Chapter 20 - Blair
“I think there is more than one issue that I caused. I interrupted so many pieces of his plan. It started the night he met me. Then he had to sidetrack and hunt me down to make sure I wasn’t going to go to the police. After that, he realized I was in danger now because Jaco knew who I was, and he had to bring me into his home. I caused chaos in his life that wasn’t supposed to be there,” I explain, desperately wanting his brother to understand that Simon is not in the wrong. He was doing what he thought was right, what was right. And all the while, he was also protecting me.
I am the reason his plans have failed so far.
Marlen’s eyes are dark as he stares down at me, knotting his brows and listening intently.
My heart is beating hard against my ribs as I wait for him to lash out in anger.
Marlen opens his mouth to speak, but suddenly Simon is standing between us.
“She’s wrong, Marlen. Don’t be angry with her.”
“What, no…” I stammer, trying to push Simon out of the way.
Marlen hugs in annoyance. “What the fuck is going on, Simon!” he demands.
“Blair is very sweet for trying to protect me from your anger, but she’s wrong,” Simon says, glancing over her shoulder at me. He reaches back and takes my hand, squeezing gently. My heart somersaults at his touch.
“Blair got dragged into this mess because of me. The reason things went off track is because I wasn’t on top ofeverything like I usually am. I wasn’t paying attention. That’s why it reached the families. I am at fault for not staying focused enough. Blair didn’t choose to get dragged into it. I took her, even against her will, only wanting to keep her safe.”
I step around Simon, so I’m standing next to him instead of behind him.
Quietly, I listen as he speaks with his brothers, glancing between them, explaining how he lost track of things.
His words sink into my thoughts, and I realize, okay, yes, he did lose track. He stopped being fully focused on his plans, and he got distracted. But it all happened from the moment he married me. Before that, he was fully invested.
Once I came into his life, he became impulsive and erratic with his choices. Marrying me was only the first one. He made other choices—all to protect me—that led him astray from his plans.
Am I just a nuisance in his life? Have I disrupted his otherwise organized and structured world?Guilt ripples through me and floods me with a heavy sense of regret.
I think I am to blame. I think he is just too caught up to see the truth of it.
When Simon stops speaking, Marlen still looks furious.
“Alright, I still don’t know what the fuck is going on, but you need to understand the gravity of this situation, Simon,” he demands. “The Marcas family is influential in this city, and now we are on the brink of war with them over some revenge plot that you cooked up toward Jaco. Now I think we need to set up a meeting with…”
“No. No meetings.” Simon shakes his head.
“We need to fix this fucking mess,” Marlen snaps.
“No, not we.Ineed to fix this mess. And I will. I assure you, Marlen. I will fix this. I don’t want a war either, and I never intended for it to come to this. I will find a way to make this right without making things worse. I promise you. I’ve got this,” he insists sternly.
Marlen growls and pushes his hand through his hair. He closes his eyes for a moment and turns his back on Simon. When he opens his eyes again, he is looking directly at Bardil.
He says nothing, but Bardil shrugs, standing too. “Give him a chance to fix it. One week. We can reassess the storm after that and decide how to move forward,” Bardil says.
Marlen nods. “Fine. I will tell the Marcas family we are sorting it out,” he huffs.
He turns to look at Simon. “You have one week.”
I take a breath of relief. At least Marlen is giving him a chance to fix it. He’s trusting him with it even though he’s furious.
Simon insists I leave the car I came in downstairs and that he’ll send someone to fetch it later. I drive home with him.
He’s quiet. His expression is pensive, and he’s lost in thought, obviously trying to put together a solution that will keep his family safe.
Next to him, I sit awkwardly, hating the fact that he has the full burden of his mess resting on his shoulders alone. It doesn’t seem fair. I truly believe that if it weren’t for me, his plans would have gone perfectly. All of this would probably be over, and no one would know any difference.
