

e you marryi

trying to figure out why I was

your s

ter," she repeat

use

u barely knew her-and suddenly you're in love?

. "That I'd be hung up on you forev

er than she thought they would. She looked

quietly. "I wasn't unfo

she was trying to insult

in, trying to hol

t on. "Not when it comes to love. So if you're marrying Carl

underneath the dress she was wearing, which was a problem-especially when I knew exactl

said flatly. "

was bracing for a blow. "Yes. I'm not gettin

ry. Like I was some heartless guy who would tell her to

made things

guy she thought I w

baby, then we need to f

d it all out. You disappear from our lives. I raise this baby alone. A

d have been laughable-if s

s your

And it's a

aking up with Carlotta, and you sure as

her face flooded with co

sweet, sharp, wrong. "Does that not fit the caricature you'

you be in my baby's life," she hiss

y n

upposed to be min

t over time," I said. "She'll be pi

d. "I was right. Y

nk you get t

I love my sister more than anyone else in the world. I know she deserves better. She's good. She trusts. She giv

again. "You s

d. "I am not. I'm

e closer. "Like you protec

I pressed her gently against the wall

th the entire mafia resting on my shoulders, I couldn't afford to blink.

I said softly. "Think she won't won

arlotta. Because she knew exactly how I found out, as the only wa

me, D

g. "I wouldn't trust you if you were th

cutting her off mid-sentence a

at

ugh the civilized chatte

en we heard

n. N

is happening?

d her as I pulled out my