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A snort escaped her. “If you say so. Considering he’s been with you and your sister, I’m not sure what Rafael Renaldi thinks he’s doing, playing with both of your hearts.” Mama shook her head. “The pig.”
Cat was offended. “Don’t insult him like that,” she said, her voice low, her thoughts muddled. She wished Rafe were here. Right now. He could clear everything up for her—for all of them—in an instant.
“Mama! Where are you?” Annalisa suddenly called, then the sound of a door slamming.
“Oh, dear. She’s home.” Mama leapt to her feet, surprisingly quick for a supposedly in-constant-pain old woman. “Hurry, Cat. We must go greet her. I’m sure she has her new fiancé with her.”
Her mother was making her head spin. Speaking so fast, telling crazy stories, none of it made any sense. “I can hardly get out of bed, Mama. If Annalisa wants to see me, she can come into my room. And she can bring her new…fiancé with her.” She could hardly get the word out. As if Rafe was Annalisa’s new fiancé.
He belonged to her and no other woman.
Mama nibbled on her lower lip, wringing her hands together. “She won’t like that. She’ll get mad.”
“So? I don’t care.” Cat flopped back on her pillows, closing her eyes, blessed sleep already threatening. She could do it. Fall asleep so easily, let it take over and help her forget all her troubles for a while.
But she needed to face her sister and this crazy situation head on. Figure out what exactly was going on. Everything seemed confused, abnormal. Her mother’s behavior, how her sister drugged her tea, the story that Annalisa was the one with Rafe now…not a bit of it made any damn sense.
“I’ll have her come see you, then,” Mama said as she headed toward the door. “I know she’ll want to speak with you. Give her a chance to explain herself, Cat. I’m sure you’ll understand everything that’s happening once the two of you talk. Annalisa always seems so determined. She knows what she’s doing. Don’t you think?”
Cat didn’t have the heart to tell her mother that she believed Annalisa had completely lost it. There was no point in upsetting her further. “She’s always full of explanations, that’s for sure. Send her to my room. Tell her I need to talk to her—and Rafe.”
There. Let Annalisa know that I know exactly what she’s doing. And I’m going to call you out on your crazy-making behavior.
“If she’s angry, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Bobbing her head once, Mama turned and headed toward the door.
“If you think she’s angry, wait until you see how I feel,” Cat called after her.
Mama didn’t bother replying. Cat watched her scurry out of the room, slamming the door behind her with a final thud. Her voice trailed down the hall as she called out to Annalisa, her sister returning the cooing sentiment, both of them fawning over each other as if they hadn’t see each other in years, months.
It made Cat’s stomach churn.
Closing her eyes, she fell back against the pillow and breathed deep, searching for strength. She could get through this. Surely Rafe wouldn’t let this charade continue. The air needed to be cleared and quick.
Now, more than anything, Cat wished she could get the hell out of here and be with Rafe.
Forever.
Chapter Fourteen
Annalisa strode into the room with the determination of a bulldog, acting like she owned the place.
Cat remained calm, blinking up at her big sister from where she sat in her bed, propped against the pillows, her head remarkably clear.
“Stop acting so pitiful and get out of bed,” Annalisa muttered, resting her hands on her hips as she stood over the bed.
Rafe entered the bedroom, his gaze landing on Cat, his expression pained. She smiled at him, relief flooding her at having him here. Filling the space with his dominating presence, reassuring her that everything was going to be all right.
“I don’t feel well,” Cat said, her voice strong, almost as strong as her determination. “Do you have a clue as to why I feel this way, Annalisa? I wonder.”
