The Foiled Plan (War of Sins Book 2)

Rafaelo

Just as I close the door to the room, though, it's to bump into Greta, who lets me know Cisco is expecting me in his study.

Opening the door to his study, I find him lounging behind his desk, a glass of whiskey in his hand.

He raises an eyebrow as he sees me come in, and there is the barest hint of a smirk as the corner of his mouth pulls up.

'Honeymoon cut short?' He asks, his tone amused.

Striding to the desk, I take a seat opposite him.

For a second, all I can do is stare at him as I try to imagine why he'd treat his sister like that.

'We encountered a bump in the road,' I say noncommittally.

'Oh, I'm sad to hear that,' he offers a fake platitude, that cunning smile still on his lips.

'Noelle had to be hospitalized,' I add, watching his expression closely.

But he doesn't slip.

There's not a hint of guilt, not even curiosity as he merely lifts his brows in question.

'Abdominal pain,' I continue. 'But you must already know that, no?'

'And why would I know that?' he asks innocently, taking out a cigarette and lighting it.

'Because of her history,' I grit my teeth.

It takes everything in me to not punch him—or worse, fucking kill him on the spot. Especially as it is clear that he doesn't give a fuck about Noelle.

'Hmm,' he intones, and my fists clench in frustration.

'Let's cut the crap, Cisco. I read through her medical file. I know everything that happened to her.'

There's a pause as his eyes flash. But he's still sporting the same relaxed look as before.

'So?' He asks languidly.

'So?' I repeat. 'Is that all you have to say?'

'What do you want me to say, Raf? You've already read through her list of injuries, so you know the bulk of it,' he shrugs. 'There's not much more I can add to that,' he says with a feline smile.

'How about the fact that you lied to me?'

'Lie? Me?' He feigns a look of surprise.

'You and everyone else in the family have been suggesting that she's a pathological liar and that I shouldn't believe anything that comes out of her mouth.'

Entirely unbothered, he takes a deep drag of his cigarette.

'You see, that right there is the problem,' he smiles. 'Suggestion. That means you reached that conclusion on your own.'

'Cisco,' I shake my head at him, barely in control of myself. 'You've been treating Noelle like a madwoman from the beginning,' I cut to the chase. 'Why? She's your sister for God's sake.'

'There are some things you don't understand, Raf,' his expression turns serious. 'And will likely never understand. So do yourself a favor and stay out of it.'

'Stay out of it? She's my wife, damn it,' I bang my hand over the desk, the sound reverberating in the study.

Cisco's eyes darken, but he doesn't move an inch. He continues to watch me with those mismatched eyes of his.

'So she is,' he agrees after a moment.

'That means I'm entitled to know everything about her.'

'Are you sure you want to know, Raf?' He tilts his head to the side, looking at me through narrowed eyes. 'The truth can be a dangerous thing.'

'Yes,' I reply firmly. 'I want to know the truth. I want to know why her family's been treating her like a lunatic. I want to know why you think everything she does is for attention. I want to know how the hell it got here, because from where I'm sitting, she's never been anything but a victim.'