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I inhaled a deep breath, jumped into the back of the SUV next to Kian, and didn’t look back at all as we drove away from the little slice of heaven that I’d created.
CHAPTER 11
RAFAEL
I hopped out of my car as soon as I pulled up in front of Romeo’s house. He was just ahead of me, which was why he’d managed to dart out of his car and band his arms around me, halting me in place so that I couldn’t get to Peyton’s door.
“Don’t go in there,” he warned, his tone low. “Stay out of it.”
My stomach rolled, anger bubbling up as he trapped me on his driveway. “I need to talk to her,” I growled, struggling in his grip. “You don’t understand.”
If I was honest,Ididn’t understand it either. There were so many conflicting thoughts going around and around in my head, but there was only one that shouted the loudest.
She’s married.
I gritted my teeth, hating that she’d lied to me or…she’d omitted the truth. It was the same thing though, right?
I fixated on Ace as he slowly exited the SUV that had been following us. I froze on the spot as he glanced over at me, clearly not happy with what I was doing. But I didn’t care, something felt off. Something wasn’t right about this whole thing.
Two men got out with him, then another SUV pulled up on the other side of the road, one more man exiting and joining them as they headed up to Peyton’s front door.
“Don’t get involved,” Romeo demanded, and let me go. My captain had spoken. I had to adhere to the rules, no matter what was happening. Because at the end of the day, I was just a soldier. A soldier that didn’t get a say. A soldier that didn’t know what to believe. Fuck.
“Did you know that she’s married?” Romeo asked, standing next to me. I widened my stance, crossing my arms over my chest as we watched Peyton’s house.
I was silent for so long he probably thought I was ignoring him. But I wasn’t. I was trying to sort through the thoughts; weave my way through all of the voices screaming different things at me. “I didn’t know.” He hummed, a noise that told me he thought as much. “Do you think she’s ill?” I asked, turning to face him. Maybe I was blinded by whatever Peyton and I had. Maybe I just couldn’t see the forest through the trees. And if there was one person I would believe and listen to, it was my big brother.
Romeo shrugged, but his expression was neutral, not giving a single thing away. “I don’t know, Raf, but it all feels too suspicious to me.” His eyes narrowed as movement came from her house. “Why did she choose here of all places? Right next door to me?”
I swallowed. “I…I don’t know.” I had no idea why the little sister of the boss in the next state chose the house next door to a member of the Beretta Mafia. “She knew we were Mafia.” It was out of my mouth before I’d even thought about it.
“She did?” Romeo asked, his eyes on Peyton’s house.
“Yeah.” I blew out a breath, turning back to look at the house just as the two men filed out again, only this time each of them had one of the boys in their arms. Kian was struggling, trying to see behind him, his arms reaching out.
“She played you,” Romeo growled. “She played us all.”
His words ricocheted in my head, batting around like a tennis ball thrashed between two players. There was something in my gut that didn’t believe it—or maybe I didn’twantto believe it. They said love was blind, right? Maybe this was that? Maybe I had my rose-tinted glasses on the entire time and she’d fooled us all.
I’d been stupid. So damn stupid. I felt like a goddamn fool.
My teeth ground together as Ace came out of Peyton’s house, his arms banded around her as he carried her out, following the boys. Her face was panicked and pale, her hands gripping on to Ace’s arms as she clearly tried to struggle.
That didn’t look like a woman who was mentally ill. It didn’t look like anything but a woman who was scared—terrified—of what was happening. And I’d allowed that to happen. But then…maybe that was an act too? Maybe this entire thing had been one elaborate game she’d been playing.
Her attention landed on me, the look on her face a punch in the chest as she screamed, “Raf!” She continued to struggle in Ace’s arms, so he put her down, but she didn’t make a move to come closer. She just stared, an unreadable expression plastered over her features.
Fuck. The way she was staring at me was so unlike the Peyton I knew.
Romeo was right, she’d played me like an expert musician, and I’d lain there and taken it. I took a step back, the reality of the situation sinking in. “No,” I murmured, so low I was sure no one else heard, but by the look on her face—the shattered devastation—she’d heard me loud and clear.
I shuttered all of my emotions, needing to protect myself.
She shook her head and whispered, “You’re just like the rest of them.”
Her words pummeled me, knocking me sideways, and I couldn’t help but step forward. I was waging a war with myself, not knowing which way to turn. Romeo’s hand on my shoulder halted me. But that didn’t stop the thoughts rolling around in my head. Was I doing the right thing? Should I have stopped them? Asked her if it was true?Was she married?
I swallowed, cracking my neck from side to side as Peyton made her way down to the waiting SUV where the boys were. Her movements were slow and wobbly, clearly off-kilter. Maybe I should have warned her what was about to happen. Maybe I should have told her to run.
