Chapter Eighteen

Mirror Image

Willow

My heart drops to the floor the moment I lay eyes on Seamus. Can't I just have a goddamned minute before the next fucking catastrophe hits? This is the last damn thing I needed.

"Seamus," I start, but Rafe cuts me off.

"There is nothing you could say that I want to hear. And if my wife," he emphasizes the word with a glare in the other man's direction. "If she has something she wants to share with me, it will be when she chooses to do so."

A dark chuckle leaves Seamus. "It's interesting to see how much faith you suddenly have in your flighty wife. A woman you know nothing about."

Rafe's grip on my hand tightens as he fights to keep control of his anger and not give away that Seamus is getting under his skin. I want to smack the smirk right off his fucking face for forcing my hand in this matter. But if I don't do or say something soon, Seamus is going to blurt everything out and it will seem so much worse than it really is.

"Rafe," I say, waiting patiently for him to face me. "There are things I haven't told you yet."

He scans my features, looking for something. I'm not sure what he finds but his mouth is set in a hard line when he finally nods.

"Fine. But we will do this in my office," he says, releasing my hand. "And then, you'll tell me how you made your way into my fucking home." He points an accusing finger at Seamus who only continues to smile.

Rafe leads us through the house to his office, closing the door behind Seamus. He never leaves my side or stops touching me. I thought for sure this would be something that once more drove a wedge between us but it seems my husband is determined not to let it. Or he could be putting on a show for the sake of his enemy, and this could be the thing that finally breaks us.

Behind his desk he takes a seat in the large leather chair his father used before him, pulling me down to sit on his knee. His fingers trace my lower back through the fabric of my dress, offering me some form of comfort. Seamus, the prick that he is, stands with his back to us, staring out the window.

"I'm growing tired of waiting, Willow. Get on with it, or I will."

Turning my full attention to Rafe, I lay out the last secret I have. The one I'm afraid will leave my husband hating me.

"There's a reason I left. Yes, I wanted independence and to restore my family name, but there is something I didn't tell you."

Rafe remains silent as I turn to glare at Seamus as he finally joins us, taking the seat across from the table. "Now or never, Princess."

"Fuck you!" I spit the words, venom coating every syllable.

"That can easily be arranged."

Rafe slams his hand on his desk, quieting us both. "If you speak to her that way again, you'll be delivered to Konnor the same way I sent his little brother. Don't test me."

I run my finger through the longer strands of Rafe's hair where they curl around the collar of his pristine white dress shirt. His attention shifts back to me.

"Tell me the truth," he demands lowly.

"I'm an informant for the FBI. I have been since I turned eighteen."

Disbelief and confusion flit across my husband's features before he settles on a mask of boredom. He doesn't betray any of his emotions or thoughts to the man watching us but his hand moves to my hip where he holds me in a punishing grasp.

"Continue," he says lowly, and I know I must lay all my cards on the table.

"I had to leave once…" My words trail off. "I didn't want to do anything to betray you. I knew I needed to get them to let me go. I couldn't be here, in your home, knowing they would expect me to give them information." I can't look at him, knowing that he's going to hate me for this. "I couldn't do that to you," I whisper.

"And what is your part in this?" Rafe asks Seamus after a lengthy silence.

"I'm her handler."

"Handler?"

"I've been part of the Bureau since I was twenty-five, Gallo. I've been undercover in the Hennie family for the better part of twenty years."

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Rafe roars, placing me on my feet before lunging at the man before him.

They hit the floor with a resounding crash. Chairs are toppled as they fight for dominance. Fists hit flesh, grunts ring through the space, and I stand silent and let them fight. If I try to pull them apart, I will only get hurt in the process. And they both need this to get rid of their frustration with each other.

It feels like forever, standing there, but the fight only lasts a couple of minutes. Both men are out of breath and bleeding in one form or another. They glare at one another, chests heaving, neither willing to give an inch.

"If you're done," I say, "I would love to get this conversation over with so everyone can go their separate ways before one of us ends up dead."

"There's more?" Rafe questions angrily.

"Yes," I reply sadly.

"Tell me then," he grumbles, retaking his seat.

Surprise fills me when he draws me onto his lap once more. I honestly believed once he knew the truth he wouldn't be able to stand the sight of me.

"I didn't know who you were when we met in Cyprus," I say softly.

I hope he can hear the truth in my words because I need him to know. Those first moments we spent together were for me. I was taking what I wanted for the first time in my life instead of putting everyone else first.

He nods and I continue, "I wanted to get away from Sebastian, to find a way to protect Roman. I was desperate. And Seamus offered me a solution. If I helped them take down the Hernandez family—my family—then they would place me and Roman in WITSEC. And we could live happy, normal lives."

"But then Sebastian sold her to your father," Seamus adds.

"And you wanted me to inform on Rafe and the Gallo family," I bite back angrily. Seamus doesn't say a word to deny my allegation and I continue talking to Rafe. "I left so they didn't have anything to hold over my head."

"You left to keep me safe? To protect me?" Rafe asks, his hand cupping my ass as I nod.

"Not that it was necessary," Seamus cuts in. "You're married. If you don't want to give the Bureau information about your husband, you don't have to. You can't be legally compelled to testify against your spouse and without your testimony, there wouldn't be a case."

Shock courses through me. Fuck. I wish I had known that before.

It could have saved a lot of heartache. And Devon's life.