Twenty-Three
Michael Corinthos, Jr., held his father's letter within lifeless fingers. He had read it at least ten times and still he could not reconcile Mike's words with the reality that he knew.
Marcus Taggert was his brother. Sonny's sworn, lifelong enemy was his brother; another child that Mike helped create and then left behind. Even from the grave, Mike's screw-ups were turning his son's life upside down.
Sonny could feel the rage building up inside him once again. Damn! He really was not prepared to handle yet another shock to his system. And finding out that he had a brother definitely qualified.
Gradually Sonny became aware of Carly's presence on the far side of the room. He marshaled all his self-control and pushed his anger aside. “Yeah. What is it, Carly?”
Sonny ‘s tone neither invited nor discouraged his wife's approach. “I was a little worried about you,” Carly explained. “You have been staring at Mike's letter for over an hour now.”
It was, Sonny supposed, Carly's roundabout way of trying to find out just what in Mike's letter had affected him so deeply. But as much as he loved his wife, the mob boss knew that he could not divulge the letter's contents to Carly. All it would take was the right situation and sufficient provocation and Carly would blurt out for anyone listening Sonny's relationship to Marcus Taggert.
Sonny couldn't have that happen. Not until he found out whether Marcus had been told the truth about Mike as well. Did Detective Marcus Taggert hate Sonny so much because he knew the other man was his brother? Or was Taggert able to hate Sonny so much because he didn't?
“It's just things Mike should have said before he… before this happened.” Sonny slid the letter back into its envelope. With deliberation, he reached over and placed the missive into his inner suit coat pocket.
“I'll be back in a while,” Sonny informed Carly shortly. He shrugged his jacket on and shifted his shoulders until the material lay smoothly across them. “There is something I need to do.”
Carly looked at her husband with alarm. “Shouldn't you wait until Jason comes back? Sonny, it might not be safe for you!”
“Nothing's gonna happen to me,” Sonny assured Carly as he walked out the door. “I promise.”
