“That’s ridiculous,” I blurted. “Those three men don’t…they don’t…”
Ignoring me, she said, “I knew your last name was Mancini, but I never connected you to those three. Why would the sister of Ciro Mancini be working as a waitress in Cedar Creek?”
Exactly, I wanted to tell her.
Once she settled her fandom down, her voice changed from incredulous to hurt again. “Why…why didn’t you ever say anything?” she asked. “I…I thought we were…close.”
“Robby, I’m sorry,” I replied, and I was. I truly was. She’s been the best all these years, and she deserved better. “I was trying to distance myself from…my life in Morgan City. I didn’t tell anyone. Even if it wasn’t a matter of privacy, it was a matter of safety. I couldn’t walk around freely if people knew who I was.” And in saying those words, I realized what a fool I’ve been. I was able to walk around too freely, and I never connected the dots.
Robbie let out a deep sigh, and I knew she was trying to absorb what I was saying without taking it personal. I also knew it was hard to find out the person you thought you knew wasn’t all they claimed to be. It’s how I felt the night I followed Ciro and Phoenix to that warehouse and found out I wasn’t as close to them as I had believed.
“That’s a good point,” she conceded. “It’s just…a lot.”
I pulled the sheet tighter around my naked body. I had to shift around to get comfortable from the ache between my legs. “I know it is, Robbie. I’m sorry I kept this from you, but…it is a lot.”
“So…no more playing common peasant, huh?”
I hated how she phrased that. Luca might be royalty, maybe even Ciro and Phoenix, but I wasn’t. And there was nothing common about good people who carved out decent livings for themselves. “I wasn’t playing a role,” I replied, trying to keep my voice from sounding defensive. “I left Morgan City for a reason, Robbie, and I was happy with my life.”
“Oh, God, Frankie,” she rushed out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that at all. I…it’s just…well, the Benettis are…infamous. Your brother is infamous. I…I was just being…dumb.”
I let out bone-deep tired sigh. “No, it’s okay,” I told her. “I’m sorry. There’s just a lot going on, and I’m just tired.” Then I decided to tell her the rest. “There’s more to this than Ciro being my brother, Robbie. That’s why…it’s complicated.”
“It’s not enough that you’re Ciro Mancini’s sister?” she asked, incredulously. “I mean, even without the Church rumors, you’re Ciro freakin’ Mancini’s sister. That’s…something.”
Thinking back to how casually Phoenix said I was still Luca’s best friend, I went with that. “I’m also Luca Benetti’s best friend, Robbie.”
“Oh, Christ on The Cross,” she breathed. “You’re…you’re Luca Benetti’s best friend? Are you freakin’ serious right now?”
“We have been since we were children,” I confessed. “But…there’s more.”
“More? There’s more?”
“I used to be Phoenix Fiore’s girlfriend.”
“Oh, fuck me running,” she cried. “So…so you’re telling me that, not only are you Ciro Mancini’s only sister, but you are Luca freakin’ Benetti’s best friend, and you’re dating Phoenix Fiore?”
“I used to date Phoenix,” I clarified, not ready to own up to last night and what it might mean going forward. “I’m not sure what’s exactly going on now.”
“No wonder people call you Church,” she replied. “Frankie, do you have any idea who the fuck you are? Do you?”
“I’m Frankie Mancini,” I told her. “Plain and simple.”
“There’s nothing plain or simply about you, girl,” she huffed. “Jesus Christ.”
“How do you even know anything about any of this?” I blurted out. “Cedar Creek isn’t exactly running rampant with…the unsavory.” I didn’t want to say the words Mafia or Mob over the phone because…well, because I’ve apparently watched too many Mafia movies.
Robbie snorted. “Puhlease,” she drawled. “There is plenty of unsavory shit going on in Cedar Creek. And even if there wasn’t, the entire state has heard of the Benettis, Frankie.”
She had a good point.
“Look, I have to go, but I promise I’ll call you later,” I told her. “We’re still friends, Robbie.”
She let out a soft sigh. “Yes,” she replied. “Yes, we are.” I didn’t realize how much her words meant to me until she had spoken them. “Call me if you need anything, Frankie.”
“Same for you,” I said. “I gotta go.”
“Okay. Talk to you later.”
We hung up and I knew we’d have to talk some more before things settled between us. Or maybe that was just my guilt talking. And then my conscience reared its ugly head and told me that if I expected Robbie to forgive me for leaving her in the dark, I probably owed Luca, Ciro, and Phoenix the same courtesy.
Guilt fucking sucked.
Chapter 13
Phoenix~
I heard her before I saw her.
I was sitting in the living room, going over some financial documents, when I heard her bare feet walk onto the carpet from the hardwood floors that led from the bedroom into the hallway into the living room. I stood up and turned around, and while I was dressed for work, Frankie was dressed in a t-shirt and pajama pants.
I had to will my dick to go down once I saw the next day’s damage. Her neck looked like she’d been attacked by a monster. I also had to remind my dick that he was nine inches of swollen, sore muscle. Women weren’t the only ones who could get sore after too much sex. I fucked her last night until the motherfucker had nothing left to defile her with.
“I see you found your overnight bag,” I said, greeting her.
“I did. Thank you.”
“Are you hungry? Would you like some breakfast?”
“It’s almost noon,” she pointed out.
I shrugged a shoulder. “I know breakfast is your favorite,” I replied. “I can make you whatever you want.”
Frankie lifted a brow. “In that suit?” she asked. “You look like you’re going off to work.”
“I am,” I
