What are you doing? Don’t leave.
Stay here and confront them!
She shook her head as her brain yelled at her. She couldn’t stay where she wasn’t wanted.
Angie was never wanted.
No matter where she was. Some people tried . . . but the reality was that she wasn’t lovable. She wasn’t worth keeping.
Jared and North had probably thought they were being kind, keeping her safe, but all it did was make her feel unwanted and rejected.
She’d rather they were honest and tell her how they really felt.
Turning, she ran lightly up the stairs.
Angie knew she’d outstayed her welcome. She was going to leave.
But will you be safe? What if this Beltran was watching? What if he tries to harm you?
Why would he though? It wasn’t like Jared and North truly cared about or wanted her.
Jared sighed. “Reassess?”
“Safety measures. How we present her to the world, to the family. Beltran isn’t your only enemy. And the family might not be too accepting of her.”
“I don’t give a fuck about the family. They’ll accept her and you or they can leave.”
And they’d leave in a cardboard box.
But Jared knew North was right.
“Even with this added threat, she should be safe here. Only Zander and his team know where she is. They won’t tell anyone. And you can ensure her safety. I want you to put it above everything else.”
“Above your safety?” North asked.
“Yes.”
To his relief, North nodded.
“Fuck, I can’t believe that Beltran got to Rex.” Jared shook his head. “I promised to take care of him.”
“You couldn’t have known,” North said.
But that didn’t mean that Jared didn’t feel guilty.
You failed him.
Just like you failed them.
You can’t keep Angie safe.
Fuck. Fuck.
But he needed to. He just had to keep her firmly under wraps. Tightly hidden away.
Beltran needed to die before he took anyone else he cared about from him.
“Have you found Antony yet?” Jared asked to distract himself.
