Oh no. No. No. No. No. I want to unhear this entire conversation.

“There’s three men in this file, but as you can tell, most of it is about this guy.” He points to the picture I’d know anywhere. “I’m about ninety-five percent sure this one, Anthony DeRosso, is the one who raped our mom at that party. I wasn’t able to do too much digging into him before I got arrested, but I know he’s a real lowlife, that’s why I haven’t told Anna about it.”

The room spins. My life is a soap opera. Annalisa is my best friend. My best friend is Anthony DeRosso’s biological daughter.

Anthony DeRosso. Known to me as Tony Derando. The man ruining my life.

Aiden senses that I’m too shocked to speak even though he’s staring Luke down with an intensity that radiates throughout his whole body.

“Have you contacted him, this Anthony DeRosso?” Aiden almost spits the name out, as if it pains him to say it.

“Um, no. Why?” Luke hesitates at the noticeable shift in Aiden’s demeanor.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Luke says defensively. “I haven’t figured out how yet. Is it that terrible of an idea to contact him? I know he’s not a good person, but I think Anna should know.”

It’s a terrible, horrible, horrendous idea.

“Anna wants nothing to do with her biological father,” Aiden states with authority. I can’t seem to find my voice. “If this man is her biological father—”

“I’m pretty sure he is,” Luke interjects. “I was digging through our mom’s old stuff. He’s mentioned a couple times. There’s a picture of them together at a party too. I just wish I knew where Anna’s birth certificate was. I’m sure Mom would’ve listed the biological dad, even if he was, you know—”

“If he is Anna’s biological father,” Aiden continues, “contacting him will only make things worse. For everyone.”

Especially me. Especially my friends. They have no idea the pain and danger they’d be inviting into their lives by contacting Tony—Anthony DeRosso. How would he act at finding out he has another daughter? The whole reason he snapped is because his daughter, Sabrina, died in a car accident my father caused.

Luke leans back in his seat and purses his lips in thought. “I just want what’s best for Annalisa.”

“Getting involved with this guy is the worst thing you could possibly ever do for Anna! He’s a psychopath!”

Luke’s eyebrows draw together at my outburst, and I feel Aiden’s reassuring hand on my leg under the table.

Calm down, Amelia. You’re acting all suspicious.

“A psychopath? You know him?”

I clear my thoughts and try to think of something that sounds logical.

“I only know what Anna’s told me,” I say. “This man brought her into the world by raping her mother. I’m assuming he’s committed more crimes since then.” I know he has. “A man like this would bring nothing of value into Anna’s life.”

Aiden’s eyes narrow. I have no idea how he’s managing to be articulate and thoughtful. I feel like the room’s spinning; I can barely process my own thoughts.