Taken by Storm (Give & Take) - By Kelli Maine Page 0,71
direction.
She lit up like she was in a spotlight. “Mom and I travel overseas a lot. We live in hotels mostly. Mediterranean countries are my favorite. She told me I share your love of olives.”
Merrick straightened. “Did she say that?”
“Yeah.” Nadia smiled like it was the smoothest comment she could’ve made, not realizing how awkward the moment was for the rest of them.
“I do love olives.”
“What movies to you like?” Rachael prodded, gulping down her cider and rum.
“Actually,” she said, simpering, “I love the Godfather movies. Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes,” she quoted, and cracked up laughing. “That line is the best ever in a movie.”
God, this girl was whacked. How could she be MJ’s sister?
Merrick made a choking sound then laughed, but it was forced.
Rachael hid behind her mug. She’d moved on to drinking Merrick’s spiked cider.
“Let’s not pretend anymore,” Merrick said, his words and penetrating stare sending a shiver up MJ’s spine. “Enzo sent you here, correct?” he asked Nadia.
“Yes,” she said, wide eyes blinking, trying for innocence.
“Then why on Earth should I believe you’re my daughter?”
“Merrick,” Rachael whispered.
He turned to her, pressed his lips together tightly and exhaled sharply through his nose. “Fine,” he said, turning back to Nadia. “If I accept that you’re my daughter, then you have to know I won’t have a relationship with you if you remain in contact with him. You’ve already done his bidding here and I’m finding it hard to welcome you with open arms.”
MJ watched Nadia’s bottom lip tremble. “I had to do what he wanted. He promised he’d get my inheritance back from you.”
“Not this again,” Rachael mumbled. “What is it with rich people? I don’t have an inheritance and it hasn’t turned me into a manipulative crazy person.”
Merrick licked his lips and smiled. “Want another drink, Rach?”
She shoved his leg. “Shut up.”
He winced and held his knee.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” Rachael said, realizing she’d shoved his injured leg. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and nuzzled into his neck.
He tilted her chin up and kissed her. “You can make it up to me later.”
MJ felt a hollow emptiness inside where Maddie used to complete him. He needed to find her. “I have to take care of something,” he said, standing. “Nice meeting you.” He held a hand out to Nadia.
She looked at it like he’d just come from the men’s room and not washed his hands. Then she stood and swept him into a bear hug. “I’ve known about you my entire life. I didn’t even have a picture though. It always felt like there was a part of me missing without my twin. Didn’t you feel it, too?”
He didn’t know what to say. He’d always felt the loneliness of being an only child, but he’d filled that void with Maddie. She was what was missing now. “I didn’t know about you. I probably would’ve felt the same if I’d known.”
She pulled back from him. Her face fell. “Oh.”
Guilt for wanting to bolt from the room wouldn’t stop him from leaving. “I really have to find Maddie. We argued and I left her out in the rain. I’m sure she’s up in her room, but I need to make sure she’s okay.”
Nadia’s face morphed into disgust. “Even after knowing she lied to you? Why do you care at all?”
He put a hand on his hip and rubbed his forehead. How could he explain? “Because growing up she was my sister. She protected me. She just didn’t realize I don’t need her watching out for me anymore. I can take the truth. She lied so I wouldn’t get hurt finding out my mother didn’t want me.”
“She wanted you!” Nadia grabbed his hands. “She’s always wanted you. When she got pregnant with us, her family disowned her. She had to take Enzo Rocha’s money to survive. He paid her and the family that disowned her to pretend she was dead, to stay away from you and he would’ve included me if he knew I existed at the time. She had to hand a baby over to him and it was you.”
She stroked the back of his hand. “I’m so sorry it was you. I wish it could’ve been me and you could’ve grown up with her.”
While her words sounded genuine enough, they came twenty years too late to leave him with anything but a slight regret. Regret that his life could’ve been different if he’d been born the female twin. How did their mom pick?