My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 479

Chapter 479

1 stared at the floor.

After a few seconds, Salvatore spoke again, “You know what changed?”

I looked up, “What?”

His expression softened, “Her.”

I frowned, “What do you mean?”

His gaze stayed on mom, “When she found out. She spent exactly one day crying.”

My throat tightened, “One day?”

Salvatore nodded, “Then she got up the next morning, she made coffee like nothing ever happened and she told me she wanted to marry me.”

The pieces started clicking together in my head. The rushed wedding, the urgency. The way Mom had seemed determined to get everything settled as quickly as possible.

I looked at Salvatore, “So she already knew before the wedding. That’s why she pushed for it so fast.”

I looked toward Mom sleeping beside Jules.

“She was trying to make sure we were taken care of. She wanted security for me and Jules,” I swallowed, “A family. That’s why she married you.”

The words felt ugly the second they left my mouth and I turned my attention back to him. His eyebrows lifted slightly.

“She was scared and she thought you’d protect us after she was gone. What if that was the reason?”

For a moment I thought I had upset him, then Salvatore smiled, “Gianna. You sound exactly like your mother.”

That wasn’t the response I expected, “I just mean-‘

“I know what you mean,” the smile on his face softened immediately, “You think she married me because she needed something.”

I didn’t answer because yes. Part of me thought exactly that.

Salvatore rubbed a hand over his jaw, “Your mother is many things,” a small laugh escaped him, “Stubborn. Difficult. Terrifying when she’s angry but she would have never married me just to take advantage of me.”

The certainty in his voice made me pause.

He looked at me, “Do you know how many times she rejected me over the years?”

I blinked, “What?”

A grin pulled at his mouth, “For years.”

My eyes widened, “Years?”

“Oh, yes,” he looked entirely offended by the memory, “I was a respected Don. A powerful man. Women practically threw themselves at me.”

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