Page 12 of Cruel Secrets

As angry as he is, Royce would never hurt our daughter, though, and that’s what I’m determined to hold on to. At least, I don’t think he would.

There’s something about the way he’s looking at me now that makes me think he’s not the man I used to know. I can practically feel the anger rolling off him in waves. The power he exudes is stifling and exciting at the same time—making the room feel like it’s too small even as arousal slicks my pussy.

Even if he doesn’t hurt Bianca, there’s nothing stopping him from killing you.

The thought sends a shiver down my spine. I know it’s the truth, even if he is looking at me like I’m a meal he can’t wait to devour.

Steeling myself for whatever is going to be waiting for me, I nod. “Fine. I’ll go with you, but you have to promise that you’re never going to hurt Bianca.”

“I’d die before I let anything happen to her,” he says, his tone sharp. “As long as you behave yourself.”

My heart catches in my throat while the ground plummets away. I’m suspended in time, trying to figure out if he really is the kind of man who could hurt our daughter to get to me.

I don’t like the answer I come up with.

He glares at me like he hates me for even making that a condition, but I need to know. I’ve spent the last two years bending to nearly every whim of Noah’s to keep Bianca safe.

I know firsthand how volatile these men can be.

Royce crosses his arms, his muscled chest bulging as a strand of his dark hair falls from the perfectly messy style he’s always favored. “You shouldn’t even have to ask me that. We spent a year of our lives together, Gia. You know that family is important to me.”

“Evidently so.” I purse my lips, holding back the insults on the tip of my tongue.

I was his family. We were living together. He told me that he loved me. He told me that one day we were going to have children of our own and everything was going to be perfect.

And then he left because of my last name.

Don’t forget the fact that you hid who your family was from him because you knew it would end like this. You had the power to help his family, and you still chose your own even though they’re far more likely to kill you.

“However,” Royce says, continuing with a wicked grin that makes the room feel a thousand degrees warmer. “That is all dependent on you and how you behave. Now, give me the child.”

My heart races as I loosen my hold on Bianca, torn between letting Royce hold her for the first time and keeping her tight in my arms where no harm can ever come to her.

Royce doesn’t reach for her, but he watches me like he’s thinking about it. It has the fine hair on the nape of my neck standing straight.

He would never hurt her—at least that’s what Ihaveto keep telling myself—but something seems wrong about handing her over to him when it’s been just the two of us for so long.

I clear my throat, shifting Bianca to my hip as she toys with the cracked vinyl image on my old band shirt. “Alright, so, we’re going with you, then.”

There’s a tiny bubble of excitement that grows, if only for the fact that I’m finally going to be getting away from Noah. Even if it is only going to be a matter of time before he catches up with us, this is still more than I’ve hoped for in the last few years.

And Royce might be easier to escape.

“You’re going to need to pack. I don’t have any supplies to take care of Bianca.” He swallows hard, glancing around the apartment, and for the first time it looks like there might be a small chink in his armor. Something I can use. “Looks like you don’t have much for her either.”

“Her toys are in her playroom.”

A muscle in his angular jaw flexes. “She has a playroom?”

“And a bedroom.” I head down the hall and into her bedroom, pulling out the little pink rolling suitcase from her closet.

It isn’t often that I’ve had to travel with her, but Noah bought her an entire luggage set for the baby shower. He said that it was important to be able to pack her life away and move when needed.

At the time I didn’t think he was right.

Royce follows me into the room, heading straight for the painting of her sonogram I did while I was pregnant with her and unable to sleep at night. His presence seems to take up the entire room, the feeling of his gaze burning into me before he turns his attention back to the sonogram.

He stares at it, fingers flexing by his side, the gun hidden once more. “You should have told me about her. I would’ve figured out a way to help you with everything.”

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