Page 1 of Cruel Secrets

CHAPTERONE

ROYCE

The shadows wraparound me like a familiar friend as I watch her through the window, my pulse thrumming. I could get closer to her. Close enough to feel the rapid race of her pulse as fear takes over.

It’s too soon. One slip—a single wrong step—will send this plan spiraling. It will unravel before I ever have the chance to.

Her hand flutters near the curtain as she stares down at the city below, her eyes narrowing like she’s looking for me even though she’s never going to find me.

But there she is, acting like this is just another night, running a hand through her hair, her gaze haunted. She stands there like nothing changed between us. Like she didn’t light the fuse on the bomb that blew our lives apart. As she reaches for the hem of her shirt, pulling it up and over her head, her pin-straight hair falling loose to her waist, all I can think about is what it used to be like to be standing across from her when she undressed.

I used to watch every flick of her gaze toward mine when she would taunt me. She’d peel off her clothing like it was a second skin she was shedding, taking her time, making my mouth water and cock stand at attention.

Now, she’s nothing but the woman who double-crossed me and for that she’s going to pay.

I’m torn between what to do and how to start. I could punish her for all that she’s done to me—all that she’s kept. I could take her to the very verge of her death before allowing her to recover. Then I could do it all over again.

To have her on her knees, begging me to be her salvation—well, that’s something I wouldn’t be willing to pass up.

Though I may not be ready to get her right now, sooner or later, I’m going to be coming for her, and she’s not going to have a clue.

Knowing her, she’s gotten comfortable. Relaxed.

She’s thinking that her brother is going to keep her safe, although there’s no such thing as true safety when you belong to the underbelly of New York. If only she knew the things my family was capable of—the things we’ve done for lesser wrongs. She would’ve thought twice before she fucked me over.

And I was the idiot who was willing to overlook all that before. I thought it would be enough. At least, I did until secrets started pouring out of her like a waterfall. Everything that was good between us was killed on impact.

It’s been years, but I’ve finally hunted her down.

Matt sighs beside me, shifting his weight from one side to the other before he pulls a red and white carton from his pocket. He slides the top open, tapping the last two cigarettes out and into his hand.

I snag one from his palm, putting it between my lips and taking the lighter he offers me. “You would think that a woman like her would think to have thicker curtains.”

I say the words more for his benefit than my own. I know what kind of woman she is, but my family and the men who work for them don’t. They never will. I plan to be done with her—the body hidden where nobody will ever find it—long before Aiden ever figures out she was mine.

“Women like her don’t ever think that they’re being watched.” Matt takes the lighter back from me, igniting the end of his own cigarette.

A puff of smoke rolls from my lips, the thin ribbon curling toward the night sky. “She’s spent a long time having her brother to watch over her. Now that Aiden is almost ready to make a move, there’s going to be nothing Noah Rinaldo can do to protect his younger sister.”

“We could take her now and be done with stalking around in the middle of the night to watch her.” Matt holds the cigarette between two fingers, letting it burn down without taking a single puff.

“Not yet.”

“It’s cold and damp out. I’d rather grab her and deal with the consequences of Aiden’s anger later than spend another night out here.”

Fucker.

If he ruins everything I’ve worked for, I’m going to make his death slow. He’s going to know what it feels like to have his entire life taken from him an inch of flesh at a time.

I flick the cherry off and glare at him. “We’ve been friends for a long time, but that doesn’t mean I’ll accept you even suggesting that you would be willing to go against orders.”

His head dips, blond hair flopping in his eyes. “I apologize. I wouldn’t actually go against his orders. I know we have a job to do; my balls are just freezing off.”

“Find a girl at one of the clubs to warm them.” I pull out the keys to my car, dangling them from one finger. “We’re done here for the night.”

Matt nods and disappears into one of the cars waiting around the corner, but I linger for a couple minutes longer.

When I take Gia, it needs to be quick and quiet. I can’t have Matt around trying to rush the job because he’s cold. I need to smell her fear in the air, to see the way she shakes when she realizes her time is up.

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