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I never thought anything like this would happen, but that was where my determination got me. I got caught in the middle of something that didn’t have anything to do with me before and was left to wonder how I was supposed to make things right.
If I had heeded Liam’s warnings, then I wouldn’t have to worry about who was planning on attacking him and when. If I had kept my mouth shut, I wouldn’t have put him and our connection at risk.
He was clearly afraid of them, and unquestionably, for good reason. If they could send someone to attack me so easily, then it only made sense that they were as ruthless as Liam claimed.
He made the move back to Rose Valley for his safety, and I could only assume that meant he was desperate enough to put space between them and himself. I did not doubt that his concerns came from a genuine place.
Which only made me feel worse about it all.
When I became a reporter, I promised myself that I wouldn’t be swayed by opposition. I pledged that I would always tell the truth and report important news no matter how much trouble it got me in, even if that made certain people hate me.
But I went about it all wrong. I took that promise too literally, in a circumstance that didn’t require so much vigour from me. There was no need to try to dissect Liam’s activities during his time away. His business never needed to reach the general public, even if the thought of exposing him for something heinous seemed satisfying at the time.
I let myself get consumed in wanting revenge, and it did nothing of substance for me.
Feeling that anger at myself, along with the heartbreak of knowing I had hurt Liam to an extent I wasn’t prepared for, I moved to my desk as my pulse pounded in my ears.
On the surface, there were notes and loose papers all over. But contained in a single file, I had every scrap of information I could get on Liam. Reaching for it and the file, I began tearing.
I started with the loose papers, pulling and shredding as many documents as I could at once.
That overwhelming desire to get rid of all the evidence of my wrongdoings completely took over, and there was no stopping until I was satisfied.
When the pages were adequately ruined and in the garbage bin, I knew I had only completed half the battle.
All the while I sat in front of my laptop and combed through all the information I had there, I could only think about Liam’s face earlier. How hurt and angry he had been. It was even more painful after the breakthroughs we had made together, and I only wished I could take it all back.
Every file about Liam was deleted, and so I managed to rid myself of that heavy burden. I vowed to myself then and there that I wouldn’t write any more articles about him or his business ventures.
By then, there was no point. There was nothing I could gain from it, and I finally realized that.
While Liam had treated me in a way that I didn’t like, the problem was never solely him. I had my part in it by refusing to fully forgive him or acknowledge that we had been kids. So much time had passed since then, and we both changed. I could only hold onto that resentment for so long before it would inevitably consume me.
That guilt only worsened after his confession. He resorted to teasing me because he didn’t understand his feelings. I never took his attention for something innocent, but rather negative and cruel.
Neither of us had been perfect in our thinking, and I only wished I could express that to him.
We didn’t know what we were doing, and it seemed that neither of us could handle the overwhelming feelings we had.
Sitting at my desk with my face in my hands, I couldn’t believe I let my personal life get in the way of my professional one. I only ever wanted to be a good journalist, and someone the patrons could rely on, but I put everything at risk to just get back at him.
Forced to face my choices head-on, there was no denying how ridiculous that idea had been. If I could so quickly let something personal stop me from reporting on what actually mattered, then did I even deserve to be a journalist at all?
The thought made my stomach churn.
I didn’t know how I was going to make it up to Liam, but I had to find a way. I didn’t want him to hurt anymore or to fear that his enemies might be lurking around every corner. He didn’t deserve to be on constant alert—not when he was trying so hard to live an honest life.
At the end of it all, I just hoped that I didn’t completely ruin everything with Liam.
As much as I never wanted to admit it, he became the one shifter in town that I cared about. He somehow found a way to break down the walls I had put between us, and he made me want to be better.
He was worth fighting for, even if I had risked it all.
The shatter of glass yanked me from my thoughts, and the moment I looked up from my desk, the coldest chill enveloped my entire body.
Frozen in my place, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening or what any of it meant.
From the broken window, several figures poured inside, stepping on the shards of glass. There were shouted commands as they flooded the room, spreading out to cover the area.
