Page 102 of Cruel Revenge

Chapter Twenty-Five

SKYLA

Gia laughsas Royce sends Joshua flying to the floor, one punch after another finding a home all over his body.

Joshua groans and thrashes beneath him, trying to throw him off.

At least, I think he’s trying. It doesn’t look like he’s having much luck with his efforts.

Joshua finally shoves him off, but Royce is back on him a second later.

Jade stands up, her chair screeching against the floor and falling back as she looks at me. “So, you lied about getting married, let me think that you would cut us out of your life like that, and now you’re telling me that everything is bullshit?”

Aiden sighs and gets up. “You’re all acting ridiculous.”

I look at Jade, not knowing how to fix the betrayal in her gaze.

I wish that there was something I could say to make this better. I knew telling my family the truth was only going to result in people getting hurt, and yet Joshua didn’t want to listen to me.

He thought he knew best. And now he’s getting the shit kicked out of him by my brother.

Aiden hauls the two of them apart, shoving Royce one way and Joshua the other. “Enough of this. I knew about the agreement between the two of them, and I was fine with it. So were they. The rest of you have no fucking room to be upset.”

To my surprise, Ellie is the one who gets in his face first. “What the fuck is this, Aiden? You just keep shoving us into relationships and building your little fucking empire that way? You don’t give a fuck if any of us are happy with our lives. All you care about is what’s going to benefit you the most.”

He shrugs and tucks his hands into his pockets, still acting as a wall for Royce. “They were the ones who made the deal. Skyla brought it to me to see what I would think.”

Summer looks at me with tears in her eyes as she gets up and scoops Bianca out of the high chair. “Come on, Bia. We’re not going to be around the family right now. You’re much better off with Aunty Summer. She might be the only one who isn’t a psychopathic liar.”

Gia turns to me with a shit-eating smirk. “You know, she might be right about that. I used to think Ellie was the normal one, but she looks about ready to kill everyone.”

Jade’s bottom lip quivers. “I don’t know why you keep lying to us. We’re all adults. Didn’t you think that just for once you could let us into your life and, I don’t know, maybe we could be a family instead of whatever fucking shit this is?”

I shrug, stomach tossing and turning. “I had to make the decision that was right for the family. Joshua needed help, and he was offering a deal I couldn’t pass up.”

Ellie spins and glares at me. “You’re no better than Aiden.”

“I’m worse, if we want to put it all out there and really dig into everything that’s been haunting the family for years.” I force the words out through the lump that’s in my throat. “Now’s your chance, Ellie. Jade. It’s time to say everything.”

Royce shakes his head and lunges for Joshua again. “You stupid, manipulative bastard! You’re not going to do anything other than ruin this damn family and everything we’ve worked for.”

Aiden raises his voice. “Do you think we could go up against Zoe and the rest of the Rinaldos with the state we were in a couple months ago? You saw where things stood. This deal has brought us money and powerful allies. If anything, all of you should be thanking Skyla for what she’s willing to do for our family.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” I take a step back, trying to avoid one of my siblings coming at me.

The worst parts of me are hovering too close to the surface right now. Everything is overwhelming, and the need to find a release itches in the back of my mind.

That horrible little voice calls to me, begging me to do whatever it takes to make myself feel better.

I want to listen to that voice. I want to make everything that’s happening right now come to an end.

I want to make the voices stop.

I want the family to stop arguing.

Ineedthem to stop arguing.

Royce shoves past Aiden, pushing Joshua back into a wall. “You’re nothing but a man who is looking to manipulate herbecause you think she can’t take care of herself. You don’t know her. You don’t know what goes on in her head!”

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