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“Jag.” She cupped my face with her hands and kissed me. “How many days after the house burned down?”
“Three,” I whispered.
“The same day Crimson let me go without any explanation.”
“Exactly. I suspect the reason she let you go was because I was snatched in broad daylight. I’m who they were waiting for. They used you to get me.”
Even though I had mentioned it before to Ari, this time, it registered. Her body crumpled in on itself, and she collapsed against my chest. “I’m so sorry, Jagger. I should have done something to protect you. If I’d known . . .” Her shoulders shook with her sobs.
“Baby, it wasn’t your fault. Please don’t think you could have stopped it. Psycho was after me. He would have gotten to me one way or the other.”
Ari lifted her head, and her eyes were rimmed with red. “Psycho? The same Psycho you said is Crimson’s boss?”
“That one.” I brushed the hair from her forehead then kissed her. “There wasn’t a damn thing you could have done. Let that shit go right now.”
“Bossy much?” A sad giggle escaped her, and I smiled.
“You know I’m bossy. And it seems like you still laugh when you’re stressed.”
Ari released a heavy sigh. “Why couldn’t I have a different stress tic? Laughing gets my ass in trouble if someone doesn’t know me.”
“I can see how it would be inconvenient.” I chuckled.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt. Sorry.”
“You’re fine.” I hesitated, not wanting to drop the next giant bomb.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Jagger
“You were a teenager. What in the world could Psycho have wanted with you?”
I briefly closed my eyes, my heart pounding in my ears. “For bait.” Unable to sit still, I lifted her off my lap and placed her on the bed. I shot to my feet and bolted out of the room.
“Jagger, wait.”
Ari’s hurried footsteps slapped the concrete floors of the building. She grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. She peered up, worry in her gaze. “Talk to me. What happened?” She held my hands, waiting.
“You’re free to walk away, Ari. I won’t call you to the society, and you and Anderson can go out.”
“Wait? What in the hell are you talking about? We agreed to give things another try, Jag. Why are you flipping shit on me?”
I stroked her cheek, imprinting her beautiful face to my mind’s eye for the last time. “I saved you from Peter, but no one can save you from me. I’m more of a monster than he ever was.” He had been an easy problem to fix. I was already going to hell, so what was one more crime?
“I refuse to believe that. You risked everything to protect me from that bastard Peter. I know there’s still a part of the guy inside you that I fell in love with years ago.”
“Just remember what I said.” I lowered my mouth to hers, enjoying her sweet kiss. “I love you, Ari.”
“I love you, too.” Tears welled in her eyes, but I knew her pain was about to become so much worse.“Tell me what you meant that Psycho wanted you for bait.”
I took a few steps back, needing some space to breathe.
“Psycho and Crimson are part of a criminal operation. I’ve never met Crimson, but I know she’s crazy if she works with Psycho. It’s why I was afraid to be around you again. They’re dangerous. Lethal psychopaths.”
“So was Peter. He just didn’t have a team or posse or whatever the shit people call it. What do they do?”
“They befriended kids.” My throat grew tight and dry. I wasn’t sure if I could tell her the truth.
