Two Kings

Chapter 32

All this time, I thought Grey was a decent man. When, in fact, he was a selfish bastard who was scheming behind our backs, putting our lives in danger because of some sick fantasy he had. The prospect of marrying him now makes me want to puke. Worst part is, if he didn't die, I would have been like William, none the wiser about what he had done. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner? How could you sit on that information? What about Nonna? Does she know too? Does the rest of your family know what he was doing and why he was doing it?"

An uncomfortable silence falls between us. I hope that doesn't mean they do. Because the idea of living with them while they knew Grey was scheming to trap me into marriage would crush me.

"No. They had no clue what he was doing to your family."

"But you knew," I say.

"Only about William. The rest came out later—after you and I were already married. Since then, I've had a shitload of disturbing things surface about Grey fucking people over."

A part of me wants to be mad at Rico for knowing and not saying anything sooner, but I suppose I can't blame him for what Grey did. Besides, I would hate to be blamed for things William did, especially while he worked for Grey.

"When I saw you staring at that ring in the car," Rico snorts. "I almost told you it wasn't the prize you thought it was."

"But you didn't," I say.

"No."

He is right about the ring, though. I was smitten with the dazzle of the diamond and assumed he was jealous because it came from his brother. I never expected it would be something far worse—like Grey trying to trap me with that ring? "I'm still finding it hard to believe you didn't tell me before now. Didn't you think I deserved to know?"

Rico exhales. "It's fucked up. I didn't think you'd wanna know that my dead brother was so obsessed with you that he was prepared to lie, kill and manipulate to get you. I tried to tell you before how fixated he was with you. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Besides, you and I haven't always been on talking terms."

That's true. "You're not keeping anything else from me, are you?"

"No." He shakes his head. "Does that mean you don't hate me?"

"I've never hated you." I correct.

"You did at the start. Especially the day we married."

"That's not true. I was like that because I was terrified. Remember, I'd only just agreed to marry your brother. Then I end up marrying you and I hadn't even met you until five minutes before we were married. Not to mention you showed up with your girlfriend, while I had to give my boyfriend up. A person I..." I stop what I was going to say 'that I loved Marcus' but that seems wrong now. "Marcus and I had made life plans together." I peek up at him, not sure how he'll react.

Rico rubs at the cuts across his knuckles. "I know you love him. Your sister told me. She also told me you and him planned to travel and marry." He looks up at me now, his face empty of any emotion. "As you're aware, this situation is only temporary and when it's done, we'll divorce and you and him can do what you planned to do."

I fight the urge to tell him that Ella was wrong. That I don't love Marcus anymore, and I no longer want to be with him, let alone travel the world together. But I don't. Not after hearing Rico say that what's happening between us doesn't change the ultimate outcome for him.

Rico rubs his eyes and yawns. He looks extra tired suddenly, like he unloaded a heavy weight of guilt and now he needs sleep. He rests his head on my bed, his hand on my thigh, stroking it. His touch alone feels like an electrifying current recharging my fading body. The more he gives, the more I want. His presence has already lifted my sad mood and has me eager to recover so I can get more time in with him before this is over.