I wasn’t noble.
I’d become the darkest part of myself to protect the world while they’d used the best of themselves to do the same.
If Silver knew the truth, she’d turn her back on me.
I’d known only loyalty to my country.
To people … well … I’d learned far too young that unless you wanted your spirit crushed beyond imagining, when it came to people,youhad to leavethembeforetheyleftyoubehind.
33.Tierney
Despite the lack of rain, the island still smelled like it. It had rained every day since my return for the past ten. Today was the first morning I’d woken up to dry skies, though the sun was trapped behind a cavalcade of pale gray clouds. I missed waking up to a view of the harbor, which made me realize how much I’d miss it once I moved into the B and B. The harbor-view rooms were, of course, for the guests.
Taran always left super early to open the coffee shop. She’d been reluctant to leave me at first, but to both of our surprise, Ramsay had shown up the first few days to make sure I was all right. He wasn’t warm or tender about it. But he was there. He’d also brought private security to keep the tabloid journalists off the property.
For once, I didn’t push him to explain how. Or what was going on between us.
I let it go for ten days and allowed myself time to heal instead.
Too afraid to look online at what the rest of the world had to say about the story, Cammie informed me the commentary was positive toward my family. The B and B’s social media profiles had gained a ton of new followers from the notoriety and Cammie took over going through all the messages of support and sympathy that had flooded my DMs.
The Silver Group had fired Halston Cole, but they weren’t innocent in this. When theChronicleinformed them of the story, they should have fired him then, but they wanted to protect the company name more than seek justice. As it was, apparently the resort in question had been inundated with cancellations, and human rights protestors from all over had descended upon it.
Halston had not only been charged with my attempted murder but with the murder of my parents and Ben. The charges of manslaughter were separate and being brought by Rahman’s family against the security guard who killed him. Halston would be directly charged with subverting the course of justice once the case of manslaughter was proven. Rahman’s family was also suing the Silver Group for covering up Rahman’s death.
TheChroniclehad started a crowdsourcing fund for their legal fees when I’d offered to pay them. Perri had reminded me I didn’t have an unending well of wealth now, and I had my own legal fees to cover so she’d initiated the funding page for Rahman’s family.
Yeah, it was a big legal mess.
And the truth was, it might never go to court.
A judge had to decide whether there was enough evidence against Halston to move forward.
It was a waiting game.
I’d been stuck in Taran’s house for days waiting for the media leeches to fuck off. On day four, a UK celebrity was caught on film kissing someone who wasn’t his wife, which took the UK paps off the island. On day seven, the US paps left because they hadn’t seen a peep out of me, and they had other stories to cover.
I knew they’d come swarming again if the case went to court, but despite everything I’d been through, I wouldn’t change it. All that mattered, all that had ever mattered since I discovered the truth, was bringing justice to Rahman, my parents, Ben, and all the islanders affected by the displacement.
Taking in a deep breath, I didn’t mind that my pace was slower than usual as I walked to the B and B. I no longer had pain from only walking a little. Every day since the paps and the private security had departed, I’d gone for a walk, increasing my steps daily, not pushing too hard. But it was so good to get some air after feeling cooped up. I’d thought the villagers would be angry with me about the paps, about the threats and drama, but I was greeted with nothing but kindness and generosity. People brought around meals and gifts and offered to help me when they saw me walking slowly down the street. Everyone knew about my coffee addiction, so someone always brought me an Americano.
I felt loved and taken care of by the entire community.
Except Ramsay.
Sure, I felt taken care of … but he didn’t touch me. He hadn’t touched me in a week. I wasn’t talking about sex, of course. In general. No touching. No affection. No tenderness.
He was all business.
And the last few days … he’d disappeared entirely.
In truth, I was more in emotional knots over him and London than the looming legal battle or trying to complete the work on the B and B through it all. All that seemed manageable. But Ramsay … he’d never been manageable. Or more, that my feelings for him had never seemed manageable. Too big, too fast, too everything.
Then, of course, there was my best friend and all my worries about her. London had called the day after I arrived home from the hospital, hostile and hurt, demanding to know why I hadn’t told her I’d been attacked. Stunned, I’d relayed what Cammie told me about telling Nick and then I informed her I’d left a voicemail on her phone.
There had been silence and then London had whispered hoarsely, “What? No. I don’t have any recorded calls or voicemails from you or Cammie.”
I promised her I wasn’t lying.
