Anders remains silent. The air between us hangs thick with tension for several long minutes before he speaks again.
“I want your word that you will stay out of Jessica’s life.”
“I can’t,” I say softly.
“I’m not giving you a choice! Stay the fuck away from my daughter!” He grabs onto the bed to pull himself to his feet.
“I can’t!” I shout at him, “She’s my true mate! Mine! Not Tyler’s, mine!”
Anders eyes widen in surprise. “No,” he whispers. His eyes dart wildly around the room. He starts to spin around.
Slowly, I stand before him, words tumbling out before he can say anything else. “I never intended to leave her in Territory Two. I just needed time to get what I needed so I could save both of them.”
He ignores me, eyes scanning for the scattered parts of the gun I’d disassembled. I can’t look at him.
I remember the first time I cradled her in my arms. She smiled at me, and in that instant, our bond clicked into place. I was a teenager, and she was just a baby. I had no idea what that connection would come to mean. For the first time in my life,there was another innocent life besides Tyler that I wanted to protect.
“My soul recognized her the moment she walked through the door of your office. I knew exactly who she was before Tyler could even grasp what was happening. She’s mine, Anders.”
“I don’t care what she is to you. I need you to stay away from her!”
Limping forward, I place my hand on his shoulder, needing him to look at me. “I’m already putting some distance between us, but it won’t last long. Tyler needs her in his life.”
Anders’s face screws up in anger. “I don’t want him near her.” He shoves my hand away and turns.
I grab his upper arm and squeeze tight, forcing him to face me. “His love for her is beyond a true-mate bond, beyond anything I have ever seen before. Despite his memories being taken away, his love for her still remains strong. He didn’t save you because of an unspoken bond you share. It was because you are important to her. It’s why he hesitated to kill her. In the last moments when he was dying, he remembered her. If you stand between the two of them, then all hope of him returning is lost.”
“I’m removing Tyler from the guard. He’s fired! Done!” He yanks his arm out of my hold.
“Losing the guard, you, and Jessica will destroy him. He loves you like a father. Don’t do this to him. It’s not his fault!” I plead.
“This conversation is over!” he growls, limping his way to the door.
I hobble after him and drop to my knees. “Please!” I shout at his back.
His hand hovers over the door handle.
“I know I will never be worthy of your trust. I know that the person I was will never be worthy of Jessica. Despite what you think of me, I will do whatever it takes to protect both of them.”I drop my chin. “I love them. They both mean everything to me. Please, don’t turn your back on me. Don’t give up on me, on Tyler. I need your help… I’m scared.”
Tears glide down my cheeks, and I swallow down the knot in my throat. “I’m terrified this plan will fail, and that both Tyler and Jessica will suffer for it. I need you, Anders—more than I ever needed anyone.”
He shuffles his feet.
“Please,” I beg.
When the door closes behind him, I slam my fist into the ground. The world around me crumbles to dust.
“Anders!” I scream.
Once I thought I was a king—that nothing could break me. I was wrong. I see that clearly now.
Chapter 78
Meeting Contestant No. 23
JESSICA
Present Day
