SISTER

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS THE START OF A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL 2: THE DEVIL’S ANGELIC BRIDE.
Veronica Kingston didn’t know Stefan Armando from Adam. When he showed up on her doorstep, demanding restitution for an old debt, she was convinced he got the wrong house. But he was sure he was at the right place, and her dear, old grandfather wouldn’t look straight in the eye.
She was to be that restitution.
But because she was still a minor, Grandfather pleaded with Stefan to wait till she was eighteen to come take her.
Running away wasn’t an option. Stefan was a dangerous man. Head of the Tuscan Mafia, no hole would ever be big enough for him to dig if Veronica chose to hide.
When her eighteen birthday came, Stefan claimed her, taking her to his Tuscan Castle, where the crumbling chapel, destroyed vineyard, and dark caller told bold tales of the man she was now married to.
At last, Veronica discovered that getting married to Stefan was only the beginning of her hell.
————–
Veronica
Christmas 2015
* * *
The Christmas holiday was my favorite time of year, and this year, because the twenty-fifth fell on a Saturday, St. Sebastian’s Preparatory School gave us a full additional week off. This was my last year at the private school. As grueling as the work was and as uptight as the nuns could be, I kind of liked it. The old mansion that housed the girls was beautiful. The boys lived across the vast property in a second, more modern mansion. I loved the grounds, the thick woods that surrounded the remote school, and even the small room I shared with another student.
My grandfather’s mansion, although beautiful, was very different from the school. Driving along the familiar curve of the winding driveway and seeing the large, white stone house come into view was always a bittersweet moment for me. It made me miss my parents, especially my mom. That never seemed to change.
Then I saw my sister, Robyn’s, face peering out the window. I wished Robyn attended the same school as me. She had a gift for piano that I did not, though, so she went to a special music academy near home. She complained her poor fingers were worn-out, but I knew she loved playing.
We came to a stop at the front door, behind an SUV I didn’t recognize.
“Who’s SUV is that?” I asked Stephen, a man who’d worked for my grandfather ever since Robyn and I had moved into his house.
“Stefan Armando. He arrived early this morning, just an hour before I left to pick you up.”
My school was about a two-hour drive from Grandfather’s house, and every Christmas, my grandfather sent Stephen to pick me up. Only once had my sister been allowed to come with him.
“Stefan Armando?” I didn’t recognize the name.
“Business associate.”
He climbed out of the car, his glance toward the house more serious than it had been during our drive back.
Before I could ask if everything was okay, the curtains moved, and Robyn disappeared from behind the window. I guessed she was running to the front doors.
“I’ll bring your bags, Veronica. Your sister’s waiting, so go on in. She was upset she couldn’t come with me as it is.”
Stephen was always so much kinder than Grandfather. “I hope he’s not going to make her study during break.”
He opened the trunk and unloaded my two suitcases, looking like his mind was elsewhere. I peered into the SUV and noticed a man sitting behind the steering wheel.
“Your grandfather only wants what’s best for you both.”
That was at times hard to believe.
Smoke puffed out of the chimneys. The front door flew open, and Robyn ran out, stopping just a few steps outside the door. She wore no shoes, and she stood there hugging her arms to herself in the freezing morning air. We were going to have a white Christmas.
“Robyn!” I ran up the stairs to meet her, hugging her tight. Her full name was KataRobyn Guardia, but we’d always called her Robyn.
“Finally! This house is completely boring without you.”
We pulled back to look at each other. Robyn, who at sixteen was almost two years younger than me, was nearly my height now.
“Damn!” I shook my head, teasing.
“Are you allowed to say that?” She winked.
“You look wonderful. And so tall! You get that from dad.” Her smile drooped at the mention. Our parents had died on the day after Christmas eleven years ago. It had been their first trip alone together since having Robyn and I, a sort of second honeymoon in Thailand. Their bodies had never been recovered after the tsunami.
“Nah, you still have half an inch on me.”
She shrugged her shoulder and pulled me inside.
“It’s freezing. Come in.”
“Veronica!”
Marjorie came running around the corner. I gave her a huge smile and let her wrap me in her warm, soft hug. “Marjorie. I missed you so much.”
“So did I, honey. So did I.”
After our parents had died and Grandfather had taken us in, he’d hired several nannies. Marjorie had been the longest lasting of the bunch. When we were younger, she was our full-time, live-in nanny. She essentially raised us. Now she came three days a week. Robyn had been three, nearly four, and I’d been five. I knew Robyn’s memories of our parents were vague, if they existed at all, and as my own images of them had faded, Marjorie had become a source of warmth and compassion in an otherwise cold house.
“Shh, now,” Stephen said, following us in and closing the door.
Marjorie straightened and glanced at the study.
“Why do we have to shush?” Surely Grandfather could forgive a few cries of happiness at our reunion. It had been months since I’d seen my sister or Marjorie.
Robyn gestured toward the closed study door. “He’s in a meeting with Mr. Armando. He’s been here three days this week, and Grandfather is very hush-hush about it all.”
“Who is he?”
“No idea. I haven’t even seen him. He won’t introduce me, and I swear he only lets him in and out of that room after making sure the coast is clear and I’m out of sight. Weird.”
“That is weird.” I turned to Stephen. “I’ll just pop in and say hi.” Although one didn’t just pop in with my grandfather. He wasn’t like a normal grandparent. He pretty much kept his distance, and honestly, it always felt like we were more of an obligation, a burden to him. Well, at least I was. He seemed to have slightly more affection for Robyn, and I knew their relationship had improved over the last four years.
He shook his head. “I’m sure they’ll be out soon. Why don’t you and Robyn have lunch first?”
“Yes, come on. I’ve already set the table for the three of us,” Marjorie said.
“See, weird,” Robyn whispered in my ear. “We’ll be right there, Marjorie.”
Marjorie nodded and headed toward the kitchen, and Stephen disappeared somewhere. Robyn led me into the living room where the huge Christmas tree stood ready to be decorated. I smiled a little when I saw the open boxes of ornaments, recognizing them, liking the familiarity of the decorating ritual Robyn and I had started together after our parents’ death. She was too young to remember, but I had memories of decorating the Christmas tree with our parents in our little house. It was always a bittersweet memory.
Robyn took my hand. “Let’s have lunch. I want to hear everything. You know, boys, gossip, who’s doing who. Although I guess you’ll have to tell me that later when we’re alone.” She waggled her eyebrows.
I rolled my eyes. “There isn’t much to tell. The nuns are like freaking police.”
“Oh, come on. I’m locked up in here most days with tutors and piano teachers. Make something up if you have to.”
“Well, there is this one girl…” I started as we headed into the kitchen.