The Secret (The Evolution of Sin 2)

“Katarina would love to be here for your showing, Elle,” Santiago said to me, his grin wide with pride as we spoke about my upcoming showcase. “I will have to fly her out specially.”

“I would love to see her,” I admitted. “And not just because she would make sure you didn’t wear this awful Chartreuse blazer again.”

He laughed, drawing attention to our side conversation.

“How do you know Kat?” Elena asked casually.

And that was when I realized we should not have been talking about Mexico at the dinner table.

“Um…” Sweat broke out across my brow but surprisingly enough, Cosima stepped in to save me.

“They met in Mexico,” she exclaimed with just enough enthusiasm. “Giselle was feeling a little lonely so I sent her Iago’s information.”

“Where did you stay, Giselle?” Savannah asked.

My mouth open and closed but again, Cosima saved me by saying, “I recommended the Westin. Sinclair, weren’t you there too? I’m surprised you two didn’t cross paths.”

Savannah laughed lightly. “It’s a small world we live in.”

“Yes,” Elena said immediately, leaning forward in her seat to smile sweetly. “Savvy did I hear that Tate is producing Seb’s new film?”

I watched Savannah round eyes widen with shock. “I wasn’t aware he was interested, but I’m not surprised. Sebastian is wildly creative.”

My brother snorted softly but refrained from retorting. I tried to curb my selfish relief at the turn in conversation but I couldn’t resist looking over at Sinclair who was looking at me with those fathomless blue eyes.

“Weren’t you considering Jace Galantine for a role?” Elena continued, casually taking a sip of her wine.

Sebastian grew still, his fists clenched in his lap while Savannah’s comically wide eyes blinked owlishly.

“Giselle, how is the exhibition shaping up?” Cage asked, his black eyes sparkling with rage as they swept over Elena and on to me.

Elena pouted slightly, her attempt to derail the evening once again rerouted but I had no doubt that she would find something disparaging to say about my artwork too.

“Very well, thank you. I’m nearly finished and Sebastian was one of the best big brothers a girl could ask for, he sent me Kayla Kensington and my friend Stefan Kilos is visiting specifically to be apart of the showcase.” I laughed. “He was offended that he wasn’t my first call.”

“Stefan Kilos, the Greek shipping magnate?” Elena asked with her eyebrows raised in a haughty semblance of respect, as if she couldn’t believe her dubious bohemian sister could have such a connection.

“Exactly the one.”

“Will he stay with you?” Sinclair asked coolly, his eyes focused on Elena’s hand as he ran his thumb along the back of it.

My heart twisted painfully but I fought to keep my expression neutral. When had the dinner table turned into such a passive aggressive war zone?

“What the hell are those?” Sebastian asked loudly, leaning over the table to grab Cosima’s outstretched hand as she accepted a new bottle of wine from Santiago.

She tried to wrench her hand out of his grip but his other hand snatched her wrist and shoved down her long sleeve to reveal deeply purple bruises encircling her forearm.

Everyone gasped but Cosima stood up without embarrassment and snapped her arm away. “Nothing that concerns you.”

“Nothing that concerns me,” Sebastian mocked in a high imitation. “You are kidding me. I think my sister wearing such ugly bruises would obviously concern me.”

“It’s nothing,” she insisted between clenched teeth.

I could see the anger rise in her like a tsunami, the receding calm before the rush of vicious fury.

“Cosima,” Mama tried, “who does this to you?”

“No one.”