“Yes, Jude. You have a sister. It’s why your mother left me. She found out that I’d had a child with Tamara.”
The twins swing their heads my way.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“That’s why you left him?” Ronan asks, his voice cracking with emotion. “Because he had a kid with another woman?”
“I put up with the infidelity for our entire marriage, but the moment I realised he’d had a child with Tamara, I ended it,” I admit, and it’s Jude’s angry glare that practically has me shrinking back in my seat.
“So, for the last couple of years, you’ve kept this secret?” Jude asks, his face dropping with hurt. “Why?”
My heart sinks. I know I should’ve told them, but I honestly thought it was something that should come from their dad. As time passed, it got harder and harder.
“I’d hoped your dad would tell you,” I offer truthfully. “I’m sorry that I didn’t.”
Ronan stands from the table so abruptly that his chair flies back into the wall with a thud.
“I expect that piece of shit to keep secrets because he’s afucking coward. But I never thought in a million years you’d keep something like this from us.”
“Ronnie… I?—”
“No, Mum!” Jude snaps, shoving out of his seat, too. “This isn’t okay. Ronnie is right.”
As hot tears well in my eyes, I watch my two beautiful boys look at each other like they are having a silent conversation, before they turn and leave the room, their steps heavy as they pound up the stairs.
A whimper escapes me, and Alexander scoffs, but before he can say anything, Asher speaks.
“Get the fuck out.”
Alex curls his lip at Asher as he remains in his seat. “You’re the one who should get out, boy. You’re not part of this family.”
It happens before I can stop myself, the beast in me exploding to the surface in a wave of rage. The sharp knife that was sitting on the table next to me flies from my grip, whipping through the air before stabbing into Alexander’s bicep.
He cries out in pain, which seems to douse me like a bucket of iced water, and my eyes go wide at what I just did.
Oh, fuck.
My gaze darts to Asher, who is wide-eyed but fucking grinning as he looks from me to Alex and back again.
“You should work on your aim, so you don’t miss his heart next time,” Asher remarks, and I shake my head, trying not to laugh.
“I missed on purpose. I can’t be bothered dealing with the police today.” I stand from my chair, very aware that my words are dangerously revealing. They are too close to my real self, the version I keep hidden, and I’m worried Asher and Alex will recognise the Crimson Angel in me.
“Y-you stabbed me,” Alex cries, clutching his arm just below the knife, and I roll my eyes as I approach him.
“Stop being dramatic. It’s barely a scratch.” I reach up, grip the handle, and pull the knife free with ease.
The cowardly bitch cries out again like he’s fucking dying.
I wish he was.
“Get the fuck out of my house and never come back here again. You will never ever be welcome here.”
Alex leaps up from the chair, clutching his bloody wound. “You bitches are all crazy. Why the hell I ever got married to you or Tamara is beyond me. Conniving whores, the lot of you.”
“This way, Mr Bennett.” Asher gestures to the front of the house. “Let me show you the fucking door.”
Alexander glares at him but departs quickly before the pounding feet of the twins can be heard coming back down the stairs.
