Page 88 of Married to the Devil

The rumors are flying though and the whole mansion’s on edge. Even Byron seems worried. “You don’t know what’s going on, do you?” he whispers furiously when I make a quick stop to the kitchen for a snack later that afternoon. “Everyone’s upset.”

“I have no clue, honestly.”

“They’re being called back to Rafe’s office, one by one—“ He shivers and covers his mouth with his hand.

“You’ll be okay, don’t worry.” I pat his arm and give him a sad smile, because I really have no idea if that’s true.

This isn’t my place. Rafe’s got a second life, and while it sometimes bleeds through and makes me miserable, he tries to keep it contained.

There’s my husband, and there’s the Don.

Rafe leaves the Don behind when he comes to sleep in bed with me.

It goes on like that all day. Even Marnie notices. “Jesus, did your husband start murdering everyone down there or what?”

“I think it’s both Rafe and his brother Kellan.”

Marnie’s eyebrows raise. “He’s got a brother?”

“A few of them, actually, and—“ I swat her arm. “Marnie! They’re hurting people and you’re honestly thirsty for them right now?”

“I mean…” She trails off and shrugs sheepishly. “I haven’t been with anyone since the divorce and if Rafe’s brother is even half as hot as he is⁠—“

“You’re a monster.”

“No, they’re the monsters, and if they fuck half as good as they seem to torture, I’m ready to turn to the dark side.”

Eventually, the stress of the house gets to me. Priya has to go home around six and that leaves me alone with Hattie. I try to distract my daughter by playing movies loudly in the upstairs living area, but that only goes so far.

The whole place is an anxious mess. Everyone’s afraid of what’s going to happen to them when it’s their turn to visit the boss’s office.

Once Hattie’s down for bed, I can’t take it anymore. I storm downstairs, march past the guards, and shove my way into Rafe’s inner sanctum.

I expect a metal chair bolted to the floor, plastic sheeting, bloody instruments of torture⁠—

But instead find Rafe puffing a cigar, his brother Kellan sitting across from him, both of them with their feet up on Rafe’s desk.

“Well, you two look comfortable,” I say, unable to hide my frustration.

Kellan cranes his neck toward me. “Hello, June, wonderful to see you again.” He puffs his cigar and climbs to his feet. “But I’m guessing based on the look on your face that this isn’t going to be a happy conversation.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“In that case—“ He salutes me with two fingers. “You can deal with the big boss directly. I’m done for the evening.”

“Don’t you dare leave me alone,” Rafe calls but Kellan only slips past me, an amused smile on his face.

I shut the door behind him and face my husband’s desk, my hands on my hips.

“What the hell happened to doing this together?” I try to keep the anger from my voice.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Cut the shit. You’ve been in here making grown men scream like scared children all day. Everyone’s talking about it.”

“Are they?” He looks amused. “I don’t know why.”

“It’s got to stop, Rafe.”