Page 38 of Cruel Secrets

I eye Royce as he winces, his hand drifting to his thigh. “You should’ve stayed in the car.”

He ignores me, taking the driver’s side while Skyla gets out and jogs over to another waiting car.

I take Bianca out of the carrier, settling her into the car seat already waiting for her.

The car shoots forward as people start shouting in the distance.

I finish getting Bianca settled before climbing between the seats and dropping down into the one beside Royce. “How did you know I was going to be leaving tonight?”

“Skyla mentioned you earlier. She said that she ran into you.” Royce’s knuckles are white on the wheel. “Figured I should come get you.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “I’m sorry I left you alone. I told Skyla as soon as I could, but I couldn’t disobey Jace.”

“You thought you were doing what was best for Bianca.” His tone is tight as he looks over me, his gaze wary as we roll up to a red light.

“How is the leg doing?”

His broad shoulders shrug. “It’s as fine as a leg with a bullet wound can be.”

I sigh, combing my fingers through my hair, pulling it back into a low bun with the elastic on my wrist. “Are you sure that you should be driving right now? I could drive.”

“Gia, just stop. You did what you had to. I don’t want you to worry about me like I matter to you, alright?”

There is a sharp edge to the words that cut me down a little, making me feel worse. A foul taste rises in the back of my mouth, my pulse racing. I stare at him before looking away, not sure what to say to him.

How would I have told Bianca that I was the reason her father died?

I swallow hard. “I do care about you. It’s just—it’s difficult.”

Royce’s jaw clenches as he heads for a back road out of the city. “Why did you sneak out tonight?”

“I knew that you would protect Bianca, and I couldn’t say the same about Noah.”

“Why not? As far as he knows, she’s not connected to me.”

“Jace suspects something, I think.”

With a groan, he pulls out his phone and shoves it at me. “Text Skyla and tell her to go to plan two.”

I do as he says, thumbs flying over the screen before I send the message. He takes the phone back and slides it into the console, running a hand down his beard.

“This is going to have to look like a kidnapping again.” He glances at me before his attention turns back to the road, knuckles while on the leather wheel. “Skyla is going to circle back to make it look like we took you and Bianca. She’ll cover your tracks.”

Guilt eats at me. Without hesitation, he and his sister are willing to put themselves in danger to protect me. Zoe was angry I kept money hidden.

Am I on the right side of this war?

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No, we do.” He barely looks at me as he speaks, the lights of the city fading behind us as he heads back out into the country. “It’s going to look like a kidnapping, and this time you’re not going to be allowed to leave.”

I take a shuddering breath, glancing in the mirror at Bianca as she falls asleep. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep Bianca safe—even if it means making an enemy of my brother.”

“Good,” he says as he turns onto a road I don’t recognize. “Because you’re going to have to.”

CHAPTERTWELVE

ROYCE

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