I took her hand. “Come on.” My heart slammed into my chest, opening the door.
Wolf was there, his black eyes wide. He assessed us quickly. “Get your boots on. Gear up. We need to bolt.”
Her eyes flicked to mine, terror in them.
I nodded. “Hurry.”
Jill put on her coat and scarf when I entered the living room to retrieve my jacket and boots.
“Boxer, I’m so sorry.”
“Not now,” I barked. Furious with her wasn’t half of what I felt. There wasn’t time to work through what she’d done.
“Jill, I told you to keep your goddamn mouth shut,” Wolf yelled at her.
Damn, never saw him treat my sister that way, but I couldn’t deal with any of this now. Someone was coming that we weren’t expecting.
“No, he needs to know how sorry I am. I never meant to hurt either of you. You need to believe me. I was only trying to protect her.”
Wolf growled as he checked his guns.
I cut my gaze at Jill’s. “Protect her from me? You should’ve confronted me! I woulda told you I hadn’t meant any of that crap I was saying to the guys.”
Tears rained down her face. “I know that now.”
“Now? You know that now, Jill? Ten fucking years later? After all the times I begged you to tell me what you knew. Begged you to give me Aspen’s new phone number when she changed it. What about all the times I’d drink myself stupid? None of those times ever prompted you to tell me the truth? You knew how much I hated Aspen, yet you did nothing.”
She covered her mouth with her hand. “I thought you both had moved on. You seemed happy. I’m so sorry. You have to believe me.”
I squeezed my head between my hands. “Happy?” I laughed mockingly. “Aspen was fucking handcuffed to a bed. Assaulted God knows how many times.”
“I didn’t know. I would’ve told you after visiting her if I’d known. I’m truly sorry.”
I seethed inside. “I don’t have time for this. Aspen!”
She ran straight for me. “I’m ready.”
I wrapped my arm around her trembling body, lifting her chin. “You need to do everything I say. Understand?”
“Yes.” She fisted my jacket. “I’m scared.”
“I know.” I kissed her, then whispered in her ear, “Fifteen, twenty-six, ten. Memorize that combo. It’s for the panic room in the closet at the end of the hallway.” I pulled back to see her. “Did you hear it?” I lowered my ear to her lips.
“Fifteen, twenty-six, ten.”
“Good. If I tell you to get in there, do it. Take Jill with you.” I glanced at my guilt-ridden sister.
“I will.” Her tortured expression did me in. “I’m so sorry for everything. I should’ve taken your phone calls. I shouldn’t have doubted you. It’s my greatest regret.” It was like she was atoning for her past sins before her death.
“Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
She blinked away tears. “Okay.”
I keyed into Wolf telling Jill to get in the hallway and stay away from the windows. If it was Campbell and his men, we had to be ready for a shoot-out.
“Go with Jill, baby.” I pecked her lips, removed Ricky from my pocket, and put it in her hands. “Be careful with that. It’s deadly.”
“A switchblade?”