Page 36 of Avenging Azalea (California Made Men #2)

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

FAWN

The loose floorboard outside my bedroom door creaked, and I gripped my blanket. Please just keep going, I chanted over and over in my head, knowing that wouldn’t happen. It never did.

The door opened, and a shaft of light cut through my eyelids. I shivered as the shadow of my stepfather fell over me.

“Peanut?”

I stayed silent.

“Wake up, Peanut.”

I hated the nickname he gave me. He’d pat me on the head and call me his little peanut like that was cute, but all it did was reinforce just how small and helpless I was. The bed creaked as he sat down. My heart pounded harder, and my breath stuck in my chest.

He touched my shoulder, giving me a shake.

“I know you’re awake. It’s not nice to lie to me,” Neil said.

“I’m tired,” I mumbled and clutched the blanket tighter.

“Don’t be like that, Peanut. You know how special you are to me.”

He stood, shifting the bed once more. Even with my eyes closed, I could see him as clear as day. The sound of the small package hitting my nightstand and the zipper on his jeans let me know what was coming.

The shaking was uncontrollable, and my bottom lip quivered as I bit back tears. I wanted to believe that there was a world where things like this didn’t happen. That my heart was mine to govern, my body was mine to control, and that my soul wouldn’t be tarnished by his actions forever.

“Your mother will be home in an hour from work,” he said, grabbing the edge of the blanket and pulling it away. I tried to scramble off the bed, but Neil grabbed my bare ankle and dug his fingers into my skin. “Don’t be like that, Peanut, or else…”

The threat was open - ended but I knew what he was saying. Things would get a lot worse for me.

“Please don’t,” I begged as he dragged me toward him, but that never worked either. My body was trapped in a life where my voice was no louder than a mouse, and no matter how I screamed into the dark void, no one cared what I had to say.

“That’s good, Peanut. Now be quiet.”

Sweat dripped down my back as I woke up screaming. The dogs were alert and growling on the bed as they searched for a threat. My door burst open with a bang, and I screamed again, but it was Titus, gun in hand, with Naji right behind him.

Titus looked around, much like my furry guardians, before his eyes met mine.

He gave Naji a subtle nod, signaling all clear, before the guard backed out of the room.

Titus clicked the safety on his gun and set it on my nightstand before settling the dogs.

They curled up into balls, and I felt terrible that I’d probably just scared the crap out of Winston.

Titus sat on the edge of my bed and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” I said.

“It’s okay. I wasn’t sleeping well myself. It’s been a long time since you woke up with a nightmare.”

“Yeah, I thought I’d gotten over those,” I said, only then realizing that he was shirtless.

The tattoos covering Titus’s arms, shoulders, and chest were visible even with just my nightlight to illuminate him. The corded muscles drew my attention despite attempts to look away.

“Do you want to tell me what it was about?”

My eyes finally found his, and I saw the same worry in them now as had been there the first night I’d woken up screaming in his home. Titus had come running, ready to protect me from whatever had attacked me. Then he spent the night in a chair guarding my doorway so that I could fall back to sleep.

Titus could never know the truth of my nightmares.

All I wanted was to forget. The longer I stayed here, the easier it was to believe that I could put Neil, his touch, his voice, his scent, and everything that he did behind me.

But the thought of Titus knowing how deep my damage went made me sick to my stomach.

He cupped my cheek and waited for my response. I’d pushed him away only a few hours ago, and now all I wanted to do was lean into him and never let go. Being here had saved me, but now it was slowly killing me.

“No, I…I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“I wish you would tell me what happened. As hard as it is to talk about, it might make you feel better to get it off your chest.”

“Maybe another time,” I said.

He sighed, but didn’t push. That wasn’t Titus. His hand dropped from my cheek.

“Do you want me to sit with you until you fall asleep?”

My logical brain screamed, “ No .” But the rest of me said, “ Yes .” This was dangerous, and stupid, and all the adjectives that could be conjured to describe this moment, and yet the shaking and the lingering sensation of Neil’s touch had me nodding my head.

“Shift over and I’ll sit beside you,” Titus said.

Sheba reluctantly moved, giving us a disgruntled look as Titus sat on the covers while I tucked myself under his arm. He was warm like a furnace and smelled so good that everything about this moment soothed my senses.

Titus was quiet as he held me. His eyes were closed when I glanced up at this handsome face, but I knew he was still awake. Tears ran down my cheeks as my hand rested on his perfect washboard abs. I’d never seen him work out, but he was as fit as if he spent all day in the gym.

“It wasn’t Cesare,” I said.

Titus tensed but didn’t speak. His silence allowed me to tell him just enough that he understood without knowing everything.

“He and his men only touched me to put me in the cage. My stepfather hurt me. I don’t want to talk about it, but you should know that it wasn’t the Mancinis who did this to me. I should’ve told you that when you first took me in. I…I’m sorry I kept that from you.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Little Bird. Not now, not ever. Thank you for telling me. For trusting me.” His hand tightened on my lower back, pulling me closer to his side.

“I still have to leave,” I said, feeling that the line in the sand needed to be drawn or I’d tumble down the hill all over again.

“I know, but I’ll always be here for you. That will never change. And before you ask, yes, you can take Sheba. I’d never ask you and Winston to leave her behind.”

The tears fell faster as I held him tight. “Thank you.”

Titus kissed the top of my head, and the heaviness of sleep pulled at me. My eyes shut, and I let my mind fantasize that this wasn’t just a one-off. I would never feel guilty about wishing for that particular lie.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“And I love you, Little Bird.”

TITUS

I didn’t sleep. Instead, I stayed awake listening to Fawn breathe while soaking in her touch.

The words she’d said were on repeat in my head.

It hadn’t been Cesare, but her stepfather who hurt her.

Even without specifics, I knew what that meant.

When she first came into my life, vengeance hadn’t been a priority.

She’d needed to feel safe and to heal. I gave her that without adding another layer of trauma.

But now she had confirmed my suspicions, and I had a target.

I would avenge whatever was done to my Little Bird—whether she wanted me to or not.

The sun was just coming up when I slipped silently from Fawn’s bed.

My heart ached like an open wound in my chest as I took a moment to watch her sleep.

Bella woke up and stared at me for a command.

I shook my head, and she settled back down.

Grabbing my gun, I walked out of Fawn’s bedroom and closed the door behind me.

In my office, I grabbed my spare phone from the drawer. The first number on my call list was Wayward. This was probably a stupid move, but there was only one person I knew with a direct line to the Curators.

Walking over to the window, I stared outside and watched my guards walking the grounds as the phone rang.

“Hello, Titus. This is unexpected. What can I do for you,” Dean Henry asked.

“I’m sorry to call so early, but I couldn’t wait any longer. This will most likely paint a giant target on my back, but it’s a risk I have to take.”

“Consider me intrigued,” he said.

“My father tells me that he got a letter from the Curators. Is it legit or is he lying to me?”

“It’s legit,” Paul answered, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. “And you are aware that I cannot discuss any investigations.”

“I am, and I want it on the record that no one in my family, other than my father, had any knowledge of the incident. The Curators may not care or they already know, but I had to say something.”

“I must say I find it fascinating that you are calling to plead your family’s case. Especially considering your upcoming nuptials with Ms. Vilanova. You have put yourself in a precarious position.”

“I was unaware of the threat when I agreed to the contract.”

“But you’re still going through with the marriage?”

“I am. I’m a man of my word. I know nothing of what transpired, but if dissolving the engagement hurts my family in any way, then I’ll never be able to forgive myself. There are too many innocent people relying on me at this point.”

“Very interesting. Alright, Titus, I’ll pass your message along. For what it is worth, I believe that you and your siblings were and are unaware of the details.”

I slumped against the wall. Paul didn’t say they wouldn’t come for us, but it was as close to reassurance as anyone was going to get.

“Thank you, Paul. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. I’ll let you get back to bed.”

He chuckled. “Not to worry, I was already awake.” Apparently, no one slept well last night. “Goodbye, Titus.” The phone clicked dead.

Walking over to my desk, I hit the call button for Naji and then made myself a coffee from the small machine in the corner. He knocked before entering despite knowing it was unnecessary.

“Come in,” I called out.

“Do you need me,” Naji asked, stepping in and closing the door.

“Find out where Fawn’s stepfather is living.

Do whatever you need to do and call in any favors required.

” I turned to face Naji and took a sip of the rich, dark brew.

“I’m going to kill that piece of shit, and anyone else who hurt Fawn.

Get me the information as fast as you can, but this stays between us. Fawn can’t know, at least not yet.”

Naji’s eyes darkened as he nodded.

“You’ve got it,” he said and walked out.

I sat down and thought about the dozens of times over the last three years that Fawn woke up screaming, her body shaking, terror in her eyes, and each one of those memories fueled the rage burning in my chest. Calm and logical only went so far, after that…

I turned into something else entirely, and Neil Carmichael was about to find out what that was.