Page 65 of Ignacio

Beside him, tiny tremors rocked Delta’s frame. Ignacio placed an arm around her shoulders, and she snuggled closer. After a few minutes, the shaking subsided, and her breathing normalized.

When the driver pulled up, Randall and Ava ushered them into the limo before closing the door. Ava sat up front, and Randall followed behind in a car with the rest of the security.

Ignacio rolled up the partition and turned to Delta. He held her hand. “Are you okay?”

She swallowed and turned hollowed-out eyes on him. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she whispered in a tremulous voice.

“I’m not apologizing.”

“I don’t want you to apologize, you just shouldn’t have done that. He’s going to retaliate, Ignacio.”

“There is nothing he can do to you,” he said confidently.

Slowly, she shook her head. “You’re wrong, and I’m talking about you. Do you really think he’s going to let you get away with knocking him down in front of a bunch of people? Cameras were flashing, and everyone saw. He’s going to get his revenge on you—and me.” Her eyes were wide and terrified.

“I won’t let him hurt you,” he promised, but he didn’t think she believed him.

“How did you know?” she asked. “I never told you his name.”

“I had enough information based on what you said, and… you became different when he approached.” He kissed her hand. “Mi amor, he can’t hurt you or me. I won’t let him.”

She trailed a hand down his jaw, and a sad smile touched her lips. He wished he had hit Leo again.

“Why didn’t you tell your parents? There must have been other times during the years when you ran into him, and they probably didn’t understand when your behavior changed.”

She lowered her gaze to her lap.

“You have to be willing to accept help,mi amor. You can’t do everything on your own.”

“Believe me, I do accept help—when it’s offered.”

The sadness in her eyes called out to him, and then he read the truth and cold disbelief enveloped him.

“They knew,” he whispered.

Slowly, she nodded, and her bottom lip trembled.

Ignacio muttered a curse and squeezed her hand. “Delta…”

“They left me with him,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “It was the price we had to pay?—”

“We?” he growled in a low voice, his eyes boring into her in disbelief. “You were the one who suffered. Not them.Youpaid the price, and they reaped the reward.”

He muttered another expletive and tightened his jaw, wanting to dispel the truth but knowing it wasn’t uncommon for parents and guardians to “sacrifice” their children for money and fame.

Delta rested her head on his shoulder, and he closed his arms in a protective circle around her.

Bile rose in his throat at the thought of her, only sixteen years old, being left alone with Leo Fucking Hargrove and then having to work with him on an album after the fact. All with the full knowledge of her parents.

He’d never been so angry.

Then he thought about Eddie J. What kind of father would allow such a heinous crime to be committed against his daughter?

Fucking scum.

Ignacio had never wanted to kill anyone more in his life.

Chapter Twenty-Four

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