Giaimo’s still handsome face, tensed. “This, is Emilio,” his tone was brittle.
“Emilio? Giaimo-”
“Emilio wanted Liam. Liam wanted me dead. Emilio found a way for everyone to benefit. Especially me-keeping my life.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Thea...” Giaimo rubbed his jaw. “Li needed you-wanted you like the air he breathed. He was about to accomplish great things and what happened between us would have destroyed that. Em was sure of it. You needed to stay by Li’s side and Li needed to want you there without feeling as though he was being made a fool of-to keep his manhood.”
“That’s insane.”
“Perhaps, but considering the powerhouse he has become, does it matter?”
Athena shook her head in reluctant disbelief. Nervously, she fidgeted with the black scalloped collar of her dress. “What did Emilio do?”
“I wasn’t in that car. Emilio and the twins...it was a set up. Li got there in time to see the car go up in flames. Those Irish fuckers were the perfect scapegoats. Liam needed a place to put all that rage...and grief. Em says he forgave me in the end.”
Athena slumped along the side of her car. Her head hung as if it were a chore to keep upright between her shoulders. “Why?” Was all she could ask.
“Control. Emilio always had it over us all. All, except Li. That was fine when he was just a goat herding delivery boy. Then he became...” Giaimo looked up at the looming building with the Tesano name on the side.
“He became all this and Emilio had to be part of it. He had to be a powerful part of it.”
“And you went along with it.” Her tone was mildly accusing, unlike the chill in her eyes.
“It was for the best Thea-”
“No.”
“Liam is my brother, Athena. We were never outrageously close, but when I wronged him...it cut deep, Thea.”
Athena closed her eyes in acknowledgement, but only briefly. She couldn’t let herself go back to that time.
“The pain of that-that wound was only beat by what I found when I took you in my arms.”
“What you found in my arms?” Her smile was grim. “Did you ever wonder about your son? Our son? Did you ever want to know who he was? What kind of man he’d become?”
“I do know. I know Stone,” he sounded deeply satisfied. A smile followed. “At first I thought Li told you about the name, what it meant and you gave it to our boy. But then Em told me Li said he insisted on the name. I really believed he forgave me then. If I came back, Thea,” he shrugged. “All that would’ve been undone.”
“How did you know-know Stone?”
Giaimo’s striking features softened, something akin to nostalgia filled his intense emerald greens. “Em’s sent me everything, any news, every picture he had of the boy. It made it bearable-”
“For you!” Her words wavered on a sob. “Did you ever wonder about me, Giaimo? Did you?!”
“Oh I did. You better believe I did, Thea.” His smile carried a knowing thread. “But be honest now. Tell me you don’t love your life.”
“I would’ve gone with you,” she shook her head slowly, sadly. “We could’ve raised Humphrey, Aaron and Stone together-”
“And your other boys?” He countered. “Knowing them now, are you saying you could bear it if they were never born?”
What remained of the argument, evaporated like mist in her eyes.
Satisfied, Giaimo nodded.
“Why did you come here, Giaimo?”
“Both my reasons involve Stone. Em’s out of the company. Li cut him out. I don’t know all the details, apparently our son uncovered some illegal dealings on Em’s part. He needs to lay low, so he called me,” he fixed her with a winning smile. “No better guy to lay low with than one whose done it for over twenty years. I told him he could come stay with us.”
“Us?”
Some of Giaimo’s ease faded. “My wife and I,” he said. “We have three girls. It’s a good life, Thea. A very good one. Doubtful I’d have found it if...not for everything that happened.”
Athena had no words, could conjure no response. She wanted to feel anger, at the very least betrayal or sadness. There was nothing.
“Are you happy?” She asked finally.
“I am.”
She nodded as if the matter was settled. “You said you were here for another reason.”
“The reason is gratitude.”
“Gratitude.”
“I never thanked you, Thea. You may be the smartest woman I know. I guessed you would have found a way to get rid of him, but you had him. Thank you for having my son, Athena.”
“Giaimo,” she put a trembling hand to her mouth.
