"Anzo, can we talk in private?" I blurt out.
He frowns. I can tell he’s not happy about me interrupting, but he nods to the men and lets me lead him aside. I tug him deep into the garden, far enough that no one can hear us.
"Anzo," I stop and look him straight in the eyes, "I’d rather tell you everything now than have you hear it from Rocco later."
He says nothing. His face stays completely still.
"Just now, when I was talking to Jared, I told him that if I disappear, he should tell my dad I love him. I wanted you to hear that from me before Rocco tells you. He said he’d keep it secret, if I gave him a sexual favor in return. And since I’m not doing that, I figured I should come to you directly."
I don’t even see it happen.
One second he’s standing there, the next—pain explodes across my face. My vision goes dark as I hit the ground.
Anzo’s mechanical arm moves faster than my eyes can register.
Strangely, I’m relieved we’re far enough from the guests that they can’t see my humiliation. My head buzzes for a moment. I sit up slowly and stare at Anzo, completely lost.
"If you’re trying to stir shit between me and Rocco, you’ll have to do better than that. Playing games like this is gonna land you in a cage, pet."
"I’m telling the truth, Anzo! He told me he’d keep it all secret if I gave him a sexual favor!" I shriek.
Anzo just stands there, silent, staring down at me.
"Rocco wants me! Sooner or later, he’s gonna make a move."
I lift my arm and show him my elbow, already bruised from Rocco’s grip.
"This is from him. Are you okay with this?"
Anzo doesn’t react. Doesn’t respond. Just turns around and walks away.
What the hell is going on?
Does Anzo have some kind of… complex that keeps him from standing up to other men when it comes to his fucktoys? Is that why he used to hand them over to Rocco?
Suddenly, it hits me—hard.
What if… Rocco didn’t wait for Anzo to hand them over? What if he simply took them? And Anzo just played along for the sake of keeping the peace? Maybe every time Anzo finds a new toy, it’s only a matter of time before Rocco claims them. And when he does, Anzo doesn’t even try to stop him?
The thought sends a cold shiver down my spine, because I’m on Rocco’s radar, definitely.
And now I start to wonder… What happened to Moon? Did Rocco take him from Anzo? Raped him? Killed him? Did Anzo and the rest of the brothers just stand by andletit happen?
My mind spins. I stay frozen, sitting alone on the lawn, feeling like absolute shit. Lost. What the fuck am I supposed to do now? This place is even less safe than I thought.
Is Rocco the one I should be more afraid of than Anzo?
Eventually, I force myself to my feet and head back to the couch where Summer’s sitting. The moment he sees me, he swallows hard and lowers his eyes. He doesn’t need to ask, he knows how things work around here.
That other omega is still here, but I don’t care, and I drop down beside him, squeezing in. I only make sure I take the right side, so he doesn’t see that my cheek is swelling.
My nerves are vibrating, and Summer glances at me, uneasy.
The black-haired guy obviously doesn’t see any problem, since he smiles. He’s really pretty, and seems ageless.
"Hello," he says, extending a tiny, graceful hand. "I’m Darien Ferro."
Duh, I’m not in the mood for polite social niceties. But the name rings a bell. I read onThe Truth Only I Knowblog that all four Ferro brothers had to be placed under the care of a mature alpha during puberty to prevent them from enteringMusth. They were sent to live with Anzo’s old uncle, Alberto, and his husband, Darien—college beauty pageant winner, stunning, much younger omega.
