Page 34

“No one. I wanted it to happen, but…”

It. Whatit? But I knew even if my mind rejectedit. I struggled for composure. A volcanic rage misfired inside me. A faulty trigger. I inhaled sharply, exhaled, and then put my hands on her shoulders in a painstakingly measured effort to draw her away and look her in the eye. “Was it consensual or not?”

“Can we go, please?”

She was evading, but I had my answer. That sorry-ass was never gonna stick his dick into another woman again.

“Where is he?” I demanded.

“Sandro!” she shrieked, almost hysterical. “Can we leave?” Every cord of muscle running through me wanted to hunt that fucker down. I would go house to house if only Bianca gave me a name, but she was clinging to me like I was a lifeline and she was drowning. I had to take care of her first.

“All right, all right.” I was gonna figure this shit out later.

I scooped her up and carried her to the vehicle. When I set her down to open the door, I noticed a dark streak on my right forearm.

Blood from the back of her thighs.

I couldn’t breathe and the words came out flat. “You’re bleeding.”

“Virgin,” she mumbled.

My chest cracked wide open when it really hit me. Bianca was no longer a girl, but a young woman. How did this happen? There was anger at myself for not watching over her and being more present in her life. I knew she went out on group dates. Her older brothers were overprotective, but what the fuck happened?

I asked her if she wanted to go to the hospital and she said no and said if I asked her again, I could drop her off at the corner.

As if I would.

I didn’t know how we got back to the condo. I’d been on autopilot. I asked her once more if the fucker forced her, but she insisted it was consensual. That was when I called Griselda because I knew jack shit about how to console a girl who’d just lost her virginity, and from the looks of it, it was an unpleasant experience.

My mental state was far from pleasant. I was murderous. Delirious with rage that I feared I might frighten Bianca with the look on my face. I couldn’t hide it. Someone hurt my Sunlight. I thirsted for their blood, but I didn’t have a fucking name.

“Really, Sandro?” Griselda accused the second I opened the door. “You avoid my calls and you expect me to come runningfor her?” She was not my girlfriend and she should have known better than to complain. And I would have set her straight, shut down her delusions, but I needed her help with Bianca.

“Lower your voice,” I hissed. “Whoever the fucker is that did this to her is going to pay!”

“She was raped?” She turned rigid.

“She denies that’s what happened.”

Griselda relaxed. “It’s unpleasant the first time. That’s normal.”

“Can you check on her? She’s in my room. In the bathroom right now.”

“She has a mom and older brothers.” She pushed past me. “Why did she have to call you?”

“I don’t know.” But I was glad as fuck she did.

We both approached my room, and I rapped on the door. “Are you decent, Bianca?”

“Yes.”

When I opened the door, Bianca stood there wearing the T-shirt I’d given her. She looked so frail and lost right now, I wanted to hug her. But when she saw Griselda, a weird, almost angry expression crossed her face. “What is she doing here?”

“Apparently, Sandro thinks we need some girl talk.”

The mocking in Griselda’s tone made me second-guess bringing her here. Among all my girlfriends, Griselda was the only one Bianca seemed to despise, but short of calling Ava, which Bianca adamantly didn’t want, I was out of options.

“Do you want anything, Bee?” I asked.