Page 33 of Cruel Secrets

My chest tightens just thinking about what could happen if he figures out who she is.

I’d have to find some way to keep her safe from him.

While Royce wouldn’t use his daughter as a bargaining chip, I don’t have the same idea about Noah. I’m not sure a shred of humanity has ever existed in him. As far as a half brother goes, he’s a monster just lurking for his chance to use whoever he can to get to the top.

“You like the life you lead, and that has everything to do with the empire Noah’s family has built.” A low whistle comes from the other room. “It sounds like the tea is ready. You stay here and ice that hand.”

Mom gets up and heads to the other room, leaving me with the soggy towel draped over my knuckles, ice cubes melting fast.

Groaning, I put the towel on one of the black vinyl placemats before leaning back in my chair.

There’s no way that I’m going to let Noah control my life forever, but this is the only option for the time being. He makes sure that I have work coming in and that there’s a roof over Bianca’s head.

I have millions of dollars sitting in an account offshore.

I could draw that money and disappear, but one day the money would run out and I wouldn’t have the connections to sell the forged paintings if I turn my back on Noah. He would cut me off from his contacts.

Working a normal job would be hard. I would have to find someone to care for Bianca and that person would have to be willing to shoot my half brother in the head if he ever tried to come for my daughter.

Maybe I should have stayed with Royce.

Mom walks back into the room with two cups of tea on little saucers, the ceramic rattling around on the brushed brass tray. “You know, I believe that Noah is trying to atone for his father’s sins.”

“Is that why you’re here instead of in Costa Rica like you’re supposed to be?”

“He changed my mind. He told me that we would be safer here than overseas.” Mom puts a cup of tea in front of me even though she knows I’ve never liked the stuff. “I think you need to look at this from all angles, instead of just the one that paints him like the problem.”

“He’s nottheproblem, but he’s one of the problems.”

She nods to the cup. “You need to have some of that. It’ll help you feel better.”

“No, what would help me feel better is knowing without a doubt that my daughter is going to be safe.” I pull my new phone from my pocket, bringing up the baby monitor app to check on Bianca.

She’s still nestled in her crib, but she’s starting to toss and turn, her little fists clenching. My chest tightens just watching her. How could Royce and I make such a perfect thing when we’re so fractured?

“Mom, you need to think about what you’re willing to stand for. The life Noah provides for us is good, but do you really want to spend the rest of your life at his beck and call?”

I put the phone to the side, getting up and going to the doorway to check the hall. Jace stands at the other end of it, his arms crossed over his broad chest, black eyes shining and nose slightly more crooked than it was before.

Nodding to him, I step out of the dining room and head for the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Staying here isn’t safe.

I knew that before, but I still allowed Jace to bring us back to Noah. I thought that the devil I knew was better than the devil I didn’t, but the icy glare burning a hole through me as I disappear makes me feel like it’s only a matter of time before my daughter is used as a pawn.

The winding halls are lined with men and their guns, leaving an uneasy feeling crawling through my stomach.

Noah never has this many men in the house. He likes to maintain some sense of privacy.

If they’re inside, that means he has to be expecting something big.

Doing the best I can to look natural, I go into Bianca’s room just as she starts to whine. It takes only a few minutes to get her out of the crib and into a fresh diaper before taking her out onto the balcony.

There are men standing on either side of the doors, glancing to us as we step out.

I nod to both of them, going to the railing. “Look, Bia bean, see the pretty birds?”

Pointing to a couple of the birds, I use the chance to glance down around the house.

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