AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Saint’s face remains stoic in the charged silence that did little to assuage my growing panic.
“I can’t believe you’d be a part of something like this,” I stammer, my hands gripping the sheet around my body as if trying to hold onto my crumbling reality. “It’s insane. It’s... it’s...”
I step back, distancing myself from Saint, my gaze still locked onto his. Tears well in my eyes. “I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Seeing the turmoil he had unleashed, Saint approaches me slowly. “I’m the man who loves you and the man who will do anything to protect you. That’s exactly what I did.”
“What are you saying? That you did this for me?”
Saint approaches me with cautious steps, his hand reaching out and gesturing toward the bed. “ Sit down, Angel. Let me tell you everything.”
We sat and talked on opposite ends of the bed until the early hours of the morning, the soft glow of the moonlight casting shadows that mirrored the weight of Saint’s revelation.
My eyes grow heavy, but I don’t think I could sleep even if I wanted to after Saint told me about the sex trafficking ring, the drugs, the killings, right down to Ian’s involvement.
“I get that what your father did was wrong, Saint, but did he deserve to die for it? Couldn’t he just rot in jail?” I question, my voice a fragile mix of confusion and disbelief.
He shakes his head, solemnity etched across his face. “Your name was on that list, Lexy. He was going to fucking sell you to some pervert to rape you and do god knows what else. Over my dead body would I ever allow him to live after that. Besides, if he knew I’d given Marcus those tapes, he would have sent people to kill you to get to me. He would have killed everyone. Jordin included. Look what he did to my grandfather. His own father! It didn’t matter to him if you were his family or not, and I had to protect you and your mom.”
My head nods heavily, acknowledging the twisted logic. Eric’s dead, and no amount of talking about what-ifs can change that, yet the shock of it still hangs over me like a dense fog.
“So, what happens now?”
“We need to act like everything is normal, for the time being at least,” he replies.
“Which means?” I prod, seeking clarity.
“Which means I take my place as the head of the Garo family. I will run the East Coast, just as Caleb and I had planned. War is coming, Lexy, and I can’t have you here when it does. I didn’t know at the time what my dad had planned to do to you, and now that I do, I think you should go to Rome like you wanted. Take Kelly with you. Stay there until I come for you. At least I’ll have peace knowing you’re safe.”
Our eyes lock. “I’m not leaving you to face this alone. And if what you said about Ian is true, then he’ll never allow Jordin to come with me, and I’m not leaving her either.”
“You’re going!”
“If you send me away, I’ll come straight back.”
“Lexy,” he begins to argue, but my resolve cuts through.
“We weather any storm, remember? I’m not running away from the first one.”
He blows out a resigned sigh, knowing I’ve made up my mind. “If you stay, would you promise to do everything as I ask of you? Can you live with the pretense of my engagement for now?” he asks, a subtle plea in his eyes.
“For now?”
“It has to. That doesn’t mean the nuptials are going ahead.”
A furrowed brow sought clarity. “What does that mean?”
“It means nothing changes as far as the wedding is concerned. We need to play along with things as they are for the time being.”
“And how long will that be? The wedding isn’t that far away, Saint. Time is running out.”
As the first light of dawn tiptoes into the room, the gentle touch of sunrise kisses the air.
“I cut a deal with Marcus after discovering the tapes. He adored his little sister Viola and wants revenge for what his father did to her. He plans to kill Ian. This is what I’ve promised him in return for taking out Eric. We’ve both agreed to our own terms when it comes to our futures. After Ian dies, there will be peace between our families. He’s agreed to allow Jordin and Caleb to be together and to work alongside our family for the future.”
“Does that mean you’ll still be part of the mafia?”
“I’ll always be a part of the mafia, Lexy. I took an oath. It’s in my blood, running deep in my veins. It’s something I can never walk away from.”
