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“Tell him her name.” Hayes’s demand had rage rippling beneath my skin. Being his puppet was testing my last shred of patience. But until Ellie got me out, I was playing along. Because if I didn’t, then he threatened to keep me locked in his fucking house, which would make it harder for Ellie to get to me.
“Krista,” I forced out through clenched teeth. “Krista Barnes.”
Chris reeled back like someone had slapped him. His reaction had my heart sinking. It was fucking true. He was my father. His eyes darted to Hayes and then back to me, his calculating stare putting me on edge. I might be his daughter, but there would be no love. He’d use me as a pawn like he did everyone else in his life.
“Rhodes,” Chris muttered. “That was Krista’s mother’s maiden name. She gave it to you so I wouldn’t find you.”
“Look at that. You’re figuring it out,” Hayes taunted, grabbing my arm and pulling me beside him. “She looks like Krista too. I didn’t catch it either until I found out. She has her hair. And her smile. Not that I’ve personally seen that. But you can’t deny the pictures, can you?”
Disgust traveled over me, feeling everyone’s eyes as they spoke around me. Hayes’s fingers tightened around my arm in a silent warning to stay where I was. Jace’s face was a mask of shock and fury, his gaze falling to Hayes’s hand. He hadn’t moved a muscle since he’d walked up next to Chris, but I could tell he was barely holding on to his control.
He was going to lose it when Hayes dropped the other truth bomb.
And Hayes would do it. He could have easily made this conversation private with Chris, but he was putting on a show, and it wasn’t even close to being over. I wondered whether Gage was telling the truth about coming here with others. If so, then he and I might actually get out of here alive tonight.
“Give her to me,” Chris demanded, not lowering his gun. “I want to do a blood test.”
“I’m not going with you,” I replied coldly. “Whether it’s true or not, you’re nothing to me.”
Chris’s face flushed with anger at my words, but Hayes spoke up first. “Oh, it’s true. But we can do a blood test if you’d like. Although, she’ll be staying with Grimrose.”
Chris chuckled darkly. “You think that tattoo means anything if she’s my daughter? You can’t keep my own blood away from me. That’s a good way to wreck the fucking truce. Hand her over.”
“But she’s not just your daughter,” Hayes informed him. “She belongs to Kian.”
My heart thrashed as my gaze snapped to Gage. He was watching me, trying to put the pieces together. Pain lashed in my chest, knowing this was going to hurt him.
“Belongs?” Chris repeated in a low voice. “What the fuck does that mean?”
Hayes let me go, only to push me into Kian, who wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me. But then he didn’t let go. Both Jace and Gage were openly glaring as he pulled me closer, locking me to his side.
“They got married yesterday.”
Gage tried shooting to his feet, cursing and yelling at the two guys who shoved him back to his knees. Jace stood there, not moving, as he looked between Kian and me, as if waiting for one of us to deny it. Chris’s focus was on Hayes, and his glare was deadly.
A mix of guilt and anger slid through me as I stayed next to Kian. Legally, we were married. I’d agreed to it because Hayes had threatened Gage and Alicia. Apparently, he’d learned I was close to her. He obviously had no regard for his life, since he’d kept me after finding out I was with the Underground, I wasn’t risking Alicia. Even if her father was the police chief, Hayes could have still gone after her. And since I’d been stuck in Pacific Point, I had no way to warn her.
So I went along with it. Marriage was nothing but a piece of paper. Kian knew I was doing it under duress. He agreed to it because if he refused, Hayes would have chosen someone else from Grimrose. The wedding was a sham. It was an ordained minister who came to Hayes’s house and did a quick ceremony. It was business only. Yet, I couldn’t stop feeling somewhat relieved that it was Kian next to me, and not some other member of Grimrose. But Hayes wanted it to be his son for a reason, and I was starting to figure out why now.
“You married her off when you knew she was my daughter?” Chris questioned, pulling me from my thoughts. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“Allies are made through marriages,” Hayes replied coolly. “But it’s more than that. Even if you don’t want to accept it, we’ll need to keep peace now.”
Chris scoffed. “And why’s that?”
“Because I found out who she’s with. And this marriage will make sure they don’t come after us.”
“You are fucking delusional,” Gage spat out, his eyes blazing with fury. “You forcing a marriage on her only promises your death.”
Gage shifted on his knees as Hayes stared at him thoughtfully before turning his attention back to Chris. Kian kept his arm tight around me. I wasn’t sure if it was for show or if he had a hint that I wanted to run. Which I absolutely did. The second I had a chance, I’d be gone. Though being surrounded by both gangs right now made that impossible.
“Kian was protecting her,” Hayes told Chris. “He cares for her. The last time he was this way with a girl was that summer. And now that I know her connections, it makes sense.”
My heart froze in my chest as I carefully kept my expression blank.Fuck me. Hayes was much smarter than I gave him credit for. Kian tensed against me but didn’t say a word when his dad glanced at him before looking back at Chris.
“I know you had issues with business as well that same summer,” Hayes murmured. “What a coincidence, don’t you think? Jace didn’t happen to meet some mystery girl, did he?”
Chris snapped his head to the side, his murderous stare directed at Jace. “The girl named Shadow? Not possible. If it was Rynn, my son would have told me.”
