I wouldn’t takethatrisk. I’d already lost one parent; I couldn’t lose another.
“Jackson, I won’t let you take the blame for me.”She squeezed my hand, her eyes imploring me to listen to her.“I shot the bastard, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. And if it means I face the consequences of breaching Legion rules,thenso be it. I’mjustsorry I didn’t kill the cunt before he put his hands on Kiera.”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, I couldn’t help but snort.“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you usethatword before.”
Mom chuckled.“Well, it’s the only wordthatsums upthatman. I can’t believe I slept next to him every night.”
A heavy sigh escaped.“I’m sorry you had to find outthatway, Mom. I wanted to tell you after I’d dealt with him.”
“I’m not sorry, honey,”she replied.“The only thing I’m sorry about isthatI couldn’t stop him before he hurt Kiera. I always thought she was a lovely girl, and you were so sad when she was disowned by Eric. I didn’t realize you were in love with her, though.”
“I still am,”I replied.“We’ve got a lot to work through, but I’m hoping we can find a way back to what we had before.”
She squeezed my hand again.“I’m happy for you, Jackson. The two of you deserve to be happy. What about her daughter, though? Won’t she be a constant reminder of what your father did?”
An affectionate grin spread over my mouth as I recalled Kiera’s answer when I’d asked the same thing.“She’s nothing like him, Mom. She’s the spitting image of Kiera, and she’s…she’s a good kid. I like being around her.”
We fell silent, the two of us lost in our thoughts. My mind flashed to the lifeless body of my dad in the games room, but instead of feeling the guilt and pain I thought I’d feel at his death, there was nothing but relief.
He’d never be able to lay a hand on Kiera ever again.
My phone ringing broke the silence, and I glanced down to see James was calling. I ignored his call, turning my focus back to my mom.“I need you to listen to me, Mom. What happened downstairs needs to stay between us. Let me take the blame; if I’m punished, it will only be with something minor. I can’t guarantee they’ll feel the same if they know you killed him.”
“Jack-”
“No, Mom. I’m begging you, please let me take the blame. I…”My voice began to break. I sucked in a breath, ignoring the way my bottom lip quivered.“I can’t lose you, too.”
Mom cupped my cheek, smiling affectionately.“Okay, Jackson. We’ll keep it between us.”
I closed my eyes, my shoulders slumping in relief.“Thank you.”My phone rang again, and I huffed at James’ impatience. He knew the job had been done;he’d called the damn cleaning crew, and there was no way they’d be here already.“Let me get this,”I said, standing to walk out of the living room so I could speak freely to James.“Yeah?”
“We need to go,”James barked, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on edge at the urgency in his tone.
“What’s happened?”
“Kiera’s just phoned. Alec…he’s dead.”
Chapter 29
Kiera
James and Jackson had been gone for less than ten minutes, yet I was constantly checking my phone to see if they had any updates.That, or checking to see if Alec had made contact, demanding answers earlier than the twenty-four-hour grace he’d given me.
Disappointment crashed through me when, each time I looked, my phone showed no new notifications.
I stared out the living room window at the empty driveway, my brain racing, but my body exhausted. Too exhausted toevenpace. My eyes felt heavy, and while I knew Jackson was right,thatI needed to rest, I fought against the need to fall onto the couch and sleep.
Movement from beside me caught my attention, and my gaze slid from the window to Willow. She’d barely spoken since James left, and oddly, I found her silence comforting; a presence I knew was there, but didn’t distract me from my brooding thoughts.
“James will find her,”she said softly, almost a whisper.“He adores Billie. He’ll bring her back to you.”
“I know,”I replied, pushing the words past the ball of emotion lodged firmly in my throat.
Willow opened and closed her mouth several times like she had something else to say, but wasn’t sure she should speak. I studied her for a moment, her one greenand one blue eye—caused by heterochromia—holding my gaze and a lifetime of secrets.
Not for the first time, I wondered how James had found her. The story she’d told at dinner a few weeks ago had obviously been bullshit, but I never pried on James’ business, not when it was likely to do with Legion.
“I’m sorry for what happened to you. What he did to you.”
