“You offered to give him a ride in your boat.”
“Yes.”
“She agreed to this plan?”
“She did not.”
“What did you do to her?”
Paul shuddered violently and refused to answer.He had no idea what Aiden Mendez was capable of.He might be planning to kidnap Vanessa himself—or shoot her.Aiden lifted the binoculars to his eyes and looked that direction.The cabin was well within a sniper’s range.“You came here to kill me, not her.”
“Yes.”
“Why haven’t you done it?”
Aiden let the binoculars drop.“I was going to take the shot earlier, but your girlfriend arrived and I got distracted by the show.”
Paul flushed, raking a hand through his damp hair.
“I decided to let you enjoy your last meal,” Aiden said.“How was it?”
“None of your business.”
He laughed at the terse response.
“Why are you toying with me?”
Aiden shrugged.“You’d prefer that I get on with it?”
“I’m questioning your commitment to the task.I’m glad you shot Bennett instead of me.But now you’re stalling, and I don’t understand why.”
Aiden examined Paul’s face.“Maybe I wanted to look you in the eye.”
“Again?”
His dark brows rose.“You aimed at me that day.”
“I remember.”
“Why didn’t you shoot?”
“Because you didn’t.”
In the split second before Paul had opened fire on Angel Mendez, he’d locked gazes with Aiden Mendez.He’d been wearing a half-mask that day as well.The surviving brother had lowered his weapon and retreated.
“That moment haunts me,” Aiden said.“You were right in front of me.I could have fired at you before you shot Angel but I didn’t.I could have fired after he fell, but I didn’t.I let my brother die and I let you live.”
Paul didn’t offer a response.He knew this was true.
“Tell me something,” Aiden said.
“What?”
“Did my brother mean to shoot that woman?”
“I think it was unintentional,” Paul said, after a pause.“Just a reflex as he fell.”
Aiden stared across the lake for a long moment.“My father will never forgive me for failing to act.”
