Angelo’s brow creased, and he stepped closer. His arm circled around me, and his hand rested ever so gently on the swell of my bump. “Would it really be so bad? For us to be together? To raise a child just like we planned to all those years ago? We could be happy, Bella…”
For a moment, I slipped. I slipped into the fantasy that I always used to dream of as a stupid teenager in love with two boys. Two best friends. But look how that had all ended, with me standing here eight—nearly nine—years later, heartbroken, trapped, and splattered in blood.
“Why did you kill him?” I asked, changing the subject and trying to ignore my disappointment when Angelo’s hand fell away from my body and he moved to give me space.
He pulled another paper towel, handing it to me as I tossed the one I’d been using into the trash.
“Because that’s my job,” he muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Giovanni didn’t start with Big Noise because of Bellerose; in fact, I think he’d rather I had nothing to do with them. He started here because several execs on the board have ties to the Wilson family.”
He watched me carefully as he said this, waiting for me to ask who the Wilsons were. I just pursed my lips and finished cleaning the blood from my neck.
“So, you just kill them all?” I asked when he said nothing more.
Angelo shrugged. “Pretty much.” There was a long pause within which I just stared blankly at my own reflection. Then Angelo sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. The movement shifted his suit jacket, drawing my attention to the gun holstered at his hip. Fucking hell, when had my Angel become a killer? Or had he always been this way and I’d been too dumb and blind to see it?
“Come on, I’ll take you back to the hotel,” he said, opening the restroom door for me and waiting expectantly.
I started to exit, then hesitated and frowned. “What about—”
“I have people,” he admitted with a grimace. “It’ll be handled by a cleaner. We should go.”
Nodding, I walked with him down the corridor—away from the blood-soaked conference room—and tried to make peace with my new reality. Like it or not, I was now an accomplice to murder.
A deep shiver ran through me as I got into the elevator, and without meaning to, I moved away from Angelo. He scared me, and that in and of itself broke my heart. Once upon a time, I’d trusted him enough to lean on his support after I told my parents I was pregnant at sixteen. I’d trusted him enough that we’d started planning a future together. Him, me, and the baby.
But then I’d lost my parents, lost the baby, and eventually, I’d lost Angel too… And all this was after losing Jace. Was it really any surprise I’d ended up spiraling to the point I was at when Rhett had saved me?
The Big Noise building was nearly empty since the sun had barely even risen for the day, so there were no familiar musicians lurking around. Thank fuck for small mercies.
“You won’t run into them here,” Angelo murmured as we crossed the foyer, like he could read my mind. “Bellerose, I mean. I should have told you sooner; I’m not that fucking cruel.”
I bit back all the questions clamoring in my mind and played dumb. “Why would that be cruel?” I asked quietly.
Angelo gave a small, cold laugh. “I’m not an idiot, Bella. You and Jace reconnected. I’m shocked it took this long andthesecircumstances, but it wasn’t exactly unexpected.”
I nearly tripped in my confusion, then started laughing. A lot. So much that I soon began to hiccup. Okay, there was a good chance that was shock from seeing a guy get shot finally setting in. Regardless, though, Angelo just waited while I dissolved from laughing into crying, then he dragged me into a forceful hug.
“I didn’t reconnect with Jace, you deadshit,” I mumbled between sobs—because tears were now streaming from my eyes. “I was with Rhett… and Grayson. Jace still hated me, and I can almost guarantee he’d happily run me over with a truck if he saw me now.”
Angelo didn’t say anything for a while, just rubbed my back while my crying subsided. Then he gave a small chuckle. “RhettandGrayson? You always did love being the meat in a man sandwich, huh?”
His tone was teasing, not judgmental at all, but it reminded me of the past. My cheeks flamed hot, and I pushed out of his embrace. “None of your fucking business, Angel. Can we just go?”
“Sure thing, Bella.” He led the way out to our waiting car, driven by one of themanyRicci goons.
Neither of us spoke for the whole drive back to our downtown-Naples hotel, and by the time we got to the room, my eyes ached. It was barely eight in the morning, and I was already exhausted.
“Is this how it’s going to be?” I asked, glancing around the impressive suite. “You’re just here to kill people that aresuspectedof being Wilson affiliates?”
Angelo didn’t respond immediately, taking his time to empty his pockets onto the dining table and unstrap his gun. He didn’t take the clip out or anything like normal people might do to make itsafe, but I guess that was just part of his life. He was never safe, as the Ricci heir.
“No, it won’t be,” he finally said. “But… things happen. People get shot. I can’t apologize for that, Bella. It just is what it is.”
I nodded, taking in his honesty and choking back the wave of fear that reminded me he was a stranger now.
“How many people have you killed?” I croaked, somehowneedingto know.
He arched a brow, then shook his head slowly. “Sweetheart… you don’t want me to answer that question. Go take a shower, then take the day to rest. I’ll ensure no one disturbs you here so you can relax.”
