Page 18

SEVENTEEN

ADMISSION

NICOLETTE

I f I thought that Royce McIntyre was going to let me get away with just giving him a full name and that was it, then I haven’t gotten to know him at all these last few weeks.

And since I have … yeah. I was able to get out of telling him just who I mistook him for the night I whacked him with a frying pan, though I always sensed him prying a little, trying to see if I’d slip up and confess things to him that I’ve spent years holding close to my chest.

I know that that’s what I’ve been doing. It’s not even because of him, either. For nearly half my life, Kieran’s been my problem. My secret. First, because he was the cool, older stepbrother who flattered me with his attention. Then, once he convinced me to enter into a relationship with him, we couldn’t let my friends know. My mother know. I was a mature sixteen-year-old, right? They wouldn’t understand that I was grown enough to date a twenty-one-year-old—but he did.

And when we finally went public after I was ‘legal’ and my mom and Dave were no longer married… that’s when secrets of a whole other sort began.

The things he did to me. The things he made me do to him .

Royce doesn’t demand anything from me. He takes what I give, and gives me even more in return. Starting with the morning after when he made me breakfast, all the date nights we had in because he could sense I didn’t want to go out, until he pushed me past my limits tonight and brought me out of town to enjoy Phantom … he’s been perfect.

And how do I repay him? By hiding Kieran until my ex just so happened to find us in Riverside.

Kieran doesn’t leave Springfield. He certainly doesn’t hang around musical theater venues… but he was here tonight, and he saw Royce—and, more importantly, Royce met him.

Damn it!

Dinner’s out. Obviously. I don’t have any appetite, and Royce’s face tells me that sitting down to a meal is the last thing he wants to do at this moment. He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t have to. He just places his arm over my coat—just about daring me to shake him off again—before guiding me back toward where his car is parked.

Talk about an awkward wait for the valet. Part of me is waiting for Kieran to pop out again, see Royce’s arm slung over my shoulder, and question my ‘he’s my boss’ lie. The other part wants to explain, to apologize, to justify, something , but when I try, Royce shakes his head, murmuring, “We’ll talk in the car.”

The wait is awkward, but it’s not that long. The fifty he slipped the valet to cut the line probably helped, and if any of the other patrons bitched that we got helped first, they shut their traps when Royce’s head shoots over his shoulders, glaring at any whisperers.

He nods at the valet, just about snatching the keys from the kid before striding toward the passenger’s side of the car. As obviously pissed off as Royce is, he doesn’t forget his manners. Holding the door open for me, he stands there and doesn’t move until I take my seat.

I wince and, knowing this is unavoidable, do just that. Royce makes sure I’m tucked inside, shuts the door with more force than probably necessary, and stalks to his side.

I expect him to bombard me with questions about who Kieran is as soon as we drive off. Though I know he wants to do, he plugs in an address to his phone—Paradise Suites, I notice, not my place—and starts down the road.

Five minutes. I make it five minutes in the tense car before I blurt out, “It’s not what you think.”

Royce’s jaw is tight. His eyes are straight ahead, locked on the road, as he says, “Funny that, since I have no fucking idea what I’m supposed to think. Tell me, Nic. That guy… I got his name, yeah, but you never really told me who he was. Is he really your brother? Sorry. Step- brother? Or is he your step-brother the same way I’m your boss?”

I knew from the expression on his face earlier that calling him my boss bothered Royce. And while he is , we both know damn well he’s more than that.

But that’s the thing. I didn’t want Kieran to know that.

“He is my step-brother,” I begin.

He snorts. “Darlin’.”

I flinch.

Royce’s eyes dart over to me. “He’s more than just your step-brother, isn’t he?”

As if my reaction to Kieran’s pet name for me didn’t give it away. “Yes. But… I told you. It’s not what you think.”

“Okay.” Royce pushes a button on the dash, engaging the hazards before coasting over to the side of the road. With the car idling, he shifts so he’s looking at me. “Fine. Then tell me what it is so I know what to think.”

A lump lodges in my throat. I shake my head. “You’ll hate me.”

Royce grips my chin between his fingers, forcing me to meet his baby blues. “Don’t be fucking ridiculous, Nic. There isn’t anything you can tell me that would ever make me hate you.”

I want so badly to believe it. “Kieran is my ex.”

“Ex-stepbrother.”

“No. Ex ex. Like, ex-boyfriend.”

He doesn’t look surprised. “So you dated your step-brother. Is that it? Why is that a problem? You’re not blood-related, right?”

“No. I didn’t even meet him until I was fourteen. That’s when my mom married his dad. Dave. Dave Alfieri. They were together for five years before they divorced when I was nineteen.”

Royce nods. “Okay. And what about the guy? You got together after your parents broke-up?”

Not exactly. “I was with him for eight years. Not that I wanted to be, but because he refused to accept it whenever I tried to break up with him. He…” My voice trails off, but there must be something in my face that tells the true story because Royce’s expression turns murderous.

“He hurt you?”

“Yeah.” Simply put. Yeah. He hurt me in a lot of ways. Emotional. Physical. Sexual… he hurt me. “I was young. He’s got five years on me, and he decided that I was his. And I was… until I left Springfield three years ago in May. I finally got away from him, and I hoped he hadn’t realized I was back when I came to help my mom recover back in August… but, well, it looks like he has.”

And I can only imagine how long he’s been watching me…

Royce’s eyes crease at the corners. I can just about see the gears whirring in his mind as he does the math. “Eight years… what? You hooked up when you were sixteen and he was?—”

“Twenty-one, yup. But Kieran… he only called me his girlfriend once I hit sixteen. He called me his when he first moved into my house.”

“When you were fourteen.”

I nod.

“So he molested you.”

Five years ago, I would’ve denied that’s what he had done. Now?

“I thought he loved me,” is all I say. “I know better now. I cut him out of my life. I haven’t seen him face-to-face since I left Springfield almost three years ago now… until tonight.”

“‘I haven’t given up on you…’ That’s what he said. He thinks you still belong to him.”

I have no other answer to that except for: “Yes.”

Royce gives his head a rough shake. “Fuck that. No. I told you, Nic. You’re not just my lover now. You’re mine. And if that pedo-asshole thinks he has a claim to you? He’ll have to get through me first.”

I want to believe that. For so long, I hoped there was someone out there who might protect me from Kieran, but I learned that the only one I can rely on is myself. To involve anyone else is to put them in the mafia enforcer’s path, and I know that’s a dangerous place to be.

Royce doesn’t.

I try to tell him. I try to confess that one of the reasons Kieran had such complete control over me was because of his status as a member of the Libellula Family.

I never get the chance.

As though Royce has heard everything he needs to, he nods to himself, turns off the hazards, and starts to drive again. And, well, I lose my nerve after that.

Because I saw him inputting his address into the GPS, I’m not surprised when he takes us back to the apartment complex where Royce and a few of the other Sinners live. I haven’t gone inside of the Suites just yet, though I’ve been in the car when he stopped by to grab something from his place.

Tonight? It looks like I’m finally getting the chance to see where Royce lives… and I believe that until he uses a card from his wallet to engage the elevator, taking us all the way up to the penthouse floor.

Part of the reason I kept quiet for the last leg of the drive was because Royce was on his phone, furiously texting. I didn’t have the nerve to point out that texting and driving was a shitty idea, and by the time he’s knocking on the door, nodding at the dark-skinned man opening it up for us, I’m even more confused about what’s going on—until the man at the door says, “Hey, Rolls. Devil’s already headed out. He said he’ll meet you at the Playground.”

“Thanks, Case. You’re gonna keep an eye on the girls?”

“That’s what Devil told me to do.”

Royce checks the watch on his wrist. “Is Ava sleeping?”

“No,” comes a contralto woman’s voice. “Even if my husband wasn’t whisked away by his second before I could take him to bed with me, this kid has decided that kicking me and sending me off to pee every two seconds is their idea of fun.”

“I told you,” Case says as the mysterious Ava steps into the hallway. “That kid of yours is gonna be a football star someday.”

“Football. Soccer. That’s fine. I just can’t handle it being my bladder. It’s like I’m going to piss on myself—and, oh. I didn’t realize Royce was bringing a guest. Is this Nicolette? I’ve been dying to meet Nicolette.”

I look at him. Then I look at Ava and, yup, a couple of different things fall into place for me. Because while the pretty brunette with the stunning green eyes has a petite build, that just means the large belly protruding from her middle is all the more obvious.

She’s pregnant. Very pregnant.

And, somehow, she knows who I am.

“This is Nic,” Royce says, introducing me needlessly. She’d guessed right. “Nic, this is Ava Crewes, Link’s wife.”

Oh.

Oh .

And there goes the last of the puzzle pieces.

Whoops. Looks like I was jealous of Devil’s pregnant wife. Well, at least that’s better than Royce hiding another girlfriend from me… even if I don’t quite understand why he’s brought me to meet her at nine o’clock at night.

And then he kisses me on the forehead. “Stay with Ava. I’ll be back soon.”

“Where are you going?”

“To make sure you’re safe,” is his response. He takes my hand in his, squeezing my fingers, then nods at Case. “I’ll be back for her as soon as I’m done.” Over Case’s shoulder, he adds, “Take care of my girl, Ava.”

“Take care of my husband, Royce and I will.”

He gives her a crooked grin, squeezes my fingers one last time, and then he’s gone.

With one hand on her belly, Ava gestures at me to move further into the very expensive-looking hallway with the other. “Come on in, Nicolette. Case? We’re going to sit in the living room.”

“I’ll watch the door. Don’t worry. No one’s getting past me.”

She beams at the man, but as soon as she gestures for me to follow her into this massive living room with a chandelier attached to the ceiling, and couches I’m afraid I’ll dirty by sitting on, she whispers to me, “Sorry about the bodyguard. That’s all Link. We’re never safer than in the Suites, but he insists, and I’m sure you’ll agree: with these men, it’s just easier to pick your battles.”

I can’t say she isn’t right.

Ava picks a white loveseat to plop down awkwardly on. She pats the cushions next to her. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”

My back goes ramrod straight without even joining her on the couch. “You have?”

“Of course. It’s a big thing when one of the Sinners in the inner circle get a serious girlfriend. Right now, there’s only two wives, me and Jasmine… have you met Jas?”

I shake my head.

“Not surprised. Royce is so head over heels for you, he’s keeping you to himself for now. That’s okay. Once he realizes that the rest of us won’t scare you away, I’m sure he’ll bring you around more. Maybe not when I was getting ready to take my husband to bed… I’m telling you, these pregnancy hormones are no joke… but if you’re half as amazing as Royce tells Link, I’d love a friend.”

You know what? I would, too.

And because I’d like to start this budding friendship on the right foot, I say, “I’m sorry. I don’t even know why Royce brought me here?—”

“Really? He didn’t tell you?”

I shake my head.

“Oh. It’s because he’s meeting my husband at the Playground so they can figure out how to get rid of the creep who thinks you’re his.”

I blink. “What?”

“I know, I know, you probably don’t want me to know about that. I promise, it won’t get past me and Link. Well, Case, too, but he’s not listening. Right, Case?”

“Right, Ava,” he calls back.

My legs are shaky. I’m already not the best in heels, this dress was a much better idea earlier this evening, and I think the shock of seeing Kieran has finally worn off. No surprise when I stumble, then drop down on the couch.

Ava pats my hand. “Don’t worry. All of this organized crime was stuff for me to get used to in the beginning, too. But it gets better.”

Yeah.

I wish I could believe that , too.