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Abel glowered, stabbing his egg roll as if it offended him. “I was just trying to help.”
“You’re very helpful,” Angela soothed, patting him on the forearm. “But Claire is going to be in that cast for weeks, Abel. She needs to learn how to manage daily tasks.” She smiled when Claire mouthed a thank you.
“Fine.” The word was snapped out, Abel not sounding fine at all. “But you ask for help when you need it. Understand?”
Angela held her breath, waiting for Claire to explode. She knew her friend didn’t like taking orders any more than she did. But Claire just nodded, saying, “Understood. Thank you.”
“Now that the rice dilemma is out of the way,” Morrigan commented dryly, “what’s our next move?”
“I’ll be taking that trip to New York after all,” Roman said from Angela’s other side.
And there it was. The reason she could no longer stomach her favorite Szechuan chicken. She knew exactly what it would mean if Roman returned to his home city.
“And then what, Roman?” Salvatore demanded, looking frustrated. “It’s not like we can sneak in now. Your uncle is bound to increase his security after your call.”
Roman’s fork landed on his plate with a clatter. “Then we go in with guns blazing.”
“And, what? Go out in a blaze of glory?” Claire inquired, her tone nonchalant. “That would be good for Angel’s wellbeing.”
“I’m not appreciating the sarcasm, Claire,” Roman responded, narrowing his eyes.
Claire shrugged. “I’m not as good at it as Angel is. Sorry.”
“You don’t sound sorry,” Luca pointed out unhelpfully. He was grinning.
Claire grinned back. “I’m not. That was more sarcasm.”
When the pair high-fived, Angela saw the vein in Roman’s forehead throb. “Just what I need, another mouthy woman,” he muttered.
Laughter ensued, but it was a little strained. And Angela knew why. There would be no talking Roman out of going to New York. Not now when he believed it was the final option to get the information he burned for. But there was another option. She just had to pluck up enough courage to say it.
Her hand shook as she reached for her glass of water. It was quickly covered by Roman’s. “Angel? What is it? Are you okay?”
He was so attentive, noticing every little thing about her. She gave him a wan smile. “I’m okay. I just... There’s another option,” she offered quietly. When all eyes turned towards her, she shrunk a little on the inside. It annoyed her just enough for her to sit up straighter and reveal, “My parents.”
Luca’s head tilted to the side as he asked curiously, “Your parents?”
“Angel,” Roman murmured, squeezing her hand in his. “No.”
“It’s an avenue that needs to be explored,” she said, linking their fingers together.
Roman bent down, saying quietly, “You don’t have to do this.”
She knew he meant she didn’t have to reveal her past to everyone. Though they all knew what had gone on for those two years in captivity, Roman had kept his word and not disclosed that it was her parents who were responsible. She was grateful to him. But now, when it could mean the difference between Roman going into the lion’s den and staying safe? It was something she was prepared to do.
Sharing her past with Roman had acted as a balm in a way. She felt lighter, more at peace. Yes, seeing one of her abusers had triggered her on multiple levels, but overall, sharing her burden with Roman had been more healing than damaging. Besides, the people sitting in front of her weren’t just anyone. They were her family now.
“I know,” she told him. “It’s okay.” Then she looked at everyone around the table and revealed, “My parents were the ones who sold me to the Foreman in the first place.”
“What do you mean?” Luca asked, a noticeable tremble in his voice.
But Luca already knew—she could see it on his face. After all, the same thing had been done to him. She hadn’t been told any details about the time he’d spent at the hands of traffickers, and she hadn’t asked Roman about it. Honestly, she didn’t really want to know. What someone would want with a mere baby didn’t bear thinking about it. Though, she did know he had been groomed and was in the possession of a man he called daddy when he was rescued. Roman had confided in her how difficult it had been to hear Luca crying for his daddy those first few months after he was rescued.
“They were in debt,” Angela began, sad to see that she had ruined everyone’s dinner. “A lot of it. Due to several circumstances, they weren’t able to file for bankruptcy like normal people. Which meant they were about to lose everything.”
“So they pimped you out?” Morrigan asked incredulously, then winced. “Sorry, that was insensitive.”
“But accurate,” Angela allowed. “I’m not sure if they were told exactly what would happen to me. They claim the Foreman didn’t give them details. When I confronted them after I was set free, they explained they made a deal for my services in exchange for their debts to be paid off. I would also get a top-of-the-line education. Which I actually did get. When I wasn’t off with clients or masters, I was studying. The Foreman provided excellent tutors. It’s the only reason I was able to get into med school so easily. I had already completed my GED. Those records were all real.”
