Page 155 of Cara & Gian: The Guzzi Duet

Cara came to a full stop on the city sidewalk, and people blew on past her like nothing was amiss. “What?”

“We haven’t told a lot of people, but it won’t be long before the news starts to travel. I wanted to be the one to tell you.”

“Congratulations, Tommas. You’re going to be a great dad.” Then, Cara thought to add, “I don’t talk to anyone from Chicago who would tell me, so no worries there.”

“Word still has a way of getting around,” Tommas said. “Which happens to be part of the reason I am calling you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I should have called the week after the wedding, when something got brought up in New York, but with Abriella and the honeymoon—”

“I don’t need details on that,” Cara jumped in fast.

Tommas laughed. “Relax, that’s not what I’m talking about. I just meant to say my mind was elsewhere for a bit but now that I’m back home and shit is settled, I figured it was time to call.”

“Again, not understanding, Tommy.”

“Is something happening up there in Ontario that I might need to be aware of?” Tommas asked.

“Not that I know of.”

“You visit Aunt Daniele and Uncle Claud.”

“Yes.”

“And nothing seems off in the family business?”

Cara sighed. “Tommas, you know I don’t stick my nose in the mafia side of the family business. I stay far the hell away from it, and for good reason.”

For one, because her twin sister had been killed by the mob. For two, because the last person she did get involved with, who happened to be mixed up with that, tore her fucking heart out and might as well have laughed about it.

She was not making that mistake again.

“Yes, but—”

“Tommas, you’re seriously asking the wrong person. I don’t have any idea what’s happening in the Guzzi family. I haven’t ever known, even when I was with Gian. Which by the way, haven’t seen him in three months, and it’ll be a few more before I do, if I can help it.”

“Three months?”

Cara hummed out her confirmation. “I’m not any man’s goomah. I don’t give a fuck who he thinks he is.”

Tommas coughed. “I’m not sure Gian ever thought that’s what you were, either.”

“You don’t know that and besides, he didn’t have to see me as his anything. What he did made everyone else see me in that way. That is bad enough.”

“Point taken,” her brother agreed quickly.

Cara was never going to allow another man to make her blind and stupid to his real life. She didn’t give a shit how good-looking and charming he was on the outside. Gian Guzzi had seriously damaged Cara emotionally and publicly. She loved him—still did, really—but that meant nothing when his lies came into play.

She hoped he was happy with his wife.

Tommas’ voice brought Cara from her thoughts. “But it was strange not to see someone from that family at the New York meeting. Do you remember what I told you three months ago?”

Cara didn’t even have to think about it. “You said if I ever found myself in over my head with anything, all I needed to do was tell you and you would fix it.”

“Good. Nothing’s changed with that, Cara.”

“I got it, Tommy.”