Page 54 of Cruel Secrets

“Let’s take it one day at a time and see where it gets us.” I give Bianca another push before turning to Gia again. “Do you think there’s a world where we’re going to figure out this entire co-parenting situation, or do you think we’re going to spend the rest of our lives bickering?”

“We’re going to figure it out.” She blows a kiss to Bianca. “But I think we need to get through this current situation before fully committing to a plan. I could be dead any day now, or you could be.”

“Comforting. You know all the right things to say to make a man feel better, don’t you?”

Gia leans against the playset, snow falling down around her. “I think that if we don’t laugh about what’s happening right now, we’re going to cry.”

“Who knew we’d end up some really fucked-up version of Romeo and Juliet?”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” Bianca chants, kicking her legs with each repetition of the word.

Gia motions between her and me. “This is your fault. If I do die, you can’t be teaching her more cuss words. I don’t want her growing up like some feral little beast. She needs to grow up and be better than the rest of us.”

“You’re not going to die, so I don’t think we need to worry about what horrible things I’m going to teach her.”

“I might die. Noah wants me dead. You know that. By being here with you, I’ve betrayed the family. And your brother isn’t my biggest fan either. Honestly, the question is who is going to be the first to kill me.”

I falter in pushing Bianca for just a moment, the swing hitting me in the stomach and knocking the air from my lungs. Doubling over, I shift to the side, trying not to get hit as the swing keeps moving.

Gia steps into the way, giving Bianca another soft push. “We have to be realistic about this. I’m going to die. I do have a will. I’ve had once since Bianca was born. When I die, she goes to you.”

I straighten up once I can breathe again and take her face in my hands, my gaze searching hers. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“I don’t think you have a choice.”

That’s where she’s wrong.

I have all the choices in the world; it’s just the matter of picking the right one that sends ice water rushing through my veins. I could kill Noah. Going against Aiden would be risky, but it would be worth it to save Gia.

I might have to kill Aiden.

Could I do it? Could I kill my brother to save the mother of my child?

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

GIA

Conversationsabout my imminent death don’t seem to sit well with Royce. He walked out after we settled Bianca into bed and he hasn’t been home since, leaving me wondering if he’s hunting down everyone who poses a threat to his family and hunting him down.

Or perhaps he’s out thinking of another way to piss me off for the hell of it.

He wouldn’t do that with Bianca’s life at risk.

The stairs creak beneath my feet, sleep still clawing at me even though I’ve been tossing and turning for hours, wondering if Royce is dead on the side of the road somewhere.

I don’t know if we’re ever going to be able to get along, but I’m exhausted. Fighting all the time is taking its toll on me.

We made progress today. Good progress. He still cares about me. I still care about him.

Even if admitting it is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.

Though I don’t think it can be as hard as living life without him or without Bianca.

There’s nothing I would love more than to stop fighting with him and to just figure out how to finally get along. How to raise our baby together, in a world where she’s loved by both her parents.

We’ve had conversations circling it, and it never seems to be enough.

Probably because we both want more from each other.

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