Page 51 of Traitor
“What?” Rosana and I asked in unison.
Teo sighed. “This war? It’s going to be bigger than all of us. And while I might not like you, I’ve been married to you for some time now. We’ve shared a life. We’ve shared a home. We’ve shared meals and secrets and long nights.”
I patted his back. “You can stop now.”
Teo chuckled. “If you want to get out of this alive, know where your priorities lie. Because if they lie with taking me out? I won’t have any issues taking you out before that happens.”
Rosana’s eyes fell down his body. “I’ll have my lawyer send over the divorce papers as soon as possible.”
Teo wrapped his arm around my waist. “And I’ll have mine take a look at them before we make adjustments.”
Rosana’s eyes met mine with a curious stare, as if she were trying to figure out why the hell Teo would choose me. I knew why, though. It was because, deep down, Teo had a side to him that didn’t like all of this darkness. He had a caring side to him that gave a shit about other people, whereas Rosana was just as heartless as the Luccheses.
You belong better with them, you sorry excuse for a bitch.
Without another word spoken, though, Rosana climbed into an SUV, of all things, and left. She didn’t squeal her tires and she didn’t curse us out the window while she blazed off into the darkened horizon. She left as quietly and as coolly as she came.
But, the revelations weren’t done yet.
“Teo?” I asked.
He whipped around. “Are you okay? I mean, really?”
I slid my hands up and down his upper arms. “Let’s go sit out back, yeah? I think we need to talk.”
He snapped his fingers and a woman came running. “Yes, Mr. Emiliano?”
“Bring Char and myself something non-alcoholic to drink out on the back patio. And heat up some leftover dinner, if there’s any.”
“Anything else?” the woman asked.
I tugged on Teo’s arm. “Come on, this’ll be quick, okay?”
I saw the hesitancy in his eyes, but he followed me anyway. I slid my arm through his as he ushered me out onto the porch before pulling out my chair. He helped ease me down against the cushioned wrought iron, and two minutes later we had fresh lemonade and piping hot soup with warmed bread and butter to dip in it.
I wasn’t very hungry, but I took a few bites of the soup.
What I did do, though, was I chugged that lemonade.
“Oh, God, I’m so thirsty,” I said breathlessly.
Teo murmured something to one of the security guards before a pitcher of lemonade descended between the two of us.
“Drink up,” he said.
I snickered. “I’m going to miss this.”
“Sorry, what?”
I leaned back into my chair. “I know you’re not going to like what I have to say--.”
He shook his head. “You’re not going anywhere. Not with a concussion.”
“Teo, just lis--.”
He leaned forward. “You were just in a medically-induced coma, Char.”
I giggled. “He gave me some pain killers and I passed out. That’s hardly a medically-induced anything.”
