Page 44 of Tainted Truth

I force my voice to come out normal and not give away that I’m barely keeping it together. “You don’t have to tell me, Zane.”

“I want to.” He swallows and blinks a few times. “He used to force me onto my stomach and hold me down. He was bigger and stronger, so it didn’t matter how much I fought. He always got what he wanted in the end.”

“Zane.” My voice breaks.

Zane lets out an angry laugh. “I wanted to run away so many times. I could have done it and survived, but I couldn’t leave Sarah. She was so young and so pure, there’s no way I could have ever left her in that house.”

I feel pieces of my heart breaking with every word from Zane’s mouth. What he’s been through . . . no child should have to endure.

“Z, you’re not to blame for?—”

“I know!” Zane takes a deep breath. “I know that. I wasn’t even ten years old when Sarah died. One of Michael’s coworkers got a little too rough with Sarah one night. The asshole didn’t realize she couldn’t breathe. I tried calling nine-one-one, but Teresa told them I was just causing trouble, and they left. She hit me so hard that I blacked out.”

My vision blurs, and my cheeks suddenly have tear streaks.

“I packed my backpack full of food that I stole from the kitchen and ran as soon as I woke up. When I was caught, Iwas placed in a different home. Teresa and Michael claimed that Sarah had run away too. No one believed me when I tried to tell them what happened.”

No one? Not a single adult in his life would listen? All these people were supposed to protect him, love him. They let him down in the worst way. They hurt him and used him. The system that was set up to keep him safe failed.

My breathing grows ragged as my stomach clenches with the force of my restraint. I’ve never wanted to hurt someone so much in my life. I want to make Zane’s foster parents hurt the way they hurt him. I want them to know what it’s like to feel small and powerless.

“Are . . . did they . . . Teresa and Michael . . . do they still have kids?” My hands shake as I struggle for the right words.

Zane gives me a sympathetic smile. “No, Angel. They’re not foster parents anymore. They’re not anything anymore.”

I scrunch my eyebrows. “But . . .”

“I killed them. It took me years to face them again, but when I did, they didn’t survive. I killed them, and I’ve killed others like them. I’ve seen too much to feel sorry for my actions, Spencer. I’ll never apologize for killing people like that. Teresa and Michael may not have touched me, but what they did enabled those bastards to do it—to takepeopleand sell them. I’m not sorry I put them down like the animals they were. We are the Devils of New York—the few who fight back.”

I shouldn’t be surprised. These men—my men; myboyfriends—they’re brave. I shouldn’t be surprised that they have the courage to face those who have caused them and others pain.

“I’m so sorry. Can I?—”

“Yes, Angel. Of course.”

I run at Zane and jump into his arms. He catches me as I wrap my arms and legs around him, enveloping him in comfort and love.

Zane leans his head back to look at my face. “Are you staying, Angel?”

Through tears, I answer, “Yeah, I’m staying.”

“Thank fuck.” Zane’s lips meet mine, and his tongue immediately invades my mouth. Another hard body crowds me from behind, and lips make their way down my neck.

“Say you’re ours, Mama.”

Rio’s hands grab my hips. His fingertips trace up my sides and grope my full breasts.

I moan. “I’m yours.”

“Good because there’s no way in heaven or hell we would have let you walk out that door.”

CHAPTER 18

SPENCER

Rio grinds his hard length into my ass while Zane presses his between my legs. I moan into Zane’s mouth as our bodies move together in a sensual dance.

I take one arm and hang on to Rio’s neck. Rio sucks on the tendon between my shoulder and my neck, causing me to break my kiss with Zane and moan. It’s all too much and not enough at the same time.

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