Page 40 of Merciless King

"Your parents made it seem like?—"

"Every time you say that, it guts me, Piper, because it proves you didn’t trust me… didn’t believe in me.”

She closes the distance between us, her hand coming up to cup my cheek, but this time, I’m the one who backs away.

"Elio, I'm so sorry. I… should have known better." A sob escapes her lips. “I… God…” She sinks onto the edge of bed. “Everything happened so fast. I…” She presses her hand to her temple. “I was scared and confused… and then all of a sudden, I’m on a plane to England.”

I guess that explains how she met Gabriel. The idea that she gave herself and our daughter to that fucker over me cuts deep.

“You think I’m a fucking monster, so you married a man who abuses you?”

Her eyes jerk to me, and the pain and confusion I see there makes me feel like shit for being an asshole.

“I did love you, Elio. I was so scared, so alone. And when your parents showed up with that money, telling me you wanted nothing to do with me… I didn't know what to think."

I turn away, not wanting to be swayed by her words. At the same time, I have to concede that she was in a difficult position. My father was a powerful, feared man even to those not in our world. She was eighteen. Her parents didn’t like me because of my Mafia connection. Neither she nor her parents could take on my parents and win. She was in an impossible situation.

I let out a sigh and sit on the bed next to her. "I'm sorry. I should have been there for you, should have fought harder to find you when you disappeared."

“I didn't know what else to do."

I brush my thumb across her cheek, wiping away her tears. "I understand. But I need you to know that I never would have abandoned you or our child. Not for anything in the world."

She nods, her eyes searching mine. "I’m sorry."

I take a deep breath, my mind still reeling from the revelation that I have a daughter. "Elysse is really mine?"

Piper's lips curve into a soft smile, and she nods. "Yes. She's yours. Ours."

Joy explodes in my chest, overcoming the pain and anger. "I can't believe it. I'm a father."

Piper leans into my touch. “I used to dream of a moment like this, of telling you and your being happy about it.”

I brush my lips against hers in a soft, tender kiss. Everything is changing. Piper is mine. So is Elysse. There’s nothing Gabriel can do about that. And if he thinks he’s going to get his hands on either of them again, he’s got another coming.

“I’m sorry,” Piper says again as she pushes me back. “I’m so sorry, Elio… so sorry…”

“It’s the past, baby. We’re here now, together.”

“I did love you. I Never stopped.”

I arch a brow considering what she thought of me.

“I was angry and hurt, but… I never could stop loving the boy I knew in high school.”

“What about now?”

She smiles, moving to straddle my thighs. “I feel like I have a lot to make up for.”

My dick perks up at that, but I need to be sure she believes me. “Tell me you believe me.”

“I believe you.” She kisses me, hard, fervently, and so full of promise. There is a lot we need to discuss, decisions to be made. But right now, having her touch me is enough. I need her to soothe away the pain of what my parents did, of her failure to believe in me.

She moves off my thighs and onto the floor on her knees. She tugs my boxers off and my dick springs out, hard and proud.

“What are you doing?” I ask. It’s not that I don’t know what she’s doing, but I want to hear from her lips what she plans to do to me.

“It’s not obvious?” She strokes my dick, and delicious sensations race out.