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"You're telling me this sociopathic narcissistic asshole is your half brother?" I don't mean to diagnose considering how harmful that is but this man deserves all the harm he gets. I hope he stubs all ten of his toes on the very wooden, very sharp edge of an expensive kitchen island.
I can hear Adriano's stress filter through the phone, "I don't know. I can't just take what he said at face value. I'm putting one of our techs on it, see if there's a paper trail leading back to his mother — Angela Kory."
My brows furrow, "Angela?" Silence, "How old is he?"
"Twenty-five."
"Birthday?"
"November 16 —" He cuts himself off, reaching the same conclusion I did. Angel's going to be pissed when he finds out, "I know this man did not ..."
"It's not everyday a man names his last child after his mistress." I purse my lips before popping a green grape into my mouth, "And he told you all of this willingly?" He hums in confirmation, "Then how the hell couldn't you find anything about him before?"
"He apparently also has tech experience." I hear Adri groan as if he's finally rising from his bed, and I see it too as I finally avert my gaze to his face on the screen. It would be stupid of me to just believe Dean as it is, but part of me has subconsciously found a bit of comfort in the fact that nothing big went down between the two during their meeting.
I sigh and bring the camera closer to my face, "What are you gonna do?"
He twists his mouth, "Get a DNA test and if it's true, tell the rest of them —"
"Or you tell them now." I suggest, "Someone might know something."
"I doubt it."
"But it doesn't hurt to check, baby."
He sips from his water bottle and even the shadow of his figure is tense, the sun shining behind him casting a slight hue on his face. His eyes narrow in thought, "I just can't believe he did that to my mother. Out of anybody in the world, I thought he'd be most loyal to her."
I don't know what to say so I let him continue.
"He kept another family from her, my love. I knew he was a piece of shit, but out of any and everything he's ever done, this is what solidifies it."
"That's if it's true, Adri." I try to console him though I don't know how much damage control can even be done. "Don't let Dean get in your head. So what he thinks he's your brother? The man called our unborn kids orphans. You don't think he could've said this all in an email? There's no doubt your dad is an asshole but don't listen to this stranger act like he knows you."
I can see his instinct kick in as he touches the bottom of his scar, right by his mustache. Trying to play it off, he bites the side of his middle finger as his index caresses his mark.
I know my words aren't falling on deaf ears but I can tell he's zoning out. So I sigh and kiss the camera, "Just do what you have to and come home. I love you."
He returns the kiss, "I love you too."
• • •
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"I was sleeping." Angel yawns as he plops himself down in a chair in the briefing room. He doesn't even look up toward the screen to greet me, just lowers his head onto the table.
Nico and Luca are only slightly more awake but considering the urgency of the individual phone calls I gave them, it wasn't hard to convince them to launch me on the big screen so we can talk.
It was only seven in the evening in Las Vegas but I didn't realize it was four in the morning in Sicily.
Oh well.
"After two days of no contact, I'd assume you all would be beaming with excitement to hear about the news I have." I joke, but Luca yawns and offers me a pity smile. Nico's face is blank and Angel doesn't even bother to lift his head. I flip them all off.
"How did the meeting go?" Nico asks, scratching the back of his neck.
I decide not to ease into it. Plus, I don't even know how I would. "Dean Kory claims to be our half-brother." This makes Angel's head shoot up. "He was born November of '95. Know what else happened earlier that year? Dad's big trip to Chicago. Later that year, Angel is born. Notice how he never went back?"
Nico's brows furrow, "And you're basing this all on coincidence? So what, Angel was born the year Father went to Chicago."
"No." I bite my lip. "Got a DNA test sent in. Results come back in a couple of hours. Also got one of our techs on it to check for a paper trail — and lo and behold, cinquanta milioni di dollari americani missing from his account in a check made out to one Angela Kory of Chicago." I avert my eyes to Angel whose brows are furrowed in thought, "Mother ever tell you that father chose your name?"
My younger brother scoffs as he pushes his chair back, "Even more of an asshole than we thought he was, huh?" With that, he stands and exits the room. Luca calls to him but when he doesn't stop the first time, my twin gives up and just huffs.
Nico rolls his eyes, "And I'm the dramatic one." He turns to me, "What does he want with us?"
Leaning back, I sigh, "I don't know."
"It better not be a family." Luca cuts in, tone slightly imitating his girlfriend's, "We have a little too much of that going around."
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