Barns burning.
Billie.
Livy trapped in the house.
Maverick holding me back while I screamed.
“You set the fire,” I whisper.
Rory’s face pinches. “I did it for you.”
Livy makes a tiny sound beside me.
I can’t breathe.
“You set my sanctuary on fire.”
“I needed you to come to me.”
“You killed Billie.”
His eyes flash. “Billie wasn’t supposed to be there. She was supposed to be picked up earlier that day.”
“They rescheduled,” I practically scream. “She was locked in her enclosure.”
“I know.” He drags a hand through his hair, wincing. “I know that now. I tried to plan it so the animals would get out. I thought you’d be in the barns. I thought Livy was with you. I thought you’d save what you could, and then you’d finally understand that place was gone.”
My vision blurs.
“You almost killed my daughter.”
“I didn’t know she was in the house.”
“So that makes it better?”
“No.” His voice cracks. “No, of course not. I never wanted Livy hurt.”
“But you did hurt her.”
“I used a different accelerant for the house,” he says, talking faster now. “It was supposed to burn fast. Too fast for anyone to go back inside. I spilled some when I was setting it. That’s what this is. Chemical burns.” He nods to his bandaged arms. “I made a mistake.”
“A mistake?”
“I panicked.”
“A mistake is ordering the wrong feed. A mistake is forgetting to lock a gate.” My voice shakes, but I don’t stop. “You burneddown my sanctuary. You killed animals. You almost killed my child.”
His face hardens. “Because you wouldn’t leave.”
“I loved that place.”
“I loved you.”
The words hit the floor between us.
“I have loved you for years,” he says. “I was there when nobody else was. I stayed even after Livy’s dad left. I stayed late every evening. I came early every morning. I fixed everything you asked me to fix. I watched Livy grow up. I knew her favorite snacks. I knew when you were tired before you admitted it.”
I stare at him.
