Read Online Thin Lies (Donati Bloodlines #1) by Bethany-Kris - Free Book Online Page B

the accident, my mother found out she was pregnant with me, yes.”
    Emma
could plainly see the anger in Calisto’s gaze. Once again, he was holding back
information from her. Something secret, something hurtful, that he didn’t want
to share.
    Was
he ashamed of whatever it was?
    “She
was still young. Only twenty-four,” he added.
    “That
would have made your father thirty, right?”
    “Yes.”
    Emma
fiddled with her fingers, mulling over what she knew. She had done a quick
search on his family like he had told her to, but it hadn’t brought up a lot.
It seemed like a lot of info was simply speculation or precise, known facts.
    Birthdays.
Weddings. Official positions within the Donati Cosa Nostra ranks and who held
them. Maybe Emma hadn’t looked at the right stuff. Google had never been her
friend.
    “Didn’t
your dad die when he was thirty?” Emma asked, willing the nervousness out of
her tone. “From some kind of motorcycle accident?”
    Calisto
turned to ice right before her eyes. At his sides, his fists balled and then
relaxed just as quick. “Richard died at thirty, yes. He was showing my mother
how to handle the machine properly, took a ride away from the house with his
brother, and died when the brakes gave out. At least, that’s how the story goes.”
    What
were the odds of that? How tragic, that his father had died before he was even
born. Calisto made it sound like there might be more to it, but Emma chose not
to ask or press for more information.
    “That’s
awful. I’m sorry.”
    “It
was a long time ago, and I wasn’t even born to meet him. I didn’t lose out on
anything in that regard.”
    She
disagreed entirely. Not that Emma had much to talk about. Her relationship with
her father had always been at arm’s length, and the space between them had been
filled with material things as her father’s way of buying her love and loyalty.
It wasn’t healthy.
    Emma’s
heart went out to Calisto for his loss of his father, but she was quickly
reminded of his relationship with Affonso.
    “I
also noticed that your father was the older one between him and Affonso. I
guess a big deal was made out of the marriage to your mother because your
grandfather planned for him to take over eventually, right?”
    Calisto
cleared his throat, settling back into his relaxed posture with an indifferent
attitude rolling off him in waves. “I see you’ve been doing your research.”
    “You
told me to.”
    “I
did. Find anything else interesting about the Donati history?”
    Emma
shrugged. “No. Why, should I have found something?”
    Calisto
didn’t answer her.
    “So,
I guess Affonso must have been the main father figure in your life, huh?” Emma
asked.
    Calisto’s
jaw tensed. “You could say that.”
    “How
would you say it?”
    “I
wouldn’t say a thing at all,” Calisto muttered. “Not for Affonso.”
    Ouch .
    Calisto’s
tone could have frozen steel with the coldness it held.
    “I
had my grandfather for a few years, but he died when I was starting into my
preteen years. I don’t remember much about him, because he didn’t have much to
do with me.” Then, he nodded at the dress shop. “Hurry up. Your mother is
waiting, I imagine. Grit your teeth and get it over with.”
    “I
still don’t want to.”
    Calisto
smiled sadly. “Yeah, I know, Emmy. But hey, if you get through it without too
much of a fit, I’ll let you take me on another round on the casino floor
tonight. Drain my pockets again. I’ll sneak you a couple of drinks.”
    And
that right there was exactly why Calisto was such a mind-fuck for Emma. She didn’t
understand his intentions, his motives, or why he sometimes seemed like maybe
he actually gave a shit about her.
    He
had nothing to gain.
    Neither
did she.
    But
you have nothing to lose , her mind taunted.
    “Well?”
Calisto asked.
    Emma
grinned. “I’ll take that deal.”
     

     
    “Oh,
now that is lovely,” Minnie exclaimed.
    Emma
cringed at the high volume of her