A Dangerous Liaison

-18-

Nino

Thursday

Nino sat on the edge of the bed, his thoughts making him nauseous. The dim glow of the bedside lamp cast long, twisted shadows on the walls, mirroring the dark thoughts that had been consuming his mind for hours. The room felt suffocating, clouded with the secrets he had been trying to keep buried. He rubbed his temples, hoping to alleviate the pounding headache that had been relentless since the incident in his office. Since every incident, really.

Anna sat across from him in the armchair, her legs tucked beneath her pregnant stomach, watching him closely. Her gaze was steady, concerned, but unwavering. She said nothing at first, waiting for Nino to speak. But he was tired—tired of the constant tension, tired of pretending everything was fine when it wasn't, and ashamed of what he had done.

Of the monster he had become.

"Kita was out of control today," Nino finally said, his voice weary. His hands moved to cover his face, as if hiding from the overwhelming reality he couldn't escape. "He tore through the office—completely ripped the place apart. He was searching for something... anything that would give him answers."

Nino let out a shaky breath, his mind racing. "I don't know how much longer we can keep this from him, Anna. He's getting restless, and it's only a matter of time before he digs deep enough to find out the truth. If he does..." He trailed off, unable to finish the thought, as the nausea churned in his stomach again.

Anna's face remained calm, though her brow furrowed slightly. "What exactly was he looking for?" she asked softly, her voice laced with concern, but steady.

"I'm not sure," Nino admitted, his frustration spilling into his voice. "But it was something related to that night. He brought up the duffel bags... the ones I took from the house, the ones I delivered to the cartel. He doesn't know what was in them. Not yet, at least. But the fact that he remembers it, saw it... it's not good, Anna. How long will it take until he finds out the truth?"

Anna leaned back, her eyes fixed on her husband. "Do you think he suspects something?"

Nino sighed deeply, his head falling into his hands. "I don't know. He's angry, and confused, and that makes him reckless. Pa always wanted to keep Kita and Olivia out of the family business—keep them out of what we really do. He thought they were too fragile, too... immature to handle it. Especially Kita. Pa was right." Nino's voice cracked as he spoke, the weight of his father's intentions pressing on his conscience. "But now, with Eddie gone... Kita's starting to see through the cracks. He thinks we're lying to him."

Anna's face softened as she placed a hand on her belly, protective and instinctive. "And Olivia?" she asked, her tone cautious. "Do you think she'll get involved?"

Nino hesitated. "Olivia has been focused on her own world. School, her grief, her life. She's distant from everything, from us. But if Kita pulls her into his suspicions, if he starts talking to her... she'll follow. They're close. And if they both start digging..." Nino's voice faded, the enormity of that possibility sinking in. He didn't want to imagine it, but he knew it wasn't impossible.

The silence that followed was deafening, interrupted only by the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. Every second felt like a countdown to disaster.

Anna broke the silence, her voice calm but firm. "You need to do something, Nino."

Nino looked up at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Do something?" he repeated, his voice skeptical. "What are you suggesting?"

Anna uncrossed her legs, leaning forward with purpose, her expression serious. "You need to shut them up, Nino. Both of them, if it comes to that."

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. Nino's throat tightened, and he shook his head instinctively. "Shut them up? They're my siblings, Anna. I can't just—"

Anna interrupted him, her voice lower now, almost conspiratorial. "You have done it before, Nino. You've always done what was necessary to protect this family. This is no different. If Kita or Olivia get too close to the truth, if they start unraveling what your father built, the empire you inherited... it could all come crashing down. Everything you've worked for, everything we have -it could all be destroyed." Her eyes bore into his, urging him to understand the severity of the situation.

Nino swallowed hard. "You're talking about them like they're enemies, Anna," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're not the enemy... not yet. It's too soon."

Anna leaned back, her attitude unyielding. "They're not enemies, Nino. But they're a threat. You can't let them ruin everything over their feelings, over some misguided need for the truth. Sometimes, to protect yourself, you have to make hard choices, like how you dealt with Eddie."

Nino's mind reeled at the mention of his brother. He couldn't silence his own family again. Not after Eddie. The thought of carrying out that kind of betrayal again was unbearable. His skin crawled at the mere thought of his past involvement. "I didn't deal with Eddie," Nino whispered, his voice hollow. "Someone else did. You know that."

But the guilt was still his. It clung to him like a foul stench. "I'll think about it," Nino said finally, his voice weak, defeated. But deep down, he knew Anna wasn't entirely wrong. If Kita kept pushing, if Olivia got involved, it would be a matter of time before everything unraveled. And if they questioned the nature of Eddie's death, they might link it to him, and not to the person who really did it.

Dealing with this could tear his family apart, but he also knew it might be the only way to save it.

He had to talk to Star.

+---END OF PART TWO---+