Page 45 of Cruel Secrets

Would she see me as the same monster I saw my father as?

Aiden taps his foot on the dock in time with the lapping of the waves. “I know that we don’t have to, but the longer this goes on, the more unavoidable it seems. I don’t know where this is going to end up, but I do know that we’re trying to get in contact with him.”

“We can’t afford to keep trying,” Sean says, his tone sharp. He tips back the rest of his beer, finishing it in a couple gulps. “It’s becoming a problem. The fucking Rinaldos had ten men killed. They were my men, Aiden, and now they’re dead. I can’t keep doing this game with you. Either you want to put the bastard in the ground, or you’re holding out for some reason you’re not sharing with me.”

The tension crackles in the air like electricity right before a lightning strike.

Aiden’s hands curl into fists. “We’re friends, Sean, and I don’t want this to come between us, but you need to stand down. We agreed that I would be the one to take lead on the Rinaldo situation, since it’s my family it affects.”

“Ellie is my family.” Sean looks like he’s about ready to get out of his chair and punch Aiden.

It wouldn’t be the first time the two of them have fought, and I doubt it would be the last either.

They both run powerful mafias, and at least once every few months, they seem to butt heads.

Aiden hums and takes a pull off his beer. “I know you want revenge, and it’s going to happen, but I think we should minimize the damage, don’t you, Royce?”

I bite the inside of my cheek as I nod. It might not be the right answer, but these days I’m not sure what is. I lived in shades of gray before, the darkest shade, but there was still a small gray area. Now, it’s like there are a thousand different ways to look at this scenario and with each one I become the bad guy.

If I’m being honest, I want to see this business with the Rinaldos come to an end as quickly as possible.

What I can’t tell either of them is why.

With a smug smirk, Aiden turns to Sean. “See? You’re acting rash. It’s not the first time we lost lives, and I doubt it will be the last. There’s still a long way to go before we get the Rinaldos out of New York for good.”

My eyebrows pull together. “I thought the negotiations were to give them their own territory so they would stop infringing on ours.”

“It is.” Aiden looks over his shoulder as Skyla comes out of the house, walking toward us with her arms wrapped around her, holding her jacket closed against the wind.

She stops behind my chair. “I need to talk to Royce. Alone.”

Aiden arches an eyebrow. “Do I want to know what this is about?”

“No.” Skyla jerks her head toward the driveway. “Go get the car ready to go. I won’t be long, and I need to be back in town before nine. I have a date tonight.”

“Like hell you do.” Aiden shakes his head as he stands, his arms crossing over his chest. “You’re not seeing anyone since you split with that douche, and I haven’t met anyone either, so how can you be going out on a date?”

Her nostrils flare, hands dropping to her sides and balling into fists. “You might try that shit with Summer and Jade, but I’m only a couple years younger than you. If I want to go out on a date and not tell my brother about it, then I’m going to do that.”

Sean stands behind Aiden, giving him a shove forward. “I remember the time she broke your arm for ruining her prom date. If I were you, I would get walking.”

Though Aiden glowers at Sean, they both head for the car, knowing better than to argue with Skyla.

Skyla stands in front of me, looking like she’s seconds away from giving me the broken arm. “Trees, now.”

“Why?”

Without a word, she grabs my arm and hauls me over to the tree line that surrounds the house. She keeps tugging until we’re nearly a dozen feet deep into the forest.

As soon as we can’t see the house anymore, she smacks me upside the head.

“What the fuck were you thinking, Royce?”

I shoot her a glare, rubbing the back of my head. “What are you talking about?”

“Did you think that nobody would figure out that baby in the house is yours?” she asks, her voice a hiss as she steps closer to me. She raises her hand and smacks me upside the head so hard my ear starts ringing.

“Jesus, Skyla. There’s no need to get fucking violent.” I rub my ear, glaring at her.

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