Page 85 of The Devil's Secret

It’s freeing and painful and raw. With every drop, I am letting go of the woman I was forced to become, welcoming the girl I used to be, the woman I am now.

I found her. I can finally hear her. Feel her. I’m not going to let her go. My mother wouldn’t want me to.

I will remember you with every kiss, every hug I give to Robby. You will never be forgotten, Mom. You will live on forever.

* * *

I push the door open a little at a time, worried I’ll scare him. His face turns toward the sound as I enter, and when he sees me, his little blue eyes instantly brighten.

The oxygen mask is no longer on his face, taken off as soon as his stats normalized when he woke up an hour ago. Once the doctors were done with their tests, I was cleared to go to him. They told me he demanded to see me as soon as he saw them, and I couldn’t wait another moment.

“Mommy!” He coughs, and it breaks my heart to hear how ill he is, how neglectful they’ve been with my baby, not that I expected any different.

“Hi, my sweet boy.” My tone is low as I tread lightly, sneakers softly crashing over the marble floor.

Enzo had arranged for him to get the best room in the hospital. The size of it is more like a penthouse.

I take a seat on the side of the bed, my knuckles reaching down, brushing past the hollow of his cheek. “I love you so much, baby. Mommy will never let anyone hurt you again. No one will separate us anymore.”

“You promise?” he asks with a quiver in his chin. “The bad men are gone?”

I don’t want to lie, but I owe him some semblance of safety. “They will be, and they’ll never get anywhere near you again.”

“And you, Mommy? Will they get you?”

The back of my nose burns with a sting of emotion clouding over the words that are difficult to say.

“Mommy?” he questions once more, coughing roughly, those piercing eyes needing answers, needing his mother to be okay.

“They won’t get me either. My friend, Enzo, the one who brought you here, he’ll make sure we’re both safe. Always.”

“That’s good.” He smiles weakly. “Can I live with you now?”

“Are you kidding me? Of course!” I scoot closer, lying beside him, my arm draped over his belly, my lips on the top of his head, kissing the soft waves of his blond hair. “I’m never letting you go. You’re stuck with me forever.”

He laughs feebly. “I love you so much, Mommy.”

“I love you too, Robby.”

“I’m tired.” He yawns. “Could you hug me while I sleep?”

“Today and every day.” I stroke away the hair lining his forehead, hoping that’s true, that I can spend all my days with him from now on. “Close your eyes, sweet baby. The monsters are gone now.”

But that’s not true, is it? They’re still out there. Waiting. Haunting us. Until we settle this, until I come face-to-face with that man, this will never end.

I’ll be coming for him with an army of my own. I need to do this for Robby. For me. For my friends still out there.

He has to die and I have to be the one to do it.

CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT

ENZO

“Absolutely fucking not!”I grit my teeth, trying to calm the pump of rage filling my veins. “You’re not putting yourself in any danger.”

“Can you listen?” Jade counters fiercely, flipping her hands in the air in despair and frustration. She’s yet to convince me while we’re all gathered in a small, empty conference room at the hospital. Elliot’s here with us, along with Dante and Dom.

Jade called for a meeting, informing everyone of that damn note she got from that piece-of-shit Agnelo, and apparently, she started a fire in my house to run after Robby. I swear that woman—fuck! If she thinks I’m going to let her into the lion’s den by her damn self, she must have me confused for someone who doesn’t give a shit about her.

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