Page 34 of Cruel Secrets

Men patrol the grounds, moving along the paths and driveway like they’re expecting a major infiltration at any moment.

Royce may be a lot of things, but he’s not impulsive. He’s not going to come after me without a plan in place.

If he’s still alive.

And then I have to worry about what that plan is going to entail. Is he going to kill me for leaving him to bleed out?

Guilt gnaws at me as I bounce Bianca, grinning when she laughs.

I should have done something to get in contact with his family. It’s been nearly six hours since I left him on the floor.

He’s dead. I’m the reason Bianca’s father is dead.

She’s never going to forgive me when she finds out.

The realization hits me like a ton of bricks dropping straight down onto my head. I turn and take her back inside and downstairs, strapping her into the little stroller.

Jace looks at me as I push her toward the front door. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“I was planning on taking Bianca around the property. We were trapped for days in that Lynde bastard’s house, and she hasn’t had enough fresh air.” I force the lie out, trying to make it sound as natural as possible.

He shakes his head, moving into my way. “I was told not to let you out. Wouldn’t want to get a broken nose for not following orders again, now would I?”

My stomach does a flip. “You’re going to let me go walk, Jace. I’m not going to stand here and argue about it. She’s a child and she needs fresh air.”

“Let her go for a walk.” Noah appears behind me, hands in his pockets, watching me like he’s thinking I’m going to bolt at any moment. “There are dozens of men walking the property and she’s not going to be able to go anywhere.”

The last bit is said like a warning, his tone low and the meaning clear.

He doesn’t trust me anymore.

“Thanks.” I smile and hug him quickly, playing the part of happy younger sister that I’ve always played. “We’re just going to go through the gardens. I’m not going as far as the lake today. Looks like it’s going to rain.”

Noah nods and ruffles my hair before Jace steps to the side and lets me out.

I have no clue how I’m going to get a message to Royce’s family when I’m being watched like a hawk. It seems impossible, but somehow, I have to.

Using my phone is a risk. I’m sure Noah has it bugged. He’d be stupid not to.

Which means I have to find a way off the property without his men noticing what I’m doing.

I turn the stroller toward the driveway. I can go through the front gates and walk down the street. He’s going to have the entire neighborhood being watched, but they can’t watch every street all the time.

I just have to find a gap in their patrol.

Bianca giggles in her stroller, babbling to herself with a mix of words and nonsense. She reaches out to the flowers that we pass, pulling one off a bush and holding it tight as I stride through the gates and out onto the open street.

Now to just find a way to message his siblings.

The evening is getting dusky, visibility reducing as the night sets in.

A woman approaches me, and when she steps around me to pass, her shoulder hits mine, sending the iced coffee in her hand falling over me.

“I’m so sorry!” she says, stooping to the ground at the same time I reach for the diaper bag under the stroller. “We’re going to be getting you out of here.”

My spine stiffens, but I kneel to reach through the bag, handing her a pack of baby wipes to clean up some of the coffee on her skin. “Who are you?”

“Skyla. Royce’s sister.”

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