Forcefully, I release Mark, letting him fall back to the ground with a grunt.
“I’m so sorry,” Mark says on what seems to be a choked-back sob, but I throw him a glare that screams,Don’t you fucking dare.
Storming toward the exit, I hear ruffling behind me, and Ander shouts, “Get up, get your shit, and get the fuck out!”
I don’t bother looking back.
Chapter seventy-six
Jett
February 2026
The door buzzes open, and my head swings in that direction. I watch as he walks in wearing all orange, hands cuffed in front of him, escorted by a police officer. The severity of the situation he’s put himself in has bile rising in my throat, and I swallow hard.
I’ve had a few days to calm down, and although I’m still livid and there’s no room for forgiveness in my heart where he’s concerned, I can’t ignore the fact thatthis isn’t right.
The officer uncuffs his hands, and he takes a seat at the table across from me. The room is loud, filled with the chatter of other people visiting their loved ones. Meanwhile, I’m only here to get answers, not give support.
“Thanks for coming,” Mark says, his voice low as he keeps his head bowed, refusing to meet my eyes. “When I called, I wasn’t sure you’d come.”
“I almost didn’t,” I admit truthfully.
I mean it. When he called, I had no interest in coming to talk to him. None. It wasn’t until I saw on the court records what his charges were, and my mind filled with lingering questions, that I decided to come—only for answers.
“I get it,” he says, nodding. Briefly glancing up to meet my eyes, he glances back down at his hands, fingers fidgeting restlessly in his lap. “It’s over, Jett. It’s all over. You don’t have to worry about Tony anymore.”
“Why’d you do it?” I ask, genuine concern shining through in my tone.
It’s then that our eyes connect, and I see and feel his reasoned guilt before he even speaks. It’s in the way his shoulders slump forward, his head hangs low, and his eyes struggle to stay locked with mine.
My disgust for him lessens a bit, but doesn’t dissipate.
Over the years, I thought I knew him, knew his heart. Now, I don’t even recognize the guy sitting across from me.
He sighs, glancing away yet again. “It was the right thing to do.”
“We both know you didn’t pull the fucking trigger, Mark. On Maverick or Liam.” My words come out low but stern.
“It was the only way to repay you for all you’ve done for me. The only way to fix this. Hell, I saw what it meant to you when I took the blame for the fire at the barn… In this case, I owe you so much more.”
“Bullshit. There was another way,” I say louder, slightly raising my voice, but still trying to keep my cool. “All you did was let him off the damn hook. Let him run away like the coward he is. He wouldn’t have come back, not with the police—”
Mark scoffs, cutting me off. “You don’t know him like I do. Hewouldcome back, hold Liam over your head, and keep fucking taking. The attempt on Izzy was just the start.”
He looks at me, and the regret in his eyes causes me to hesitate, and I don’t respond.
A moment of silence falls between us before he speaks again, “Don’t you get it, Jett?You’reoff the hook now. By taking the blame for Liam's death,” he pauses, letting out a huff, “and Mavericks… there’s nothing he can do now. He has no leverage. I confessed to it all.”
“So he just… what?” I lean in, lowering my voice. “Goes free while you sit here for something you didn’t do? Am I pissed at you for the part you played? Fuck yes. I trusted you. I considered you family, and you turned on me. But does that mean you should go down for this? No.”
“Let's face it, Jett. I was always playing pretend. This is where I’m meant to be. I was never truly clean, Jett. I’ve been lying to you the whole time. You tried your best. But all you did was bide me time before the inevitable happened.”
“Mark, you—”
“Time’s up,” the guard announces to the room. “Say your goodbyes.”
Mark’s the first person out of the inmates to stand. “For what it’s worth, thank you, Jett. For all you’ve done for me. Let me do this for you.” He turns away from me without another word, holds his hands out as the guard walks over to cuff him, then escorts him away.
