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“I want that,” she answers desperately. “I want it to be done with forever.”
“Come with us,” Carter says, already making his way to the door.
BRAELYNN
I’m as nervous as I’ve ever been in my life as we walk through the house toward a certain wing that I’d rather avoid forever. My heart beats rapidly in my chest. My palms sweat. My legs feel heavy, like they might take over and run me right back to Declan’s bedroom without my permission. Declan is steady at my side, his expression determined.
“Declan,” I say, my voice shaking. “I don’t know if I can—”
He puts a hand on my lower back and adds the slightest pressure to tell me to keep walking. “You’re with me, and I love you. Nothing is going to happen to you. I’m sorry anyone ever hurt you, Braelynn. That ends for good today.”
From behind me, Carter cuts in. “This is a gift to you.”
“I—” I shake my head.
“If you don’t want to do this,” Carter continues. “You don’t have to. It’s—”
“She’s going to want this,” Declan says, cutting his brother off. “I don’t want her to live with regret or ever wonder where we stand.”
“Why would I want this?” I ask Declan, my pulse racing even faster as we pass one door and then another, both of which are metal.
He glances down at me and a muscle in the side of his jaw tics. “He hurt you. This all happened because of him.”
I dare to ask the question, half expecting to see a dead body behind whatever door is opened. “Is he still alive?”
Dark anger flashes through his eyes. “Not for long.”
It hits me then that I’m going to witness a murder. That I’ll see this man die in just a moment. And I’m so torn on how to feel. So conflicted by right and wrong. Memories fly through my mind and with Nate, come memories of Scarlet. I nearly trip over my own feet as I’m led to a closed door ahead.
“Come on, Brae. I want you to see what happens to anyone who ever hurts you.”
The heavy metal door opens and just inside the door, Nate’s tied to a chair with thick ropes and has a black bag over his head. Jase stands at his side, his arms crossed over his chest, a scowl on his face.
Shock and fear both race through me.
When we’re all inside the room, Jase pulls the bag off. Nate’s gagged, his face red, and his eyes wide with fear. His lip is cut and his cheek bruised. My breath catches and I can barely stand up straight.
Jase removes the gag and Nate’s head lulls. He’s barely holding on to consciousness.
“Get anything from him?”
“He admitted he was working with a cop. He made a deal.”
“I was,” Nate exhales breathlessly.
“He was covering his ass.”
“According to his bank account he was covering more than just his ass,” Daniel speaks up from the corner of the room. I didn’t even see him there. He stalks forward, wearing all black, just like Jase.
My stomach turns. Cold races up and down my arms. The memory of what he did is as clear and vivid as if it had happened five minutes ago. The way he killed…
“Scarlet,” I whisper.
“Scarlet was working for the other side, Braelynn,” Carter says. “But she was also working with Nate, wasn’t she?”
“Wasn’t she?” he repeats.
Nate’s breathing is hard and fast, and he works his jaw like it’s painful from the way they gagged him. “She’s a liar,” he says, his tone urgent. “Whatever she told you isn’t true.”
