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“No,” Cruz shakes his head. “When he got home from Allison’s this morning we told him that Cal flew into a fit of rage when Jake and I confronted him about using steroids this summer. It’s not a total lie. He did knock the shit out of me, as evidenced by my face, and he is hooked. The fact he told us all that he did when we promised him a dose, is proof enough. Marcus just doesn’t know how Cal’s using steroids this summer began, or how the fight between usreallycame to be.”
I shake my head and look down, the memory of Cal standing over me, making me shudder. I can’t imagine what it must have done to Cruz to see that, or what he must have thought.
He tips my chin up and tears fill my eyes. “I know your heart, Ellie. I know you would never hurt me. But when I saw what Cal was about to do, knowing that you were mine…I won’t lie. I wanted to kill him.”
Fresh tears leak from my eyes, and he wipes them away, then kisses my forehead.
I swallow down the thickness of my tears and take a breath before asking my next question. “If Royce was giving Cal steroids, do you think he got them from his father?”
“Probably.” Cruz grabs my hand and rubs his thumb over the top, knowing what that means. His dad was the one to give them to mine. Possibly even injected him with a lethal dose that night he died.
“Why?” I can’t help but ask. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
Cruz shrugs. “Who knows what they were up to and why.”
I can’t help but agree. There are puzzle pieces scattered all around, but they’re not fitting together just yet. “Do you think Cal knows anything?”
“No,” Cruz shakes his head. “His agreement with Royce wasabout coming between me and you. Outside that, he seems pretty clueless. He doesn’t even remember what happened last night. He was knocked out when Royce was shot. He has no idea he’s dead. He believes what we told him—Royce ran off, and we haven’t seen him since. I wish Cal had more answers, but it’s probably for the best that he doesn’t.”
I nod and agree. “The fewer who know, the better.”
“You know,” Cruz says when we both grow quiet. “All this time, I thought Elmhurst was just a group of rich families, protecting their kids so they could prosper, while grinding others under their heels. But given what we know now about Royce and those missing girls, and what his father did to yours, something tells me we’ve only scratched the surface.”
Cruz is right. The families of Elmhurst were a power circle that protected their young in the name of wealth and society. But apparently, they were also the keeper of secrets. At least, one big enough to ruin my father’s life and try to take mine.
“Whatever secret my father was keeping was big. Big enough for him to promise me to Royce, and for Royce to believe he not only owned me but was going to be my husband and the father of my children.”
Cruz tightens his hold, and every muscle tightens. “The only husband you will ever have is me. I will be the father of your children. I am your future. No one else.”
My lower lip trembles, and fresh tears prick my eyes as I throw my arms around his neck. “Don’t ever leave me.”
“Baby,” he smiles, “you’re stuck with me, for life and longer.”
I crawl into his lap and bury his face in my neck. “He killed my father,” I whisper. “My father’s best friend betrayed him and I am going to find out why so I can make him pay.”
“We’ll find out,” Cruz tightens his hold. “I promise you we will dig until we get all the answers. But before we do, there’s one thing I need to do.”
I draw in a breath and let it out slowly. “And that is?”
He kisses my neck and brings his mouth close to my ear, warm breath sending heat through me. “I need to ask my stepmom if I can date her daughter.”
I laugh gently into his neck and tighten my own hold. “Cruz?”
“Mm-hmm,” he murmurs with a laugh.
“I’m not broken, so don’t treat me like I am, okay?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” With one hand on the back of my neck, and the other on my hip, he lays down on his back, and pulls me to his chest. “But for right now, all I need is this. You and me. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Laying with my head on his chest, I close my eyes and listen to his heartbeat steadily beneath me.
When Cruz said he was all in, who we were ended, and who we were meant to be, began. Together we were fire and magic and a future of unlimited possibilities. But right now, the world has stopped for a bit, and that’s okay…because I know when it starts turning again, he will be right where he is now. With me.
***
When I hear Momma and Antonio pull up the drive, I push up from where I’m lying with Cruz on the couch and look toward the foyer.
“Hey,” he grabs my hand and holds it to his chest. “It’s going to be okay. You and me, remember?”
