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He straightens, his eyes landing on us. He murmurs something to his goons and they walk forward, him close behind.

“Hello Bennett,” Vin says. “And you must be the beautiful Eden. I couldn’t miss a chance to meet you.”

“Mrs. Abbott,” I correct him. “Come inside.” I turn, not giving him a chance to protest or say anything more as I walk toward the house, my heart pounding. I hear him murmur something to Bennett, who murmurs back, but I can tell that Bennett is on my side.

“Can I get you a drink?” I ask him when we step into the living room.

“Bennett said you need to talk to me about a problem with the resort. Something that needs my immediate attention.”

“That’s right.” I nod to the couch. “Please sit. Do you take cream and sugar?” I look over at his goons. “Gentlemen? If you follow me to the kitchen, there’s breakfast waiting for you there.”

Vin frowns and his men hesitate, eyes flicking to him for direction.

“It’s not poisoned, if that’s what you’re worried about,” I say lightly, even though my palms are damp.

“Go,” he tells them, flicking his hands to dismiss them as he sits. Pouring us both a coffee, I add cream to both then pass him a cup. But I stay standing. I hope it shows that I’m in control.

He looks carefully at me. “Is there even a problem with the resort?” he asks.

I shake my head. “No. I wanted to meet you.”

“You could have said so, I still would have come. I’ve been aching to meet you. I told West that.”

The hairs on the back of my neck tingle.

“Whatever you told him, whatever you said, you need to know that it won’t affect me. I love him and I’ll always fight for him.”

Vin shakes his head. “But does he love you?”

My throat dries. I swallow a mouthful of hot coffee. “Yes,” I say. “He does.”

Vin says nothing. Just looks at me like he almost feels sorry for me. And I hate it.

“You know West isn’t responsible for your sister’s death,” I tell him. “You’ve twisted your grief into some vendetta he doesn’t deserve.”

“He deserves it. His family hurt mine.” He spits the words out like he hates the way they taste.

I shake my head, stepping closer to him. “No, your sister loved him. And he loved her. More than his own parents, which is stupidly sad, isn’t it? He was a child. A scared little boy in a house that broke everybody it touched. And instead of blamingthe man who actually destroyed your sister you’ve spent twenty-five years convincing yourself it was West’s fault.”

His jaw tightens, but I don’t stop. “Tell me something. If Leona was here right now, do you think she’d be proud of you? Proud of the way you’re trying to burn down everyone’s life in her name? Because from everything I’ve heard, she was kind. She believed in hope. She believed in him. She wouldn’t want this.”

“Don’t you dare?—”

“I will,” I cut in, my throat burning but my words steady. “You don’t get to ruin my life because you’ve decided West doesn’t deserve his. You don’t get to take away the man I love because you can’t face the truth about your own past.”

“We’re leaving,” he shouts toward the kitchen. “Bennett, you’re coming too. You’ve spent way too much time with this family.”

“You’re a coward,” I say loudly. For a second, the whole room freezes. He turns slowly to look at me. And damn it, I’m going all in. “What is it they used to say at school? You’re a chicken. You’re scared. You’ve spent your whole life hating a defenseless, little boy because it was easier than facing the truth. That you’re exactly the kind of man his father was. And now, even after all this time, revenge doesn’t feel half as good as you thought it would, does it? West is twice the man you’ll ever be. He pulled himself up from his broken family and he’s building something real, something good. Whereas you just pull things down.”

Vin’s jaw tics. “You think you know me?” His voice is low.

“I know enough to know a bully when I see one. And we all know bullies are nothing more than scared little kids inside.” I lift my jaw, my eyes not leaving his. “And I need you to know that I’ll never let you take this away from him. There’s nothing you can do that will stop me from loving him. Nothing you can say will stop me from fighting you for the resort.”

He shakes his head. “Look at you. You’re a kid. How are you gonna stop me?”

“I’ll play you for it.”

He stops dead. “What?”