Ruthless Savior - Julia Sykes Page 0,48

of our relationship.

Something about seeing the blood on his hands had jolted me out of my acceptance of my life with him. When the pain had solely been inflicted on me, I’d endured it silently. I’d known that I’d brought it upon myself, so I didn’t deserve to escape back to the safety of my parent’s house.

But knowing that Gehovany hurt other people, too…

It wasn’t for my own sake that I’d found the strength to leave. It was because I knew people in our community would find out about his involvement with the gang. I knew there would be rumors and condemning whispers. My parents would become a target for derision; their wayward daughter had chosen to love a criminal.

“One day, I realized I had to leave.” I didn’t tell Raúl about Gehovany’s gang involvement. That edged too close to my confused feelings about Raúl’s criminal lifestyle. Sharing the crushing load of this burden with him was the most merciful relief, and I didn’t want to spoil our intimacy.

“My parents welcomed me home with open arms.” Wet heat spilled down my cheeks at the memory of my father’s perfunctory rebuke before he’d pulled me in for a fierce hug. “But Gehovany wouldn’t let me go. He came for me. My parents tried to protect me, but…” I swallowed down the lump in my throat, forcing out the last of my confession. “He shot my mother when she stood in his way. She shielded me—and my little sister and baby brother—with her body. She died because of me.” I admitted on a pained whisper.

Raúl’s silence endured only long enough to ensure that I’d finished. “You didn’t kill your mother.”

The words rumbled from his chest, and I pressed myself closer to the deep, reassuring sound of his absolute certainty.

“That fucker—Gehovany.” He spat my abuser’s name. “He killed your mother.”

He pulled away slightly, releasing my nape to cradle my jaw in his big hand. He tilted my face up to his, so I had no choice but to stare into his eyes. Despite the weak dawn light that barely slipped through the gap in his bedroom curtains, his mesmerizing eyes still seemed to capture the sun, shining warmth down on my chilled body.

“Is that why you left your home?” His hand that was braced behind my shoulders firmed slightly as his muscles tensed. “Because that bastard threatened you? Didn’t the police do anything to protect you?”

“They weren’t able to help me.” Again, I avoided mentioning Gehovany’s criminal activities. After he’d murdered my mother, he’d slipped away and joined one of the most violent cartels in the region. The police couldn’t offer me justice. They wouldn’t pursue him.

“He would’ve come back for me.” I knew it deep in my bones. “As long as I stayed, my family was in danger.”

“They let you set out alone to seek asylum in America?” His low, condemning growl raised my defenses.

“My father never would’ve permitted it if I’d told him what I planned. Despite what I did, despite how I destroyed my family with my selfishness, he still loves me.”

I shook my head as some of my weariness returned, sapping my moment of strength. I continued in a more subdued tone, my voice turning flat as I moved into more recent traumatic memories. “I paid a coyote to take me to America. I’m not sure how far I got before he sold me. One of Carmen Ronaldo’s men saw me and offered a price. The coyote was happy to accept his money. He’d already taken mine, and I had no one to speak in my defense, since I was traveling alone.

“That’s how I ended up working on Carmen’s estate. Her man took me there, after a while.” My skin crawled, and I pressed deeper into Raúl’s warmth. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been with Jorge. Those awful days were a blur of agony and the worst violation.

I stilled, my body and mind shutting down. It was how I’d learned to survive Jorje’s assaults. Before the horrific memories could overtake me, I drifted into a numb, detached state.

Raúl’s fist tangled in my hair, tugging sharply to get my attention. The little sparks of pain grounded me in my current reality, pulling me back into the safety of his arms.

“What’s his name?” he snarled. “The fucker who bought you. What’s his name?”

“It doesn’t matter now,” I said dully. “He’s dead. He died on the night your cartel assaulted Carmen’s estate, just before you captured me. Carmen and Stefano killed