Page 163 of Between Secrets and Obsession

I take my phone and start tapping.

“Wait! Wait, please!” She reaches for my cell, but I retreat so she can’t grab it. Victoria stays silent as if she’s trying to buy time, but my patience is wearing thin. It seems she needs a reminder of what she’s done.

Shoving my phone in my front pocket, I steeple my fingers. “Let’s go down memory lane, shall we? You start fucking Mickey DeFranco. Damn, he must be good because you kept going back for more. Although you told me months ago you don’t do relationships, I’m thinking you have real feelings for him. You know it’s wrong to be with him, so of course it has to be a secret. No one can ever find out. But…oopsies. You fall pregnant. Now what? You’re Catholic, so abortion is out of the question. However, getting hitched without a big church ceremony wouldbe more forgivable, but who’s gonna be the lucky bastard to walk down the aisle with you?”

I snap my fingers.

“JJ’s gambling buddy. He owes the family a shit ton of money, so saving my life and my debt being forgiven means I now owe you big time. I’m desperate and thankful to be alive, so I take your six-month agreement and become your husband. If only that was the actual deal you stuck to.

“You knew the only way for me to believe you’re pregnant is for us to have sex so you coerced me into it, knowing my hands were tied due to your threats of hurting my friends or telling your father. If he found out our marriage was a sham, he’d kill me instantly, so I had no choice. So that brings me to the moment you arrive at my house two weeks ago with my father and announce you’re having twins!”

I flash an unhinged smile at her.

“You have me followed, ruin the only relationship I’ve ever wanted, then fucking kidnap the woman I love. So please, Victoria, tell me how I should have any fucking sympathy foryou…”

“You won’t hurt me,” she states confidently. “You’re a lot of things, but you’re not a monster who’d hurt a pregnant woman.”

I see red at her challenge, as if I’m weak and should buy into her pity party. She’s trying to use reverse psychology on me, and it’s not gonna work. I stalk toward her until her back presses against the glass balcony doors, then lower my face to hers.

“You’re absolutely fuckin’ right. I’m not like you or your family, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have you thrown off this balcony. I’ll make sure it looks like a goddamn suicide. After all, you did betray your family and you’d rather die than face your father. Right,honey?” I mock in a snarky tone. “You wanna play this fucking game with me?”

Victoria swallows hard, and it’s the first time since we’ve met that I see real fear in her eyes. The last thing I want to do is hurt her, but scaring her into releasing me is the only option I have left. She has to believe I’ll send the evidence to her father, and since it’s my only weapon, I’m using it to my maximum potential.

“Fine,” she says softly.

I tilt my head. “What was that?”

She groans, narrowing her eyes at me. “I saidfine!”

Slowly, I reveal a satisfied grin. “Good. I’m glad you finally came to your senses. I really didn’t want to have to go to plan B.” I wink, which makes her glare at me harder.

“What was plan B?”

I’m so fired up with adrenaline rushing through my blood, I don’t think twice about grabbing the gun out of my waistband, taking the silencer out of my back pocket, and twisting it to the barrel. Then in one swift movement, I point it at her head and undo the safety.

She inhales sharply with a gasp, shock and horror written all over her face.

“As I said, I’m so happy we came to an agreement.”

“Youarea monster,” she says.

“Guess I learned it from the best.” Then I lower my weapon and shove it back into my jeans. “And, Victoria, if you do try anything, I know where your little boy toy lives.”

“You’re cruel,” she spits after I walk toward the bed. “Maddie was never in danger. She was at a luxurious cabin with cable, food, a gym, and a hot tub. I didn’t touch a hair on her.”

“You did the second you blackmailed her into leaving me,” I snap. “And I’m gonna be watching you until the second our divorce is finalized. In fact, you better look over your shoulder for the rest of your life because trust me, I have no problem giving your father that info. He might be able to accept that hisgrandchildren are DeFrancos, but he’ll never forgive you, and he won’t spare Mickey’s life.

“So from this moment on, you stay in line. You mess with me or anyone I love, and he’ll find out. I’m not the only one who has copies. You have one week to get our divorce papers drawn up and signed. Got it?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

MADDIE

Ever since Liamconfirmed he got the computer, I’ve barely breathed as we wait for the news that he’s confronted her. Not knowing what’s being said or how Victoria’s reacting fuels my anxiety. Liam can take care of himself, but she’s a fucking psycho.

What if she lets him leave but then retaliates ten times harder? She has an abundance of resources and money and could end all of us with a snap of her fingers.

From the phone conversation with Liam and what Tyler has told me, there’s enough evidence of her affair that would shun her from the family. But will it be enough for her to let Liam go and give him a divorce? I can’t help but feel like no matter what he does or says, it’ll never be over.