Page 14 of Bully

“Oh, so she was right then? Gabriella came to me the morning after the wedding sure that was why you’d left but I didn’t believe her.”

I nodded as I looked into her beautiful eyes. She had the prettiest doe shaped, dark brown eyes. Innvy was beautiful and sexy but she was also pretty as fuck. She had classic doll like features—doe eyes, heart shaped face, pointy nose, round and pouty lips. Her natural hair was longer now, reaching her waist. It was pulled up into a high ponytail, giving me the perfect view of her face.

“Yeah, apparently Rocco heard through the underworld that I was going to be Karrington’s underboss temporarily. He decided to capitalize and use me professionally since he couldn’t use me on the court anymore. A while back, he wanted me to throw games so he could have a seven figure payout when he bet. That was why I retired. So much time had passed I thought he’d forgotten about Andre, but clearly I was wrong.”

She leaned forward. “What did he ask you to do?”

“He wanted me to operate as an enforcer while his team set up shop in Mississippi and Rose Valley Hills. The Nahtahn Cartel has a very heavy presence in Rose Valley Hills, and they weren’t making it easy for him to take over any territory.”

“I don’t mean this disrespectfully, but I’m ignorant of what you do and who you are in the streets,” she admitted. “Why would he ask you to do that?”

With a smile, I took her hand into mine. “I don’t take that as a disrespectful question at all. You don’t know who I am, or who I used to be in the streets, because I never wanted you to. I didn’t think I’d make it playing ball, so I sold drugs. I got a lot of bodies under me, Angel, and I’m not proud of that, but it is what it is. When I was drafted, I went legit. I started offering protection and security with Asylum and Merc to clean up my image. But my reputation is my reputation. He knew what I was capable of, and hearing that I was going to work under Karrington was like a green light for him to use me.”

“Did he… make you kill people there?”

“I don’t want to lie to you,” was all I said.

With a nod, Innvy pulled her hands out of mine. “So you’ve spent the last nine months working for a mobster in a city that’s just a few hours away? You… what? Were a bodyguard for his people who killed his enemies or competition when you had to?”

“Exactly, except he couldn’t move in on the Nahtahn territory, so we were working on territory in Nashville and Jackson, Mississippi instead. I guess he didn’t want his main enforcers to be away for as long, so he used me.”

“And you got the job done,” she said with a bitter laugh as she poured another shot.

“I didn’t really have a choice, Innvy. I did what I had to do to protect my sister then and the rest of my family now. Rocco has a reputation of making what he wants to happen by any means necessary. He’s known for going after the families of those who cross him. The last thing I was going to do was say no and risk him coming after you or anyone else I love.”

“Why didn’t you tell me!” she stressed with a quiet, urgent tone. “You didn’t trust me with all of you? Why didn’t you warn me? That would have made the last nine months a hell of a lot easier.”

“I promised her I wouldn’t tell anyone. I should have asked her permission to tell you, but so much time had passed that I honestly wasn’t expecting him to ask me to do anything. Looking back now, I should have told you the day of our wedding, but I didn’t want to share that part of myself with you.”

“Why not?”

“That’s not the version of me you met. You met the retired NBA player with legal businesses who mentors students and helps high school coaches. I didn’t want to tell you I used to be a drug dealer who killed people. How would I explain that?”

Her eyes watered as she smiled with one side of her mouth and cupped my cheek. “Like you just did. I loved you unconditionally, Bully. I wouldn’t have judged you.”

“Loved?” I repeated, heart dropping. Past tense.Loved. Her mouth opened and closed. “You loved me? You saying you don’t love me anymore?”

“Of course I still love you. It’s just…” Twiddling her thumbs, she avoided my eyes. “I spent almost a year wondering where you were and why you left me. I’ve worked hard to get you out of my system and—”

“I didn’t tell you to do that.”

“Bully,” she said with a smile.

“If you got me out your system, I’ll make my way back in. But something tells me I’m still inside, even if you don’t want to admit it.”

“This is a lot,” she whispered. “Um… We can set up a schedule for you and Innah. Maybe you can start taking her to my parents when I have to work and yours on the weekend. When you feel comfortable, you can have her for a few hours and eventually overnight.”

My head shook as she stood. “I mean… that’s cool… but you talking like we separated and won’t be living together soon.”

“Gabriel—”

Standing, I grabbed her wrists and pulled her into my chest. I wrapped her arms around me. The hold was weak but when she finally surrendered, Innvy clung to me. She was significantly shorter than me, so I kissed the top of her head and her temple as I held her close.

“I love you, Innvy. Walking away from you was the hardest thing I’veeverhad to do. I did that to keep you and our princess safe. Now that I’m back…” I cupped her cheek so she would look at me. Her eyes watered as she tightened her grip around me. “I apologize for not communicating, but I will never apologize for doing whatever I have to, to keep you safe. But I can promise you, if you let me back in, I will never willingly leave you again.”

Licking the corner of her mouth didn’t stop her tears from falling. Her arms dropped and she took a step back.

“I need some time, Bully.”

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