I expelled a volatile breath. “What do mean?”
He dragged air through his mouth and exhaled through his nose. I could tell he was winded. “Don’t you see? It will destroy her. The hurt will be too much. She just began living again, Trent. You gave her that. You gave her a new lease on a life that was just an empty shell. You gave her kids, a family. She’s finally accepted her memory will never return and she’s made peace with it. Don’t take that away from her. Even though she might appear strong, deep down, she’s still fragile. If her memory returns, she might handle the truth better and you can tell her then...” he trailed off, his expression desperate.
While I found it surprising that the strong man I once knew had been reduced to a begging, I ground my teeth to keep from agreeing with him. But he was right. “Why the fuck would you concoct such a fucked up story about the way you found her?”
He shook his head. “I didn’t. That part is true.”
I frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“A day before I planned to take her out, Easton pulled the plug. I figured he had a change of heart. A week or so later, I found Rika in my building in the condition I described. At the time, the woman I was meant to take out ending up in my building almost on her deathbed, was too much of a coincidence not to notice the obvious. Someone planned the whole fucking thing to take me down while getting rid of her. I just didn’t know who he was until today.” He glanced at Easton.
“And that’s where the whole fucked up idea for revenge sprung?” I asked, sarcasm spiking my words.
Zayne nodded. “Easton and I have a history not worth mentioning. He didn’t know I was the assassin he hired and canceled the contract because he learned I was in town. Dumb fuck.” Uttering a caustic laugh, he glared at Easton’s body. “He planned for me to get caught with a dead body. Diabolical fucker that he was, he hadn’t anticipated me finding her before...” Zayne broke into a coughing fit.
Regardless, my anger hadn’t dissipated. “So when did your gallant side make an appearance? Or were you just biding your time then got all mushy and decided not to kill her?”
He shook his head, pulling in a raspy breath. “Sometimes, to catch a wolf you need to sacrifice the lamb. Selfishly, saving her provided me with the perfect bait to reel him in. I figured if I kept her around, whoever set me up would come looking for her. Nobody double-crosses me and gets away with it.” His jaw tightened, there was no mistaking the poison in his words.
“And what happens to the bait?”
He shrugged. “Depended on whether I like them or not.”
“And I’m guessing Ashrika blew your fucked up rules to kingdom come?”
We stared at each other, an avalanche of tension bubbling beneath the surface before he sighed. “I didn’t anticipate the coma, memory loss, and worse. Falling in love with her.”
“Is this like the confessions of a dying man,” I snorted. “You use her and expect me to believe you love her. I must look like a real dick to you if you think—”
“You have every right to be angry, to hate me,” he grunted.
“Angry doesn’t even begin to describe what I feel right now, Zayne. Unlike you, I don’t go around killing people. Although, looking at your face right now and this dumb shit.” I pointed to Easton. “I wish I did.”
“I know.” He paused, leaning his head back against the wall. Closing his eyes, he dragged in lungsful of air.
Part of me wanted to help him, rush him to the hospital, but the other part, the one wanting to strangle the life out of him, fought my restraint.
“That first meeting after she woke from the coma,” he began speaking again. “When I found her in that coffee shop, scared and desperate for someone to help save her from her own blank mind, I fell in love.” He opened his eyes and I read the sincerity in them. “All thoughts of revenge fled. I gave her a secure life, kept her close so I could protect her for when he came for her, even if I couldn’t have her the way I wanted. Only, Easton was under the impression she was dead. Then you appeared...” he trailed off, staring into space.
I dropped to my haunches again and his gaze met mine. “That night at the club, was it a setup? Did you arrange it?” His hesitation was all the confirmation I needed. “Why?”
“For seven years, I heard from no one. The people who worked for me had no leads as to who set me up. Then you arrived out of the blue. I had to test you, make sure—”
“I wasn’t the person who hired you?” I scoffed. “And you gave no thought to her safety. The fucker could’ve—”
“I had it covered.”
“How?” I cursed.
“Tia—”
“Seriously, you trust that fucking woman—”
“With my life,” he snapped.
I wondered about their relationship. The fact she had a gun on her at the club and the way she used it, told me there was more to her than just a waitress at the restaurant. Still. I didn’t question him. “She was following your instructions that night?”
He nodded. “The bouncers as well. If the fucker took it too far, they...” He appeared to rethink his words. “Let’s just say he did and became fish food real quick.”
