“You should have died fifteen years ago,” he gasped. “With Lily. I’m going to fix that now.”
Claire couldn’t breathe. Her vision darkened. She brought her bound hands up and slammed them into his throat.
Not enough. He squeezed harder.
From somewhere far away, she heard wood splintering. Shouting.
Derek’s face above hers, twisted with rage. “Die,” he whispered. “Finallydie.”
Then, suddenly, his weight was gone.
Wolf had hit Derek like a freight train. They crashed into the cabin wall decorated with her pictures. Wolf landed three punches before Derek recovered, twisted, and broke free.
“Commander!” Ian burst through the door behind him, weapon up.
Derek lunged for the knife. Wolf was faster. He caught Derek’s wrist, torqued it. Bone snapped and Derek screamed.
But he didn’t stop. His other hand came up with another knife—a smaller one that had been hidden.
He slashed at Wolf’s throat. Wolf jerked back. The blade caught his shoulder. Blood sprayed.
“Wolf!” Claire screamed.
Ian moved to intervene, but Derek kicked out, caught Ian’s knee. The big man staggered.
Derek turned back to Wolf, knife raised. “You’re too late. Just like you were too late for Lily. Right, Bobby?”
Wolf froze. Claire sucked in a breath. “What?” she managed to whisper.
Derek smiled at Wolf. There was blood on his teeth. “Oh yes. I know exactly who you are.” He flicked his gaze at Claire, still zip-tied, still on the floor. “Does she know, Bobby? Does Claire know you’re Lily’s pathetic big brother? That you’ve been lying to her this whole time?”
Claire’s world tilted.
Derek laughed. Actual laughter, wet and broken. “He didn’t tell you? Shadow Point Security Commander Wolf is really Bobby Anderson. He goes by Garrett Cross these days, but he’s Lily’s half-brother. The one who wasn’t there when she needed him. The one who’s been lying to you since the moment you arrived.”
“Claire—” Wolf started.
But Claire just blinked. “Bobby,” she whispered. “You’reBobby?”
Derek used the distraction to lunge at Claire. It all happened so fast. Wolf threw himself between them. The knife meant for Claire’s heart caught him in the side.
He grunted, twisted, grabbed Derek’s wrist. The knife fell.
Ian stood in front of Vivi, weapon trained on Derek. “Down! Get down now!”
Derek dropped to his knees, cradling his broken wrist. Still smiling. Still laughing.
“The truth is so very sweet, isn’t it?” he said, sneering at Claire. “You and I will never be finished. You’ll never forget me.”
Wolf—Bobby, Garrett?—shoved Derek face-first onto the floor, securing his hands behind his back.
“Medic!” Ian called into his comm as he quickly cut Vivi loose. “We need medical inside the cabin. Officer wounded, suspect secured.”
Garrett pressed his hand to his side. Blood seeped between his fingers. But when he moved toward Claire to help her up and free her restraints, he wouldn’t look at her.
She stared at him, her head swimming like it had with her concussion. Everything blurred; her stomach twisted. Her body ached, but it was a distant throb compared to the agony in her heart.
“Claire,” Wolf said. She couldn’t yet think of him as anything else. “Let me explain?—”
