Page 155 of When Hearts Unravel

Atonement. That was the whole purpose of this mission, right? Bree survived. The Association’s mole is dead. I don’t hear anymore gunshots, so I assume the assassins sent in earlier are either dead or apprehended.

We just need to hold out for Elias’s people. I’m sure he’s sending over reinforcements.

But the victory is hollow.

A chill settles in my body and I’m woozy.

Olivia doesn’t need to tell me, but I know. I’m losing too much blood.

I look at the woman I love. She’s quiet. Too quiet. Her gaze is focused on my wound, but I see a vein pulsing in her temple, a new tension bracketing her mouth.

She’s worried, scared, and…furious.

Ava murmurs, “I just thought if I could just kill one of the bastards, maybe I’d feel better and I wouldn’t miss Mom so much. I would haveavenged her death. And these bastards wouldn’t mess with us. It’s stupid, I know. I wasn’t thinking.”

She buries her face in my lap, and I gently sweep my fingers through her hair.

Does any of it matter anymore? Why she did what she did? How I got hurt and how I might bleed out tonight?

How the truth…my most shameful truth I’ve hidden from everyone, has finally come to light?

Olivia knows now. The ugly truth. The extent of my madness.

“Olive.” Her nickname comes out in a shaky exhale. “P-Please, I want to explain everything. I-I—”

“No.” She shakes her head and this time, when I look down and gaze upon her face, I see tears pooling under her eyes, her nostrils flaring. “I need to focus. Need to stop the blood. Dammit, where’s the ambulance?”

Quickly, she swipes away her tears with her arm. But then, her eyes fill again and she mutters to herself, “Fuck. Stop it. Stop it, Olivia.”

Agony twists inside my chest, far more painful than the bullet wound. Seeing her cry for me, at me, her anger at herself for not reining in her emotions, something she was very good at before being with me, I want to bash my head against the wall or dig my fingers into my bleeding wound to show remorse.

She’s innocent. I dragged her into this because I couldn’t stop my selfishness, because I wanted a taste of her starlight, because I wanted the peace only she could give me.

I told myself I’d protect her.

Delusions. They were delusions of a drugged-up, sleep-deprived man.

“Olive.” I shiver. Fuck, it’s cold. My fingers tremble as I clutch her nape and pull her head down so our foreheads touch. “I’m sorry for not telling you. Lying by omission. P-Please, listen to me. If I don’t makeit—”

“Stop!” She shakes when I caress her face. “Save your energy. Survive this, then we’ll talk. I-I’m so fucking mad at you—”

The wail of sirens echoes against the walls, followed by flashing lights.

Then, I see the vans, then the crowds.

Reporters, cameramen, more chaos.

Tick-tock.

Time’s up.

Chapter Forty-Eight

My phone pings nonstopas I stride down the hospital hallway two hours later, after a long and exhausting interview with the police. My pulse riots, my stomach churning as I follow the nurse’s instructions to get to Rex’s room.

He’s fine. He has to be. He wouldn’t be resting in a room if he weren’t.

I look at my phone, my chest tightening when I see text messages from the girls. Then there were urgent emails from the New York State Office of Professional Medical Conduct, otherwise known as OPMC.