Birthright

“Well, this is unexpected.”

“Is it?” I still don’t turn around.

“If you’re standing here over my mother’s grave, I can only assume someone has finally told you the truth, little brother.”

“So, you do know.”

“Of course I do.”

“When?”

“Right after Micha Orso told me.”

I tense but try not to show it. To cover my agitation, I take a seat on one side of a nearby bench, and Janna sits on the other side, keeping her distance.

“I want some answers,” I tell her, “and then I have a proposition for you.”

“A proposition?” Janna laughs. “Oh, do tell!”

“Answers first.” I fold my arms across my chest. “And I already know most of it, so I expect you to keep your story straight.”

“Honestly, little brother, I really have nothing left to hide here.”

“You killed my brother.”

“I did not, but Jay did. You know that. You also know that Micha started it when he was investigating Cherry and that it was self-defense.”

“He told you Cherry was an Orso, and I was a Ramsay?”

“Yes, he did. He wanted to know where Cherry was, but at that time, I had no idea. I didn’t find out about Sofia until I did a little of my own digging.”

“Why did Sofia take Cherry?” I ask.

“I can only give you my best guess,” Janna says. “Sofia had lost a child, and my father wanted nothing to do with raising an Orso. He also didn’t want them around here, so he found her a new identity and shipped them both off to Maryland.”

“Why did they choose Virginia Bay?”

“Roland apparently knew her from his childhood,” Janna says. “At least, they went to boarding school together. I found that from school records. I think he just found someone willing.”

“If you knew she wasn’t your blood relative, why did you approach Cherry?” I finally turn and narrow my eyes at her. “You could have come to me.”

“After I heard you had a falling out, I wanted to know what she knew. Clearly, she didn’t know about her relationship to the Orso family, and I figured I could use that to my advantage. I knew you wouldn’t turn, and the idea of a Ramsay at the head of the Orso family was basically useless to me. Cherry was still a wild card, but I figured out soon enough that you’d poisoned her against us.”

“That’s when you decided to take her out, isn’t it?” I stare into her eyes. I know I’m right even though she doesn’t answer. “Cherry was the target when you were shooting at us. You had to get her out of the way because without her in your pocket, you knew you weren’t going to survive.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Business isn’t good for you, Janna. You and Jay are on the outs. Your support is waning. I think it’s time we make some changes.”

“Is that what this is about? You’re going to swoop in and take over now?”

“Not that,” I say, “but I do have a proposition for you. In fact, it’s for our entire family.”

“So, it is our family now, is it?”

“Is that what you’ve feared?” I turn to look at her. “You think I want to take over? You know Jay is incapable, and you’re afraid I’ll want to run things? Let me put your mind at ease—I’m not interested. That said, you are leaving town.”

“I am not leaving town,” she says through gritted teeth. “We have a treaty.”