Page 72 of The Taste of Deceit

“I’m okay.”

“Take your medicine?”

“Yes.”

He studies me for a second.

“You sure?”

I pat the mattress beside me.

“The only thing I’m missing is you.”

He gets onto the bed and rests against the headboard, his hand finding my thigh.

“Tomorrow’s your sleepover with Katie?”

“Yeah.”

“Nervous?”

I let out a slow breath.

“Terrified. I hate lying to her. Every conversation feels wrong because I know something that could change her entire life. She loves Michael so completely, but she only knows one side of him. I don’t know if she’ll be able to reconcile that man with the one who orders people killed.”

“We both know he’s more than that.”

“I know, but Katie’s different. Losing her mom was heartbreaking enough. One day she’s going to discover that the man she trusts most has been keeping something this enormous from her. It feels like too much for one person.”

I pause.

“Luca, I’m really scared that I’m doing the wrong thing by not telling her myself.”

“Baby Girl...”

“I know. I know. But what’s going to happen when she finds out I knew?”

“Katie knows your heart. When the anger fades, that’s what she’ll remember.”

I don’t know how he can believe that so easily.

He pulls me against him, his arm looped around my shoulders. His hand comes up to cradle my cheek, and he presses a gentle kiss to the temple closest to him.

“Let’s go to bed, okay?”

I shake my head.

“I’m not really tired.”

“I know a pretty effective bedtime routine.”

I push him away.

“That’s not what I had in mind.”

He throws his hands up in mock innocence.

“Fine. Deprive me.”