Page 21 of UnWholly Angels (Crestview Cardinals #1)

Trying to step around him and get to the safety of the bustling restaurant, he put an arm up blocking my path. Whimpering, I stayed in place waiting for him to continue. “Come back, Maya, or they will be shoveling his brains off the ice at intermission.”

I still loved Riley, even if he forgot about me, even if he was happy without me, and I wouldn’t ruin what he seemed to be building for himself. Rocco’s threats were usually half-assed, but right now, his face was serious, dangerous, and hard as stone.

I could feel the tears spring to my eyes as I made the decision that I would regret for the rest of my life. “I’ll never marry you, Rocco. I'd rather be chained up like an animal.”

“Someone like you will never be a wife. You serve the Vitale house. Nothing more, nothing less.” His laugh was haunting as his hand moved to my apron, ripping it off with ease. “Don’t worry about quitting, I've already done that for you. My car is out back.”

When Rocco showed up at the restaurant, he blackmailed me, threatening to take away everything Riley worked so hard for, making him suffer before he ended his life.

It shattered the perfect world I built. I thought I’d escaped when the Whitlocks adopted me.

For once, life was safe, until it wasn’t.

The worst part was pretending everything was okay, having to constantly wear a mask around those closest to me.

To be right in reach of what was most important, knowing I would never have it.

Forced to leave the sanctuary and Chloe to live as a prisoner in his home.

Confined to my room unless told otherwise.

Over time, I’d gained freedom, like seeing my family again.

Chloe would sneak me to the hockey games or take me out to lunch.

I couldn’t ask for help, though. She was deep in her own shit at the time, and I refused to add to it.

Riley was speechless and stared at me with his mouth hanging open. Attempting to read his emotions was too challenging right now. I was tired. “I sacrificed my life so you could have the one you deserved. That you worked so hard for. You have a career, built our home. You even have a cat, a cat!”

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Maya,” he muttered.

My jaw was in pain from how hard I’d been clenching it, and grinding my teeth relieved it for now, as our back and forth continued. “If anyone should feel hatred, it's me. I should hate you as much as you clearly hate me, but I don’t, and it eats at me every day.”

Placing the Rubik’s Cube on the dresser behind him, I clenched my jaw, trying my best to stay quiet.

No, no more. I refused to stay silent a moment longer .

“You could have called. You had no solid proof that I was, without a doubt, dead. You can lie to yourself all you want, but deep down, you were scared, and that’s okay.

But do not stand there and lie to me.” There was nothing left to say, and I refused to stay in the silence.

Was I already ashamed that I felt there was no other way out than to sell myself?

Yes, of course. I’d tried killing myself, and I even failed at that, ending up in a straitjacket, locked up for days.

I didn’t even know where Rocco had me whisked away to, but it wasn’t his home, that was for sure.

Blindfolded most of the time to ensure I was kept in the dark about all of his dirty little secrets.

The only time it was allowed off was to shower and eat with supervision.

Other than that, the blindfold never came off, the gag never came off, and I was forced into silence, forced into submission.

If Riley had just let me explain before, maybe we wouldn’t be here.

“Maya,” he whispered, broken and barely audible as he sucked in a breath. I turned away, heading for the door, when his hand caught my wrist, spinning me back around to face him. “I tried to.”

What?

His eyes were now red and puffy from the tears.

They were falling freely down his face, and my heart sank.

He had taken in a lot of information over the last few weeks, and I needed to remember that he was human too.

His feelings were as valid as mine, and he’d been internalizing a lot of pain. “Nick said his family hired someone.”

“How do you think they ended up dead? Nick’s father knew things he was never meant to, and he paid the price for it.

” I crossed my hands over my chest, never faltering as he took in my words.

Ezra Palmer, Nick’s older brother, helped Rocco take out his own parents for their life insurance policy.

They needed the money to secure the warehouses, clubs, and relationships that would be formed.

I tried to tell Nicholas, but nobody could find him at the time.

Imagine having to die for your assets, being worth more dead than alive.

Maybe today, Nick would still have his parents if his father had been smarter about the confrontation.

“Eventually, I told Nick the whole story, but nobody steps out of line when it comes to the Vitales, especially when it comes to money. They don’t care who they have to use, hurt, or murder to get it. ”

My hand brushed against his cheek, needing to feel him, even in this heated conversation. “This started because you stood up to Rocco when the others were afraid to. The possibility of being overthrown hadn’t crossed his mind until you. Riley, you scared him.”

He rested his hands over mine, lost in thought.

Always the observer, trying to read the room or form his words carefully.

“So, was the auction a front or something? You really need to help me understand here. If it was the right ‘time,’ why couldn’t Nicholas or Chloe just come to me? Why couldn’t you come to me?”

I shrugged my shoulders, unsure of what to say next.

“I swear you have taken too many pucks to the head or something. The auction was Chloe’s idea, but I need you to understand that even if I did know who you were behind the username, I couldn’t exactly ask for help.

Someone was always watching me. I was never safe enough.

The night of the auction, I saw an opening and took the chance.

If not you, it was going to be someone else, maybe an even more dangerous situation.

But I had to try.” Tears welled in my eyes, watching all the emotions flicker across his face.

“I need you, King. Help me end the person who ripped us apart.”

He stayed silent as he pressed his forehead against mine. His ragged breaths blew across my face; every muscle defined as he quivered beneath my touch. We stayed like that for a while, and I was patient while he gathered his thoughts.

Finally, he pulled me into his taut chest and squeezed. Even when I tried to pull away, he muttered something inaudible before slamming me back into his chest.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to see you smile again, Maya, to feel safe and loved. But you have to give me time…please.” His thumb rubbed at my lower back, and for the first time since I got here, warmth spread across my abdomen at the realization that I wasn’t alone.

“Can you stay in here tonight?” he whispered against the top of my head. “I still hate the fucking dark, Maya.”