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Standing here now, it’s hard to believe that I had a ring in my pocket, waiting for the right moment to propose to her, only to realize that I had never really known her at all.

I was kinder than I should have been back then. Aiden would have told me that much if he had known about her.

It’s time to stop playing nice guy and get down to business.

“Look, I’ve been nice. I’ve been patient. I’m tired of it. You’re either going to cooperate with me, or I’m going to force you out of this apartment and into my car. I would rather our daughter doesn’t spend the night crying.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” There’s an excited note to her voice beneath the defiance. It’s just a hint, but it’s there.

“I’ve had you tied up before, Gia. I have no problem with doing it again, but this time you’re not going to get to ride my face until you come.”

Her jaw drops, face turning a bright shade of red. “I can’t believe you just said that to me.”

“You never had a problem with my mouth before.” I smirk, reaching behind me for the gun tucked into my waistband. “If I were you, I would stop having a problem with it now since we’re going to be spending a lot of time together.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

I pull out the gun and flick off the safety, aiming it at her but keeping clear of Bianca.

Even though I would never be able to bring myself to shoot Gia, she doesn’t need to know that.

Right now, she needs to think there isn’t any room for argument.

She needs to cooperate with me.

“You can either come with me, or Aiden is going to come for you, and when he does, this situation is going to become ten times worse.”

The cold metal gleams in my hand as I stalk forward like a wolf hunting his prey. Gia’s wide eyes lock on me but all I see in them is betrayal.

She took two years from me. She took milestones. Laughter. Seeing my child grow.

Now, she’s going to know what it is to lose her own life. I’m taking it—claiming it as my own—and she didn’t even see it coming.

CHAPTERFOUR

GIA

The steelof the gun pressing against my temple is like ice, chilling me to the bone. Bianca’s warmth keeps me tethered. She is the only one that matters. I clutch her tighter to my chest, taking a step back down the hallway.

There’s no way out. No window. Nowhere to run and no one to help.

The foul taste of fear fills my mouth as my heart thunders. Bianca’s steady beat isn’t enough to calm me. We’re trapped. I glance around for any escape, but there is none. His hulking body keeps us caged in the hall, the warmth from his body feeling like it’s smothering me as he stalks forward again.

My gun is hidden high up in a closet. I won’t be able to get to the safe and keep Bianca plastered to me at the same time.

Royce sighs like standing there and pointing a gun at me is the heaviest burden he’s ever had to bear.

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing, just stop. I have the building surrounded. If you by some miracle manage to get by me, Matt is in the hall, waiting to catch you.”

Scowling, I bounce Bianca, trying to get her to calm down as Royce’s eyes flare with worry. They’re still the same emerald green as Bianca’s, deep and intelligent, making me feel like he can see straight through me.

And maybe he can. There was a time not that long ago when he was the one person in the world who knew the true me.

Or at least, as close to the truth as I was willing to give him at the time.

It may have been wrong, but it doesn’t change how the breakup happened between the two of us.

My lies don’t erase the things he said to me before he left. They don’t erase the fact that he had secrets of his own.