Page 3 of Cruel Secrets

“My sister.”

“Oh, for the love of fucking God.” I tip the beer bottle back, swallowing the last drop before putting it back down. “The two of you need to get over this. She’s married to Sean. Her well-being is his primary concern.”

Sean smirks down at Aiden. “Which is why we should attack now. Hunt Noah down and kill him before he has a chance to get his feet under him.”

I hold up a hand. “Just because I agree that Ellie is your responsibility doesn’t mean that I think we should stop looking out for our sisters either. I don’t think that going after Noah right now is the right move. He’s built his soldiers back up after the warehouse. He’s going to be trying to grow larger and get more power behind him.”

“You can’t really think that we’re going to just let him get stronger.” Aiden keeps his tone even, but I know he’s simmering.

Despite being the one who arranged for Ellie and Sean to get married, he’s still annoyed that they ended up falling in love with each other.

He’d rather that she had come home when Sean assumed control of the Andino mafia, and I can’t blame him for that. I miss Ellie, but she’s happier now.

Just like I used to be happy.

Aiden sighs, shoulders slumping as he looks up at the pendant light hanging above us. “Royce, what do you think we should do?”

If there was a time to tell him about my connection to Gia, it would be now. It might change Aiden’s opinion of our next move.

Shrugging, I cross my arms, looking him in the eyes and hoping that he doesn’t see I’m holding back. “I think we go forward with the plan to kidnap Gia. She’s been off our radar until now because she has her mother’s last name, not her father’s. Now that we know she’s actually a Rinaldo—Noah’s younger sister at that—we use her to our advantage.”

Sean picks the chair up and sits back down. “Then why don’t we take the other sister too?”

“Haven’t been able to track down Zoe.” Aiden pours himself another glass of wine. “Doesn’t matter though. Gia is enough.”

“We don’t know anything about these women,” Sean says, his tone clipped, caution shining in his eyes. “If they’re more connected than we assume they are, we could be getting into a bigger war.”

“We won’t be.” Aiden stands and grabs one of the little cakes out of the fridge behind the counter. “Noah is going to do whatever it takes to get his sister back, and he’s not going to allow anyone else to get involved.”

With a sigh, Sean finally leans back in the chair and nods. “Alright, we’ll do it your way, but if this goes to hell, then we’re going to start doing things my way.”

Aiden studies him before eating some of the cake. “Fine. My way first, and if that fails, we go in with brute force and take him down.”

The corner of my mouth twitches, the possibility of revenge against Gia shining bright. “I’ll take her as planned, but she should be kept in one of the safe houses. Noah is going to expect us to take her somewhere with a holding cell. If he chooses to attack in retaliation, that’s going to be the first place he goes.”

Sean’s silent for so long I’m sure he’s going to argue, but he finally nods. “You’re the best one to take her. We can’t risk the others who could easily be swayed going after her.”

This is all too easy. If either of them knew the bloodlust I have for her, neither of them would risk me getting close. They would demand that I hold back. That she’s for their revenge and not my own.

They would be wrong.

Aiden’s chest puffs up. “Are you saying that my men aren’t loyal to me?”

I groan and scrub a hand over my jaw. “Ellie is going to murder you both if you keep up with this pissing competition. I thought you were both over this shit.”

“I’m over it.” Aiden crosses his arms, his chin jutting out. “We’re fine.”

Rolling my eyes, I get up and open the door. “Yeah. Somehow, I don’t believe that, but I think we’re done here before the two of you start fighting.”

Sean snorts and gets up. “Good. I wanted to get home soon.”

Aiden scowls and stands to follow him, but he stops on his way out the door and turns to me. “I don’t care how you deal with Gia, but make sure she’s alive and that Noah is never going to find her.”

“Don’t worry,” I say with a smirk as I lean against the door. “I have plans for her.”

I lean against the door, watching Aiden and Sean as they disappear down the hall and out into the night. They may think they’re in control right now, but they’d be wrong.

They have no idea what I have planned for Gia.

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