I lifted her hand from the mattress, threading my fingers between hers. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
She attempted to get up, but I pushed her back down on the bed. “You need to rest. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”
“How can I not worry?” Rhi scoffed. “You could have gotten yourself killed coming to that island with all those psychos.”
Hovering over her, I cupped the side of her face and let my lips brush hers. “I was more worried about you.”
She looked away with a sigh. “You were there for Alex. Don’t lie to me, Marcello.”
“I was there for both of you.”
“If someone hadn’t kidnapped Alex, you wouldn’t have come for me.”
“Yes, I would.”
She sat up, using the stack of pillows for support. “How much did my dad pay you?”
“Nothing,” I lied.
Technically, he paid my father, who used the money to work out a side deal with the Italian Mafia. Either way, our allies would have helped us retrieve the girls.
“My dad didn’t want me back?”
“No, he did. He wouldn’t let his enemies take his only daughter.”
“Not when she’s worth more money in the hands of his friends,” she said with a bitterness in her voice. “You can’t take me back there, Marcello. He’s making me marry Sean Donnelly. I hate him. He’s cruel and awful, the worst kind of bully. I had a plan before I was kidnapped. I was going to get out of Beacon Bay.”
“There are worse options than marrying a Donnelly.”
“I’ve never asked you to save me.” Tears streaked her cheeks. “But I need your help.”
“Did you forget about Cillian Cormac, or did that only cross your mind when you were spilling my secrets to Alex?” I bent down and breathed against her mouth. “Hmm? Who else did you tell, Rhi? That was our secret. You made a promise. And you broke that promise.”
“I’m sorry, Marcello.”
She slid her fingers to my forearm, and I recoiled from her touch. Her eyes darted to the bed, then back to my face.
“So, what? I’m not allowed to touch you now because I told Alex about the worst thing I’ve ever done? I thought I was going to die. You don’t know what it was like, sitting on the boat, not knowing who had taken me or where we were going. I had imagined the worst, assumed they would rape and murder me. Sue me for wanting to clear the air with someone I never thought I’d see again.”
“Calm down, Rhi.”
“No,” she snapped. “I will not calm down. How dare you tell me what I should have done? You were not there with us. It was a horrible situation you couldn’t possibly understand. I told her you killed someone for me. But I didn’t say who. I just needed to say the words aloud because I was hoping God would have mercy on my soul.”
I understood her reasoning, but that didn’t mean I had to agree with it. When I promised to keep a secret, I meant it. I would take that shit to my grave.
“You don’t think I’ve wanted to tell Sonny the truth?”
She glared at me, her lips pursed. “I’m lucky to be here right now. Please, Marcello. Can you forget about this for now and just lay here with me?”
I swiped the tears from her cheeks and sighed. As much as I wanted to yell at her, I knew she’d decided under duress. Until now, she hadn’t told a soul about Cillian. So no one knew where he’d gone or if he were still alive. His disappearance was still an open investigation, though not much of a priority to the local police after five years.
I laid on the bed beside her, curled up on my side, my head on her pillow. She stared into my eyes and smiled. Her fingers slipped between mine on the mattress.
“I wish we lived in a different world.”
I squeezed her hand. “Me too.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Rhiannon
Marcello cradled me in his arms like a newborn baby, as if he were afraid to rock me too hard. When we walked into my house, my dad looked excited to see me. His eyes widened as he took in my appearance, approaching me with caution. Marcello set my feet on the floor. I clutched his shoulder for support, still unsteady, even after hours of sleep. My head spun from all the drugs those monsters had pumped into my system.
“Rhiannon.” Dad pressed his hand to my cheek, his warmth leeching into my skin. His eyes lifted to meet Marcello’s. Then he laid his hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for bringing my girl home.”
Marcello nodded.
My dad never seemed to care much about me before my kidnapping. He’d bartered my hand in marriage to another crime family like I wasn’t even a person with free will.
“Who took her?” Dad asked Marcello.
“We’re not sure who owns the island. I’m following a lead to a shell company, but so far, I haven’t found anything promising. Don’t worry. I will find the person who took your daughter.”