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"What do you mean?" King has a slight quiver in her question. Her gaze remains locked on the items on the table. I untangle one of my hands to pull her into my side.
Instead of Lilly, Marcus answers, looking as innocent as a choirboy. "The girl you helped was the mere tip of the iceberg. We may have nudged the authorities in the direction of what went on inside The Pole."
"What happened…" King slowly repeats. Her head lifts, and she first peers at Lilly, then at her attorney, and last, at Marcus. We're all waiting for them to let us in on what they cooked up to save my girlfriend.
I've never been more grateful for the people in this room than I am at this moment, yet the conflicting signals my brain sends me throw my mind into a tailspin. Relief and happiness are in a synchronous dance with guilt and sorrow. Gray is dead. He's gone and no longer a threat to my family and friends. I want to high-five Rhys. Then, the guilt for having such a euphoric emotion chokes me. He was King's father. King dealing with another loss splits my insides open, and I want to shield her from every negative emotion ever again.
"Gray found out that Ellis had planned to do to King what he'd been doing to all his other girls, for which Gray killed him. E's bodyguard ran, but Gray tracked him down here in Stonebriar. Sidhrov was following you." Jaxon regards King carefully before continuing. "When Gray found him here, he killed him as well. Ellis had his hands in many businessventures, one of which took his death personally and retaliated—using Gray's weapon against him."
Makes sense.
"But Gray didn't kill Vic," King exclaims, moving closer to the edge of the couch. I can sense her need to jump up, and I tighten my hold around her shoulders, slowly tracing circles on her arm.
"He did now." Marcus juts his jaw and emphasizes his opinion on the matter with a blank stare directed at King.
I'm with Marcus on that. I'm sure she wants to understand what really transpired, but as long as it keeps her out of prison, I don't give two shits who killed whom.
"Gray believed one of the others was behind Vic's murder," King mumbles as she meets my eyes for the first time since the bomb was dropped on her. "Which is why he came here last year."
I lower my forehead to hers and let the world around us disappear. It's the two of us, and we lean on each other. She holds my gaze, squeezing my hand in her lap. I place a gentle kiss on her lips, and when I pull away, the corner of her mouth tugs upward.
"Gray left the knife to you when he faked his death," Jaxon states point-blank, and our bubble of solitude bursts.
King's head jerks around. "How did you know that?"
"I think besides Francis Turner himself, not many people—alive—know more about him—orGray." He drops the folder on the table and shoves his hands in his pockets. "My team interviewed his Ranger buddies, and they provided us with old pictures—one of which had him displayed with this knife."
King traces the blade with her fingertip. "It was a gift when he graduated boot camp. I don't know from who."
Marcus widens his stance farther. "Who knew about the blade? "
Why does it always seem like every answer comes with more questions?
"I always had it with me. You could say everyone knew about it, but not where I got it from." King furrows her brow.
"You have someone on your side, that's for sure. We just have no idea who," Marcus confirms her suspicion.
And Jaxon adds, "Yet."
"It's like we're always followed by the dark," D murmurs next to me, too low for anyone else to hear. I eye her sideways, wondering if there is something my best friend is keeping from me.
"What am I doing now? This is all too…I don't know. Convenient." King splays her free hand. I'm not letting go of the other.
"Officially, you gave the knife back toyour fatherwhen you last saw him before Ellis disappeared," her attorney advises. "Don't let anyone see you with it. George will remain in New Mexico until Gray's body can be brought back to LA. Camden is meeting him there tomorrow. Gray was still considered a fugitive in Lilly's case. Camden will make sure that no one questions that he was the one who killed Ellis."
"You have an FBI agent in your pocket?" Mags explodes, her shrill tone making everyone jerk around.
Before one of the guys can respond, Lilly explains calmly, "Not in the way you're thinking."
"We're not blaming an innocent person for a random crime. Gray was a dangerous criminal.Scum." Rhys flicks his gaze to my girlfriend. "Sorry, King."
The only acknowledgment she gives him is a slight tilt of her head.
Rhys trains his eyes back on Mags. "King doesn't deserve to be punished for this. She rescued a girl from a heinous crime. Victor Sidhrov stood by as this girl was—" He breaks off, throwing a glance in my mom's direction. "Gray got rid of the body. Someone got rid of both. If it was revenge or to help King, we'll find out. But for now, this is over."
Over?
"Do you really think so?" I challenge my best friend.
