The Italian

“Maso is going to take me.”

“Have a nice afternoon.”

“I’ll be counting the hours until I see you.” She blows me a kiss.

I smile, her playfulness is contagious. “Get out of here, troublemaker, before you get yourself into real trouble.” I tap the desk in front of me with my open palm.

“I wish.” She gives me a sexy wink and disappears out of the door.

I turn back to my computer, and there’s a knock on the door.

“Come in!” I call.

Lorenzo comes into view, and emotion fills me.

“Hello, Enrico,” he says with caution.

I point to the chair at my desk, and he closes the door behind him. He walks in and takes a seat. We stare at each other. His eyes are sad.

Out of everyone I know, Lorenzo is someone I never thought would lie to me.

“Enrico. I know you feel betrayed.”

I drop my head and stare at a random mark on my desk.

“Your father wanted you protected. We only followed his wishes.”

I stay silent.

“This has all been a shock for you, and I understand that you’re angry. I know that you don’t like how this has come to light, but believe me, your father grew up with no secrets kept from him. He knew too much from a young age—too young. He battled through his childhood every day, and he despised his father for it. He didn’t want that for you.”

My eyes rise to meet his. “So, you lied to me?”

“We protected you. There’s a big difference.” A frown crosses his face. “And I stand by that decision.” His jaw ticks. “One day, you will look back and understand that you wouldn’t be the honorable man you now are if things had been different. If you knew then what you know now, it would have changed the way you saw the world. Your childhood was happy, and you were well adjusted. That was all your father ever wanted.”

My breath quivers on the inhale.

“I will resign, if that’s what you want.” His eyes search mine. “But there is one thing you will have to do for me first.”

“What?”

“You have to come and meet Angelina.”

“Forget it.”

“Enrico,” his voice sharpens. “You are thirty-three years old and look how upset you are over this. Giuliano is going to find this out when he is only twenty-one. He is the child of a mistress. His whole world will crumble. Every single thing the thinks he knows is a lie… even his name. His father isn’t the man he knew. He is your baby brother, Enrico. Whether you like it or not, you have to look after him. He is the true victim in this story. Him and his beautiful mother Angelina.”

“Did you know her?” I whisper.

“Yes.”

I frown.

“She’s an incredible person, Enrico, and she deserves our respect. Stop looking at this like you’re a hurt child, and begin thinking of it as a man who needs to step up and protect his family.”

“She’s not my family.”

“Whether you like it or not, she is.” He shakes his head. “She is a Ferrara. Maybe not by marriage, but most definitely by heart. She bleeds your father’s blood, and he bled hers.”