“Enough,” Dean ordered, pushing off the wall. “The past is in the past. That’s where it needs to stay.”
“I’m sorry,” I said softly. Karina looked back at me, her blonde hair falling over her shoulder. Her brother looked like he had more to say but refrained as silence settled over us. There was so much to say, and yet there wasn’t.
How does someone apologize for years of pain?
So, I asked the next best question. “Where is Romano?”
“Dead,” the four of them said in unison.
Dead.My chest heaved as a sigh left me. Dead. He was finally fucking dead.
“You have good aim, Collin,” Gwen deadpanned.
I couldn’t help but smirk. “Damn sure better than yours.”
“That’s another thing. Why did you keep my dagger?” she asked. I shrugged—or tried to.
“It needed to be returned to its rightful owner,” I said. Jeremy shifted, and my eyes shot to him. This man wanted to kill me, which I deserved, but that was something I didn’t need my angel seeing.
“If you want to kill me, that’s fine. All I ask is that you don’t do it in front of Karina, Mr. Jones,” I said to him.
“Col!”
“I haven’t decided yet, Mr. Stevens,” he answered as his sister backed away from him.
“You touch him, and I’ll—”
“Collin?”
All heads turned to Haley, standing in the doorway. She walked inside, and I was grateful to find no signs of pain. She wasn’t limping anymore, and her skin had returned to a healthy color since I last saw her. She looked good. They all did.
“How are you?” I asked.
She smiled at me. “I should be asking you that.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” I pressed softly.
“I’m okay. I promise,” she said before turning Jeremy. “Casey is in the lobby asking for you.”
His eyes flicked to Karina’s and then to mine. “I came in here with an open mind. There is a lot we need to discuss, but I know one thing.” He looked at his sister. “You took a bullet for her.”
“Yes,” I said.
“Would you do it again?” he asked.
“Every fucking day, if need be.” My angel whimpered.
He nodded. “Then consider us even. We both took hits for that fucking bastard, but he's rotting in hell. You put him there. You saved my sister. For that, I am in your debt.”
Shock washed over me like rain, cleansing me of the one sin I thought I would never be forgiven for.
I watched as he kissed each of the girls on their foreheads before walking out…and Agent Garner walked in.
What was the visitor policy in this place?
“Collin Stevens,” he drawled, coming to stand at the end of my bed.
“Agent Garner.”
