Grief locking everything up, I wrapped her in the tightest hug. “I’m so sorry I dragged you into this.”
“You couldn’t have kept me out of it,” she murmured.
Without another word, I threw open the door and rushed outside. Instantly, Reed grabbed me by the arm. His concern from a second ago completely wiped away. He leaned in toward my ear, hatred in his voice. “This will be the last time you disobey me.”
I didn’t even think it was shock that had the air bursting from my lungs or the fight lining my body like rods of steel.
Part of me had known he was playing me.
He’d been playing me all along.
But this wasn’t me being naïve or a fool.
Like I’d told my gramma, I could risk it. Couldn’t lay down bets on their safety.
I’d do anything for my babies.
And I knew right then going with him was doing them no favors.
I ripped my arm away, as hard as I could, summoning all the strength I could find. “Fuck you.”
This was going to end.
Right then.
“You don’t own me. You don’t control me. I will never belong to you. I will fight you to the end.”
“If that’s what it has to come to,” he sneered before he launched himself at me.
Fear raced, and I scrambled to get away, flailing my arms as I tried to make it back to the door.
I’d barely made it one step when he tackled me to the ground.
It knocked the air from my lungs. I wheezed in pain. Reed got to his feet, pinning my arms behind me and dragging me to standing. “You’re going to pay for this, Grace. You really think you could leave me? A Dearborne? Make me look like a fool? I’d think again.”
Reed jerked me toward the walkway, then we both became disoriented when we were blinded by the bright lights in our eyes.
“Freeze,” an officer yelled as my entire body went weak with relief. “Let her go, and get on the ground with your hands behind your back.”
“Do you know who I am?” Reed sneered, jerking me back harder.
“Let her go.”
“Fuck you.”
Another trample of feet surprised us from the side, and our bodies were being propelled forward by the officer who tackled Reed from behind.
His arms released me, and I was crawling away, sobbing in relief as I heard the tussle behind me, the words riding into the night air like a shout of mercy.
“Reed Dearborne . . . you’re under arrest . . . “
Keep writing your story. Hold them close. Love them hard.
I thought I could actually hear Ian whispering it in my ear, his hand on my face. And I knew with every fiber of my being that the only reason we were going to be able to do it was because of him.
I didn’t know what he’d done.
But I knew he’d given me this.
My shattered saint.
Forty-Three
Ian
“Drop the gun. Get down on your knees.” Mack’s voice powered through the room, the shot he’d fired still ringing in my ear. Boots pounded into the room, and a group of officers surrounded us, lining up on either side of Mack where my best friend had his gun pointed at Lawrence Bennet.
My father.
The man who’d had my mother killed.
I was still on the ground, trying to fucking breathe through the bomb Lawrence had dropped onto my world.
Imploding.
Desolating.
Nothing left.
I’d always known her death was my fault. I’d just never understood the magnitude of the circumstances.
She had died for me. Been killed over me.
Because she’d loved me.
Forever and ever.
And I’d played right into Bennet’s hand, signed my life away to the man who’d spent the last twenty years shaping me into a monster exactly like him.
I choked over the realization.
The gutting, ravaging devastation.
Bennet laughed, taunting, “Do you have any clue who I am?”
“Scum?” Mack tossed out with a shrug. Then he turned his attention on me. “You okay, man?”
No.
Not even close.
But I managed to push to my feet, hand going to my face that was dripping with blood from a cut on my lip.
Wished it was his.
Wished it was a pool of it.
Overflowing the room.
I’m so sorry. God, I’m so sorry.
Forever and Ever.
Kisses are for who you love most.
I was seized by grief. Every inch. Every cell.
One of the officers moved around Mack and knelt over Bennet, reading him his rights as he put him in cuffs.
I didn’t even hesitate, didn’t slow. I went to the printer and gathered the pictures and the documents.
Lawrence started roaring like a beast from where he was pinned facedown to the ground.
He needed to be six feet under it.
“Don’t do it, Ian. I’m your father. Your family. You owe me. I made you. Don’t you fucking dare.”
My face twisted in disdain. “You aren’t my family. Not ever. You are every single thing I’m ashamed to be. And be clear, I owe only one person anything. Actually, make that four.”