Escaping is tempting, and I’m not altogether convinced that I won’t just run off.
For now, I’ll stick with the plan, but if they let me down again, I’m getting out of here.
Kai wraps his arms around me from behind, and I lean against him, letting the warmth from his body drive out the bitter cold spreading throughout every part of me. “Was any of it real?” I ask Xavier, my voice projecting my anguish.
“The stuff that mattered was.” He approaches me, pleading with his eyes. “I love you, Abby. You’re my best friend, and I’d catch a grenade for ya,” he says, quoting one of his favorite Bruno Mars songs. “All of that is true.”
“How and why?” I ask that question of my brother.
“You came back from Aunt Genevieve’s funeral changed. I could tell the difference.” He glances at Kai. “I didn’t know what’d happened, but I knew you were planning something, and it terrified me.” He steps closer. “I’d already lost Mom,” he whispers. “I couldn’t lose you too.”
“What did you do?” My voice is devoid of emotion.
“I hired Xavier to hack you, knowing how you’d respond, and I’ve been paying him to work with you ever since.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
My jaw slackens, and my heart leaks blood by the bucketful. “I can’t believe you’d do that to me.”
Drew steps forward, ignoring Kai’s warning hiss. “I won’t apologize for helping you in the only way I could. I had to be sneaky in case Father found out because then everything I’m working on would be in vain. I’d studied the plans of the house, and I discovered the tunnel. I cleared it out, reinforced the electrical wiring, and fixed the rear gate. I was trying to figure out a plausible way of telling you about it when you stumbled across it yourself.”
I’m so conflicted right now. I can’t deny it warms my heart to know my twin went to such extremes to help me. To know I wasn’t wrong about his intentions or his love for me. To understand it’s part of a bigger plan he’s working. But the way he went about it kills me. Betrayal was on every corner, and I was blind to it. “How could you lie to me like that? We used to tell each othereverything!”
“This was the best way I could help you escape and ensure you were safe. Mom died because she wasn’t cunning enough.You are. I know that, Abby. But I wanted to ensure you had as much support as I could give, even if I knew I was helping you to leave me.” He takes my hand in his. “I want the best life for you, and I know that’s not here. Not married to Barron.”
He eyeballs Kai. “I always suspected you two would end up together, and I trust you with her. But mark my words, if you do anything to hurt her again, I will hunt you down, rip out your insides with my teeth, and feed them to you one disgusting morsel at a time.”
“You don’t get to threaten him. You’ve hurt me too.” I cross my arms. “You all have.”
“I’m holding myself accountable in the same way,” Drew replies.
“I got the memo,” Kai deadpans. “And you’ve nothing to fear from me. We both want the same thing.”
Drew nods. “I know you have lots of questions, and I know you’re hurting, Abby, but it’ll have to wait. We must go.” His face and voice brokers no argument.
“Abs.” Xavier calls to me.
I stare at him, spotting the remorse and fear on his face, but I just can’t deal right now. “I need time.”
“You’re my girl,” he adds. “That won’t ever change.”
I don’t reply, letting Kai walk me out.
Drew wheels the bike outside while Kai pulls me over to the wall, caging me in with his muscular arms. Sawyer and Jackson have vanished. “I’ll miss you,” he says, sweeping my hair off my shoulders.
“I’ll miss you too.”
He rubs at my lower lip. “You hanging in there?”
“Barely,” I honestly admit. “I keep thinking I’ve reached the end of the line. That I know everything there is to know, but there’s always more.”
“It’s a fucking mess,” he agrees, kissing the tip of my nose. “But I’m here for you.”
“Except you’re not really.”
He removes something from his back pocket, handing it to me. “Got you a new burner cell.” He loops his fingers in the back of my jeans, reeling me into his hot body. “Call me every night before you go asleep. And if anything happens, I’m your first call.” He tips my chin up. “Right?”
“Right.” I wrap my arms around him, resting my head on his chest, listening to the comforting beat of his heart. “Tell me we can do this and win,” I implore, peering up at him, because I desperately need reassurance.
