Page 86 of The Devil's Secret

“I did listen, baby.” I steady my tone, marching a step toward her, holding her face in my palms, staring deep into her eyes. “This isn’t happening. You’re not making yourself bait.”

“Jade, maybe you should listen to him,” Elliot throws in.

Her eyes flip to his, standing behind me as my hands drop. “I love you, Elliot, I really do, but you don’t understand. None of you do.” Her attention scatters across the room. “My friends are still out there. They need my help. What that family has done to us, and the kids, the women…” Her eyes flutter closed for only a moment.

With a long breath, her gaze lands hard on mine. “I’ll be safe. You’ll be right outside with your men and I’d have the gun and wire on me, plus the vest.”

“How do you know he’s even there? It’s been hours since you got that note. He’s probably gone by now, hiding in some rathole once he realized we had Robby.”

“Well, I have to try.” She sighs. “I have to find Elsie and Kayla and all the other people they’re keeping caged up. I know he’ll tell me just to rub it in my face.”

While she waited for Robby to wake up, I told her about all the other people we saved when we found her boy. But she told us those numbers don’t add up, that there are hundreds more.

I slide up a hand, gripping her chin in between two fingers. “Please… I can’t fucking lose you, not when I just got you back.”

She lays her forehead against mine, both of us clinging to one another in a sea of chaos. “I love you so much, Enzo. You’re the heart of my world.”

“Then don’t go. Let me take care of this.”

She pulls away enough to lock her tender gaze to mine. “I have to do this, Enzo. I need him to know I’m not afraid anymore. Don’t take it from me.”

That damn pleading look in her eyes, hell, it sits heavy on my chest, robbing me of my ability to refuse her.

“After everything I went through,” she continues. “I deserve this. Are you going to be the one to take it from me?”

Everyone else remains silent, giving us the opportunity to figure this shit out ourselves. But I know neither of my brothers would willingly put their women in mortal danger. How could I allow her to go? But if I don’t give her this, will she ever forgive me?

“I’m giving you five minutes with him before I go in. Not a second more. If I hear anything I don’t like, we’re going in.”

“Deal.” She grins like we’re going to prom, flinging her arms around my shoulders. I hug her to me, just holding her, my eyes closing. The thought of anything happening to her, it destroys me, but I get the need for revenge. We all do.

“Don’t look all that happy, baby.” I’m staring back in her eyes with a slow wind of my mouth. “If you die, I’m gonna be super damn pissed. And you do not want the rest of the world to see me that pissed. I promise.”

She laughs faintly, her lips hovering over mine. “Then I’ll try not to die.”

My hand grips to the back of her head, pulling her hair roughly so she can get a damn good look at my face. “Trying ain’t good enough, baby.”

Then I kiss her, like it’s the last thing I’ll ever get to do.

* * *

JOELLE

My stomach sinks with every footfall. The hospital hallway is dim, the rooms all shuttered as I continue to my destination, to see Chiara. Enzo informed me she had lost the baby when the bullet struck her.

My heart bleeds for my friend, for that loss. It may have been new, she may have not been that far along, but to a mother who wanted her baby, it doesn’t make a difference. It’s ours. That pain. That emptiness. That what could’ve been. What would’ve been.

I gently knock on the door, knowing Chiara has been awake after her surgery, and Raquel opens it, her eyes glazed, mascara running down the outer edges of her eyes.

“Joelle, I’m so happy to see you’re okay.” She speaks low, and in her eyes, I see the genuineness. She actually cares about me. It’s nice to have that.

She swings her arms around me for a quick hug. “I’m so relieved you have Robby back.” She clasps my hand in hers. “He’ll be okay.”

“Thanks. How is she doing?” My eyes dart to Chiara, lying motionless on the bed, attention fixed to the wall in front of her, but she’s not really looking at it. I’ve been there, in that state of heartache, locked inside my head.

“She’s as good as she can be.” She huffs, shaking her head as her eyes land to the floor.

“What did the doctors say?”

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