It. Won’t. Bring. Them. Back.
The hole in my chest widens and I know if I pull the trigger, if I kill him, it will swallow me too.
The gun slides from my hand and thuds to the floor.
I slump back into the chair. And I cry.
I sob so hard it feels like blood is pouring down my face in the place of tears. I shake until I’m about to come apart. Somewhere in front of me a shadow forms as Reed rises. How long he remains there, I’m not sure, I know only that at some point, I manage to stand, grab the car keys, and rush out the front door.
Chapter 50
REED
My heart dissolves in my chest as I watch Bailey go. I’ve destroyed her.
Exactly like I’ve destroyed myself.
I’m sorry, Bailey. I’m so fucking sorry.
The words snap through my head like a wall of dust—hot and worthless. Sorry won’t fix everything I’ve broken. Sorry won’t heal all the women I’ve shattered. Sorry won’t bring Evelyn back to life or resurrect Bailey’s family. Nothing will. And nothing I do can ever change that. But there is still something I can give her. Zane Jenson planned to hurt her. I’m certain of that. And I can make sure it never happens.
I turn toward him—and I freeze.
Because Zane is no longer lying unconscious behind me. He’s pushing to his feet instead, the ropes around his wrists and ankles severed.
How?
My eyes track behind him toward an open pocketknife lying on the floor, the handle smeared with red. In my rush, I didn’t think to pat him down, didn’t search his pockets. His damaged hand hangs by his side, the stubs of his fingers dripping blood like a leaking faucet. And in his other hand is a gun.
I move for mine.
“Don’t,”he says, as I shift forward. His voice is like iron. The same voice the masked man used during Bailey’s staged abduction. I return my gaze to his. His eyes are those of Officer Gunn’s, brown, not blue. But they carry a new emotion compared to the last time they looked at me: Hate. I can feel it radiating off of him like a furnace. This man hates me now.
“Where’s my son?” he asks.
Lies surge up my throat in rapid succession:Outside in the van. Gone, he took off. Injured, but he’s okay. He’s at the hospital. You can find him there.Even now—after everything—the lies come so naturally. So freely. But I won’t let them. At this point, I’ve told enough lies to fill an ocean.
“Dead,” I say.
A cord ripples in his neck. “How? I saw him shoot you.”
I press my fist to my chest. “I wore a vest.”
“And then you shot him.”
“Yes.”
Zane winces, the statement a slap to his face. He takes in a slow breath then exhales in a slow hiss through his teeth. “I should have taken you out at the quarry when I had the chance.” He shakes his head, his face paling as it ropes into a snarl.
“Why didn’t you?” I ask, after a second.
“Because this—” he stabs the gun at me “—doing all of this to you is what she wanted. And I owed that to her after everything she’s been through. After whatyouput her through.”
Her,I think.Bailey.
“Why?” I ask. “So you could feel better about betraying her?”
His eyebrows slant down, and he takes a single step forward, the gun wavering dangerously in his hand. “You of all people dare to judge me? Fuck you! You have no idea what kind of hell I’ve had to endure, you selfish prick! You’ll never know!” His eyes dust red and he shakes his head. “I did all of this to save her. All of it! And I still failed.”
