“You can run, Ro, but you’ll never make away from me. Get in the car.”
I turned to see Raf hauling Roger over his shoulder toward the boot of the car. He opened it, and threw Roger in, like he was yesterday’s trash, before he moved back inside and retrieved Bry. Both men passed out cold.
“In the car, Ro.”
He slammed the boot shut, and moved to the driver’s side and got in. I moved over to the passenger side, and got in as well. We sat there for a while. I wasn’t even sure why neither of us spoke, but I could feel whatever was coming next was going to change everything.
“You ordered them to hurt me. Was the debt even real?”
It took him a moment to respond, and the only reaction I got was a tic in his jaw. “Ask me my full name, Ro.”
“What?”
“Do it.”
I sighed. “What’s your full name, Raf?”
“Rafael Bianchi.”
The name registered and I felt the gasp leave my throat. Bianchi, the name of my biological father.
“Who are you?”
“Your brother, as it turns out.”
“Did you know all this time?”
He shook his head. “I found out a few weeks before the moment in your apartment, truthfully.”
“You let your own sister get beaten to a pulp and almost die?”
“I stopped them before they could do that,” he shot out, his eyes moving to mine. “I just needed you to be scared enough that you would seek help.”
“Did Trey ever have a debt with the Ironborne?”
Raf sighed but shook his head. “No. He was too drugged up to know the difference. I needed you to seek shelter somewhere ourfather never would have looked for you. I knew Trey, and I knew who his dad was, and I also knew you had nowhere else to go.”
The pain slashed across my chest, both at his revelations and the pain of him using the one weakness I had. My inability to have a safe haven, so I had to seek one out.
“Why? Why is knowing my father so bad?”
“He’s not a good guy,” Raf explained, as if that was answer enough.
“Are you a good guy, Raf?” I spat, anger taking root somewhere deep inside of me.
“No,” he said, softer this time. “I’m not. But I’m damn sure not like that bastard. He would have used you as a pawn, married you to someone high in the Ironborne for a seat at the table. I never would want that for you.”
“This is the twenty-first century, Raf, I am my own woman. I make my own choices.”
“Not in the Ironborne, you don’t. They live by old creeds. I see the way the wives are treated, and I don’t want that for you. Mannix is bringing in change, but it won’t be in time to save you if he got his clutches on you. I expected the Sons to take you in, because that’s who they are, but I never expected you to fall in love with the fucking President.”
“You pushed me there.”
“And you opened your legs for him.”
I slapped him so hard, I felt my palm erupt in pain, but I didn’t stop. I slapped him again, tears rolling down my cheeks.
“I’m sorry I said that,” he told me. “He obviously cares a lot about you. Do you love him too?”
