The Sister Between Them

Chapter 39

"You have to be kidding me. Becks!?" Dante was muttering as he paced the kitchen in the beach house.

Lexi and Dani were sitting on the couch across from a fuming Rocco in the recliner.

"I can't believe she'd stoop this low," Rocco muttered. "What was I thinking? Dante, I knew I should have been the one to drop Gavin off."

"That's what she was hoping for. Then the confrontation would have been with you." Dante pointed out.

Rocco nodded slowly. "She was hoping for a big fight witnessed by her new nanny."

"Becks is meant to distract me," Dante said. "I won't let her. I'm over that gold digger. We have to remember what a great actress she is, though."

"Between those two, they can twist anything," Lexi agreed.

"I don't trust that Eddy guy either. He's creepy. Is... something going on with him and Alyssa?" Dani asked.

"He's Rebecca's brother, and I never trusted him," Dante confirmed. "But he's gay, so no, nothing going on there, but he's probably involved in the scheming."

"He is?" Dani crinkled an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Rocco said. "I met his ex at a New Year's party; why?"

"I mean... at the hospital, he kind of seemed like he was hitting on me," Dani admitted, and Rocco's eyes darkened a bit.

"He was probably trying to recruit you; he needs a new model that hasn't ruined her reputation," Dante said. "Don't worry about Eddy or Becks; we need to figure out what Alyssa is trying to pull."

"Since a child is involved, custody arrangements need to come first. The courts like to see the parents trying to work it out as amicably as possible. They'll see stuff like this as Alyssa playing games and won't like it." Dante continued.

"So why would she do it?" Dani asked.

"Either she's just an idiot and hasn't talked to an attorney yet. Or she has some other plan," Rocco concluded.

"She's not an idiot," Dante said.

"So, she has a plan," Lexi said. "And she has Beck's help."

"So, if it's not Gavin she wants what is it then?" Dani asked.

"Money, obviously," Lexi said.

"Then again, I say, can we just offer her money?" Rocco sighed.

Dani wanted so badly to comfort him. She, for a second, pictured herself on the arm of his recliner, her arm around him in support.

"She doesn't want what we'll offer her, Rocco. She wants it all. She wants to ruin you." Dante said, "And we own dad's firm together both our fortunes are tied into that firm, as well as dad's entire life's work."

Shit, Dani realized with horror it wasn't just Rocco's fortune at stake. It was so much more.

"Why would she want that? She's greedy but doesn't despise me," Rocco disagreed.

"She targeted you the same way as Becks targeted me. I always suspected it, and now I'm sure of it," Dante said.

"So, if she married me for money. I'll give her money to leave me alone. It seems simple, Dante. She'll settle on something."

"I don't think so, Rocco. These women are con-women, and Alyssa's marriage to you was very long. Over the years, she probably resented you more and more even though you're her victim... so to speak." He added quickly when Rocco shot him a dark look.