No, no,no, this couldn’t be happening. I took a cautious step toward her. “Jane, will you let me explain?”
“Where’s Don?” Her voice dropped low as I saw the panic begin to fill her eyes.
“Jane—hey—look at me.” I held my palms out,slow and nonthreatening, the same way you approached a wild animal about to bolt. “Don’s right over?—”
“Does he know? Do all of you know? All of you lied?” she whispered, voice shaking.
Her gaze flicked to Dimitri—who winced—and then jerked toward Ace, who suddenly found the bottom of his whiskey glass very interesting. The girl wasn’t stupid. She was terrified, betrayed, and cornered.
“Jane,” I said again, lowering my voice so no one nearby would overhear. “It’s not what it sounds like.”
“No?” Her breath hitched. “Because it sounded like my dad was murdered and you—” She jabbed a trembling finger at my chest, “—you had something to do with it!”
I felt the words like a physical blow.
Her voice had risen—too loud, too sharp—and I saw three heads turn from across the lawn.Not good. Not fucking good.
I risked a glance toward Poppy. She hadn’t heard. Thank God.
She was still with Nana, blissfully unaware that her entire world was about to shatter on this goddamn wedding dance floor.
“I’m going home, I want to go home,” Jane snapped, moving around me.
“No,” I said, stepping in front of her. “You’re not leaving this venue alone.”
She blinked, stunned. “You think I’m going to stay here—with you—after what he said?”
Dimitri lifted both palms, eyes widening. “In mydefense, I didn’t expect her to be lurking like some gossip-hungry little bat.”
Jane gasped. “I’m not a bat!”
“Jane,” I said sharply. “Focus on me.”
Her eyes—filled with betrayal—snapped back to mine.
“Your father’s death is… complicated,” I said carefully.
She flinched.
“Hey guys, did you see that there was a chocolate fountain?” Griffin, the youngest of us, stepped right into the ring of chaos, blissfully unaware. Like always.
Jane’s eyes locked on him, like a beacon of safety. “Did you know? Did you know that Ivan killed—no, murdered— my father?”
Griffin looked at me with wide eyes before he turned them on Dimitri. His mouth gaped open and closed like a fish out of water, struggling. “No. What’s happening? Ivan…” His brows pulled together. “Wait, no, not Ivan. Are you sure it wasn’t Dimitri?”
Jane’s eyes only continued to fill with massive tears from there. “Dimitri then? You’re a whole family of murderers!”
Griffin dipped his strawberry in some of the chocolate in his cup and shook his head. “Not me, I’ve never even punched someone. Though, the thought has crossed my mind a time or two. However, I’d rather not have a lawsuit on my hands. Everyone at the university was sue-happy.”
I closed my eyes. Leave it to Griffin to just ramble on about stupid shit in a time like this.
“Griff,” Dimitri groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Read the room, kid.”
“Iamreading the room!” Griffin whispered loudly. “The room looks… tense. And chocolate helps with tension, so technically I’m providing emotional support.”
Jane let out a broken, hiccuping sound that wasn’t even close to a laugh. Griffin froze.
“Oh no,” he whispered. “She’s crying. Why is she crying? Who made her cry?” His panicked gaze shot to me. “Ivan. Didyoumake her cry? You’re not supposed to make small girls cry, man.”
