Page 76 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

Emma didn’t bother to respond.

He was right.

Before Emma knew it, Thanksgiving rolled around.Thankfully, there wasn’t any snow on the ground, but it was only a matter oftime. They were calling for a cold, windy, and snowy Winter in New York.

She missed the dryness of Nevada.

Somehow, Emma had managed to do what Affonso wantedfor his Thanksgiving dinner and party. The invitations went out on time. Thedecorations gave the Donati home a more festive appearance. Music was provided.Catering showed up on time.

Emma put her mask on and stood at her husband’s side.

But she was jealous.

It was eating her alive.

Why?

The reason was across the room in a shimmering silvernumber that hugged every young curve she sported. Her legs looked to be a milelong in the matching silver pumps. She had brown hair—highlighted with redtones—that fell down her back. Her dark eyes surveyed the room, passing overthe people without a second thought.

She was beautiful.

Probably younger than Emma.

Calisto had brought a date.

Calisto

“You’re doing great,” Calisto said in the ear of hiscompanion.

Kelsey twisted the silver bangles on her wrist,refusing to look Calisto in the eye. “You think so?”

“I know so.”

“I don’t fit in here, Cal. I don’t fit in with thesepeople.”

“None of us do,” he muttered. “We’re all just playingmake believe.”

Kelsey smiled before a tiny giggle escaped. Atnineteen, almost twenty, she was a force to be reckoned with. Calisto had madesure of that as soon as he knew she existed. Her mother had been a dirt-poorwaitress that came from a shitty neighborhood.

The girl would have gone nowhere.

Her father hadn’t given her a second thought.

So, Calisto stepped up. He made sure she got aneducation, and then furthered it. He got her out of that crappy neighborhoodand put her somewhere where she could excel. She deserved more than beingsomeone’s forgotten thing.

Kelsey was Affonso’s oldest daughter. Another childthe man had created with a woman he used for a time and then discarded.

Calisto couldn’t forget about Affonso’s children likethe man did. They weren’t things to be made and then tossed away like forgottentoys. He knew that had any of them been boys, they would have been given a muchbetter life.

But they were girls.

Worthless to a man who favored what he could use.

“Are you feeling up to introductions?” Calisto asked.

Kelsey shrugged. “I guess.”

“You’ll do fine. Smile.”