Page 49 of Burning Bridges

I cup her face, trying to bring her back to me. “Piper, you can tell me anything.”

She lets out a labored sigh, but her eyes don’t return to mine. She’s quiet for a long time, caught up in her own head. “My father was in a meeting with Cory King in our den. He brought Kylo and his younger brother Liam along to sit in on the conversation between them. But Kylo must have gotten bored and came looking for me instead. I was upstairs asleep in my bed,” she sniffles. “He forced himself on me, saying something about it being his birthright as a King to have me before I was married off to Axel.”

I place my hand on her back, trying to encourage her to go on, even though what she is telling me makes me feel sick to the stomach. A new kind of rage is building inside of me. I knew she didn’t like him, but this is… this he will pay for with his life.

“He reeked of alcohol from an evening of drinking, and when I tried to fight him off, he got violent with me. He’s twice my size, even back then he was, and there was nothing I could do,” she whispers through her tears.

“I’m going to kill him. I’m going to fucking string him up by his insides for the whole town to watch the piece of shit get pecked apart by birds,” I tell her, knowing how little it means now when it’s too late. It never should have happened to her in the first place. If she were with me where she belonged, there is no way it ever would have.

Her eyes slowly rise to meet mine. She looks embarrassed, but she shouldn’t, this isn’t her fault. “I’ve never told anyone else about this, not even Axel. The only one who knew was Tony. He worked out Kylo was missing from the meeting and came to rescue me.”

“He was too fucking late, though, wasn’t he?”

She nods sadly.

“How could this happen to you in your own home? Your parents were supposed to be there protecting you, not letting the lowlife scum of the town run free,” I demand, not understanding.

“My parents weren’t really the loving, protecting type. My mother was probably off with Axel’s dad, and my father was working like he always was. They didn’t care about me. After it happened, my father was furious with me for stalling his business deal. To this day, I don’t know whether Tony told him the full story or not, but either way, he didn’t give a shit about me. The kind of realization that no seventeen-year-old wants to come to, but it was true. I agreed to marry Axel not long after just so I could get out of that house. He might not have been the man of my dreams or anything, but I was safe with him. My father couldn’t do more damage.”

Her marrying Axel finally makes sense to me. I knew all along that he wasn’t the man she was in love with, and I never understood why she went along with the marriage just because her parents were encouraging it. But now I get it—he offered her security. She still cares about him now because he was that man for her. The one to take her away from her dangerous family.

“I’m sorry for everything you have gone through, Piper. I should have been there to protect you.”

“Leo, you had your own family you were trying to take care of. I was not your responsibility.”

I run a hand through my hair, feeling like I’m about to lose control. I haven’t been this angry in a long time. If I had known all this before tonight, Kylo would already be dead. I knew something was wrong as soon as he walked in. Every fucking person in the place wasn’t happy about his presence, but hers was a look of fear, and now I know why. It all makes sense.

“I had no idea when I agreed to that dinner it was going to be with him. There is no way I would have gone if I did.”

She’s telling me the truth, I can tell. “Who are you working for?” I demand, sick of this game. Neither of us can win like this. I need her to be honest with me and admit she is working for her brother so I can help her.

She looks at me, lost for words. A scared little girl who so desperately needs help, but something is stopping her from asking for it.

“Let me help you, Piper,” I cry, not knowing what else to say to convince her.

“I’m sorry, Leo, but I can’t.” Another tear slips down her cheek.

“Yes, you can. Last time I offered you help, you walked away from me. You chose to go back to a living hell over coming with me. And look what happened to you. This time I’m not letting you make the choice. I’m taking care of you. From now on, you are under my watch here in this house,” I demand, not taking no for an answer after what I just heard.

“I can’t just come and live here with you and your brothers. I have Hannah. And…”

“No more excuses. You asked me to save you. Don’t you see how much trouble you’re in? Hasn’t what happened tonight taught you anything? Whoever you’re working for doesn’t give a shit about you. If they did, they wouldn’t have put you in that situation in the first place. You and Hannah will come and live here, and I will take care of you.”

She shakes her head. “I was feeling weak and vulnerable, but Leo…”

“I’m in love with you, Piper. I can’t let you walk away from me tonight knowing what’s going to happen to you if I do,” I admit, not able to stop the words falling from my lips.

She flicks her eyes back to me. She’s so sad. “You weren’t supposed to fall in love with me.”

“But I did.”

She wraps her hand around the back of my neck, her glassy eyes looking deep into mine. “I love you too. I always have.” Her lips meet mine, and she kisses me with a desperation I feel right through my body. She loves me. “I need you.” She kisses me again. “I need you to save me from this life I was born into. I can’t do it anymore.” Her body trembles, and I hold her close.

“I’m here for you, Princess, you're safe with me. I won’t ever let anything happen to you again,” I assure her, knowing in my heart I will do everything in my power to keep my word.

“It’s Tony,” she whispers.

I glance back at her, surprised she's telling me the truth. My admission of how I really feel was all it took for her to see how I really am and open up to me.

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