“I’ll come back every day to give it to her. You are not to enter the cell. Is that understood?” The guard looked at me, laying weakly at the back of the cell. He swallowed and then nodded.
“Understood.” Then everyone filed out, with a parting shot from Brandon.
“Stupid whore. You’ll be dead before the week is out. I hope it was worth it.” He snorted as he left. I saw the last look from Rick, a look with dead eyes, with a tiny flicker of worry before it was gone.
Then I was alone with my burns and the pain of the wolfsbane in my veins. I allowed my magic to get most of my healing, except the top-most layer of skin. The burns looked vicious, but in reality they were very superficial. I sighed in relief as my system went to work purging the wolfsbane from my system. The immunity I built up over the years kicked in and the burn disappeared.
I fell into a fitful sleep as I heard the main door open. “I’m here to take over for your break.” Rick’s voice was soft, but apparently this was a normal protocol when there was a prisoner because the guard left without even looking back.
I kept my eyes closed as he walked over, and he pulled something out of his pocket, clicked something on it, and the room flickered for a second, then steadied. “There. If there was anything in here that was watching or listening, they aren’t anymore.” He watched me for a second, then backed up against the wall and slid down until he was sitting. “I know you understand what I’m saying, and I think you know who I am,even though I have no fucking idea who you are.” Rick closed his eyes and banged his head. “I called Amy, texted her, but no answer.”
I chuffed out a laugh. I didn’t know if I could still trust him. “She trusted you.” Was all I said. The accusation was there.
He nodded. “I know. And I know after today I don’t seem that trustworthy. But all I can hope is that she will give me a chance to explain it all.” He closed his eyes and cursed. I watched as a tear trailed down his face.
“Why are you crying? She was going to give you and your mate a way out. She was going to save your pup. You betrayed her.” I watched as each word hit him. I watched as he folded in on himself.
“I didn’t betray her. And even if she hates me, I pray to the Goddess she will save Abby. Amy is one of the best people I know.” He looked down at his hands and whispered to himself. “Even if I die, she has to save Abby.”
I snorted. “You said you didn’t betray her, but look at what you’ve done. What you did today. You aren’t innocent.”
His eyes jumped to mine. “I know. I know I’m not innocent. I was stupid. I was weak. But I’m not evil.”
I scoffed again. “You are sacrificing your child and mate.”
He surged to his feet. “I would never do that to Abby and Shelly. They are my fucking world. I’d die for them.” He hit the wall and his hand went to his neck. “I am dying for them.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
He knows.Nix’s words were soft, her eyes fully focused on the man in front of us.
What are you talking about?Megan turned back to us.He’s scum.
Nix shook her head.Look at him, Megan. Truly look, and push away your hatred towards Brandon, Vince, and well, the entire male population.Megan snorted but turned back.
What am I looking for?Megan sighed, but focused. I stepped closer, trying to see what she was seeing.
Nix was focused on Rick.Look at his skin. He is sweating, he’s pale, but his eyes are focused. His hand…She trailed off.
He’s clutching at his neck.
Megan tensed beside me. “What happened first, Rick?”
He turned his haunted eyes back to us. “What?”
Megan sighed as she crept closer. “What came first? You working with Vince? Or Abby getting branded?”
“Does it matter?” He slammed back against the wall and dropped to his ass. “It changes nothing.”
“It matters.” She growled. “It matters to me, and I know it will matter to Amy.”
“Why?” He dropped his head into his hands. “It doesn’t change that I’m a dead man. That Abby is fucked unless Amy comes back to save her. That I won’t get to watch my little girl grow up.” His voice broke, and then he did. Sobs ripped from his chest as if there was no way for him to hold them in. “I failed as a father, as a mate.” His eyes looked up and latched on to us. “As a friend.”
“What do you mean?” Megan sat back on her haunches. I could feel her softening. His words, his emotions, were breaking through her suspicion.
“I pulled Amy in. I knew. I lied to her when I said I knew nothing about magic.” He touched the back of his neck. “Her father…he had told me stories about his family. And at the time I laughed him off. But then I met Vince.” He stopped and let out a groan that I could hear the pain in. “Have you ever met someone and immediately regretted it? Someone if you could go back in time and avoid meeting all together, you would. That’s Vince.”
“Why?” Megan was just asking questions. I need to know. Her voice was firm.
