“Yeah? And how would you know what I was like before Nico entered my life? How can you possibly tell that I crawled out of that pitch-dark cave and started breathing the moment you drove me away from that fucking church?” I was scared... and angry.
I needed to let it out. If I didn’t, I would have gone insane. And I decided Max was the best choice to do it on.
“Because, for years, I have been reading the texts you sent me,” he roared. “For years, I read the confessions of a woman who couldn’t find a way out! For fucking years I longed for those same texts! And for years, I could tell you were disappearing. Not physically, but I knew someone was breaking your spirit. And then you said in one of those texts that kept me sane that he was fucking hitting you. And there was not a goddamned thing I could do about it!” my mouth dropped open. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. He carried on. “Can you believe it? I’m a thirty-six-year-old man, and I pined over a woman I never laid eyes on in my life.”
I was staring at him. I couldn’t breathe. He stared back at me. Only his breath was harsh. Until his shoulders sagged, and he said something that would change my life forever.
“Then, one day, you reached out. You asked for help.” He shook his head like he couldn’t believe what he was saying. “And, fuck me, I fell the moment I saw you running in your wedding dress. I fell in love with you even before I spoke one word to you.”
“Whoa,” Melanie muttered beside us.
I forgot she was even there.
“Now, that’s what I call admitting your truth,” a familiar voice spoke behind us.
I turned, and my insides froze. There just barely in the door stood Vinny.
Chapter Nine
Skylar
I reached behind me, not looking away from Vinny and grabbed Max’s hand.
“Max, we gotta go,” I said urgently.
If Vinny was here, that meant that Nico was not far behind. He liked to play with me sometimes. Sending his men to play a big bully was his preferred pastime.
“Max, please, let’s go,” I pulled on his hand, but he didn’t move. “You don’t understand if he’s here.” I indicated to Vinny with my head. “It means that Nico is not far behind.”
“Relax,” Max said, not budging no matter how hard I pulled on his hand.
He also didn’t look away from Vinny.
“You didn’t tell her?” Vinny asked.
Tell me what?
“I said to give me twenty,” Max drawled. “You decided to come in ten.”
“And I’m so glad that I did,” Vinny smiled a sly smile. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t hear your heartfelt speech.”
“You two know each other?” I stopped trying to run away. I didn’t get what was going on.
How did they know each other?
“Better explain some things and do it fast,” Max ordered.
I thought that was an excellent idea. I really wanted to know some things. Especially, how did those two know each other and why we weren’t going away.
“She’s ready to bolt,” Max finished.
“Fine,” Vinny sighed.
He walked into the living room, sat on the couch, and gave Melanie a killer smile. Whoa. Vinny was handsome. And judging by the dreamy look that stole over Melanie’s face, she thought so too. She looked at me, and we shared a confused look.
“Skylar, I’m not here to hurt you,” Vinny began. He was looking up at me from the couch, and I realized he was sitting so he could be lower than me, to put me at ease. “And I promise, Nico is not on his way here. Even if he were, he would not be able to enter the premises.”
“Why should I believe you?” I asked, inching away from him and towards the door.
Vinny reached into his pocket and pulled out something that looked like a wallet. He leaned over and offered it to me.
“My name is not Vinny,” he said as I took the wallet thingy from him. “My name is Chace Ryan, and I’m a DEA agent. For the last three years, I was working undercover, trying to infiltrate and gather as much evidence on Nico Barone and all his associates on dealing, retiring, and human trafficking.”
I opened the black leather, and sure enough, there was Vinny’s, or I should say Chace’s picture confirming what he was saying.
“I’m also that bastard’s brother,” he lifted his chin to Max.
“What?” Melanie asked a million-dollar question.
Chace looked at her and flashed his smile only this time he added a wink. Melanie flushed.
“Yup,” he said. “I’m Max’s baby brother.”
“You are a baby,” Max deadpanned.
"Take that back," Chace gasped and put his palm on his broad chest. He was acting like a southern bell who was deeply offended.
"It's the truth," Max shrugged.
If I had any doubts that what Chace was saying was the truth, I didn't have any now. Only brothers could banter like that. I relaxed; Max sensed it and pulled me into his body and wrapped his arm around my waist. Chace watched us with great interest, and when he saw that I was looking at him, he winked. Then in a flash, his good mood disappeared, and I was reminded of why I was scared of Vinny. His face clouded over, a frown pulled his mouth down, and his eyes became troubled.
He looked into my eyes and rasped, "I'm so sorry, Skylar. I'm sorry for not telling you who I was. And I'm sorry for not getting you out of there sooner. What you did, walking away that day, took a lot of courage. Even if you didn't know what Nico was doing." He looked away and swallowed. "I'm especially sorry for not capturing him tonight and ending this nightmare. I promise you; we'll find him."
"It's okay," I whispered.
It wasn't okay.
I was scared.
I was hurt.
I was confused.
But I understood.
And seeing remorse washing over Chace in waves, I knew what he said was true. He will find him. And he will end it. Not only for me. He lost three years of his life on a case that still didn't end.
"I should have done something," he kept talking. Each word hitting me deeply. "I should have found a way to get you out of there. I should have-"
"Stop,” I tried to go to him, but Max refused to let me go.
I looked over my shoulder and into Max’s face was a mix of thunder and sorrow. I found his wrist and shook it lightly. He looked down, flicked his eyes to Chace, and shook his head. With no other choice, I leaned over Max’s arm to try to get as close as possible to Chace.