Angelo was insane. So was Brenda. Fucking insane.
Huffing a deep breath, I raked my fingers through my tangled hair and made my way out of the bedroom. Other than the yelling in the living room, the rest of the house seemed empty. Out the window over the stairwell, I could see some blanketed horses in the field nearby, which was nice.
I could see why Brenda had sent them here. It wassoothingto be in nature. Or I used to think so, anyway. Now I created chaos simply by existing in this space with so many men I’d mistreated. Whether by my own choice or not, the damage was done.
Conversation ground to a halt as I entered the room, and I nervously bit the edge of my lip. Every eye was on me, and I still couldn’t meet anyone’s gaze. Except Angelo’s. He knew what he’d dragged me into, but he also didn’t care.
“If you’ve got something to ask me, Rhett,” I said quietly, “then you can askme.”
The silence between us wassuffocating. Then Rhett pushed his chair back with a loud scrape against the hardwood floor.
“Fuck this,” he snarled. “And fuck you, Billie Bellerose.” He stalked closer, pausing only when he was right beside me, leaning in to make sure there was no mistaking his next words. “Jace was right about you all along. I should have listened to him.”
The pure venom in his voice made my knees weak, but he didn’t stick around for a response. The house shook as he slammed the front door, and I flinched like he’d physically struck me.
In his absence, Grayson and Jace exchanged a long look. Then Gray sighed heavily and rose to his feet.
“I guess I’ll make sure he’s safe,” he muttered in a resigned voice. “Play nice.” That warning was directed at Jace, who ignored him entirely.
Gray shook his head, then crossed over to where I stood frozen near the doorway. I braced myself for more hatred, but instead, he wrapped his arms around me in a gentle hug.
It was unexpected enough that I nearly burst out crying.
“I’m glad you’re safe, Prickles,” he said quietly, “and well. But you owe me a conversation.”
I nodded, not trusting my voice. He was absolutely right; I owed him a whole lot more than just a conversation, but my hands were tied. Especially since Brenda couldn’t confirmwherethe Big Noise surveillance was set up. And now that Angelo’s father had taken control of the company, Big Noise cameras were actually Ricci cameras.
Gray accepted my silence, kissing my cheek before following Rhett out of the house.
“Billie,” Flo said in a weak voice, “could we talk? I need to tell you—”
I shook my head, a flash of ice-cold anger filling me. “No. I have nothing to say to you, Flo.”
Crestfallen, she just accepted it, hanging her head and picking at the frayed tear in her jeans. “That’s fair,” she murmured. Then she got up. “I’ll… just go… um… check on Gray and Rhett.”
She took off before I could realize that meant being left in a room alone with Jace and Angelo for the first time in almost nine years. Fuck.
Jace narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. “Why?”
I looked at his collar, not brave enough to meet his accusing glare. “Why what?”
Jace shook his head, then looked from me to Angelo and back again with a suspicious glint in his eyes. “Why don’t you have anything to say to Flo?”
I wet my lips. He had me there. If I admitted that she’d set me up… let me get abducted and tortured so badly I thought I would actually die… then I’d also be admitting that I hadn’twillinglygone back to Angelo because I was pregnant with his baby.
And we were being watched.
I couldn’t forget that crucial part. No way in hell were those cameras unattended, no matter what they’d assured Brenda.
“She knows why,” I mumbled, keeping it vague, then changing the subject. “Look, before you go ranting about us being here, you should know that it was Brenda’s idea.” Sort of. “So if you want to yell at anyone, it better not be me.”
Jace stared at me for a heavy moment, then flicked his gaze down to my belly. “Is it Rhett’s?”
Fuck. I swallowed and just shook my head. What else could I even say?
Jace’s lips twisted like he was trying to decide if I was lying. Then he sighed. “He won’t believe that without a paternity test.”
“We’ve already done one,” Angelo replied, his eyes on me. “My father required one. I can get a copy if Rhett wants confirmation.”
