I smirked. “No, Connors, he crossed that line when Haley was taken three weeks ago.”
It was true.
Three weeks ago, Haley, Dean, and I were being chased by Romano’s goons. We were cornered, and Dean and I told the red-head to run and meet Mr. Clark at a safe point. They were all throughout the city, members of my uncle’s Crew offering a place of sanctuary for those in need. She ran; Dean and I fought. There were so many, and they just kept coming. We still didn’t know if that little bitch boy was the one who organized all of this or not.
Why have a small army in a city you hate? It was just more confirmation he was keeping someone here.
Someone special to him. Someone he took from us—from me. My sister.
Haley was taken. We heard her screams, her cries for help. The moment we realized we were too late, something inside of James Garner snapped, like the shining cord of his soul was tethered and then shredded in an instant.
Agent James Garner, the good boy, was gone, and a mad man stood in his place. The only anchor to bring him back to sanity was his woman, his princess as he called her, and with each passing day, the darkness ate at him a little more.
Was I happy? No.
Was I glad we were finally making progress? Absolutely.
The only way to save the people you love was to get your hands bloody.
Garner’s hands were almost as bloody as mine.
He was the good one out of all of us. He had a moral code made him the man he was, but that man was gone now. After Haley’s disappearance, he'd lost it.
He shot every single body he put down three more times. It was always in their faces, making them unrecognizable. Then, hetried to kill me, since I was the one who told her she should go after Kay.
I would admit that I was reckless. Haley’s capture was on me...and I told him that.
Three weeks ago
“Look at me!” James roared from on top of me before his fist clashed with my face again.
Pain.
Fuck, that hurt. My jaw ached, but I didn’t fight back. I couldn’t fight when this was all my fault. Haley was gone.
He hit me, again and again, plowing me into the concrete stairs by the river.
He stopped for a moment, sitting back on his haunches, his body holding me down. He wiped his face with the back of his sleeves as his dark, raging eyes surveyed the damage he'd caused.
My punishment. My judgment.
I looked up and away from him to the St. Louis arch. It stood proud and tall, lit up in the night, letting others in the darkness know that this was the gateway. Right now, for me, it was the gateway to hell. I was going to die tonight.
James Garner was going to kill me, and I deserved it.
“Do it,” I croaked.
His hand shot out, punching me again, before both of them wrapped around my throat.
“You took her from me,” he growled, his voice lower than I'd ever heard it, filled with pain and anger. My windpipe was cut off, and I knew this was the end. My sister’s face came into view—blonde hair, clear skin, bright blue eyes. As bright as the summer sky. Beautiful and refreshing. I heard her laugh, saw her smile.
Would she forgive me? Would she live? Would Haley? Would Gwen? Would Aiden? Would my honey girl?
“Yes,” I whispered as my vision began to go in and out of focus.
“Garner!”
He was ripped off me then, and I felt a gentle hand on my cheek. “Jer? Jer, stay with me.”Gwen.
