It really was unbelievable that the man I loved—the man I mourned—had let me endure all of it alone.
“And yet,” Jonathan said, glaring at Kian, “you had no problem taking advantage of Sophie when she was at her most vulnerable.” His eyes were locked on Kian, sharp with accusation. “Taking her for yourself.”
Jonathan reached for me, but I didn’t take his hand.
“I suggest you watch yourself,” Kian said quietly. The menace in his voice was calm, absolute. “Attempt to touch her again,” Kian continued, lifting the gun just enough to make the promise unmistakable, “and you die.”
The threat shouldn’t have pleased me. It really shouldn’t have, especially not with Jonathan standing there, blood trickling from his temple.
But it did.
Kian’s protectiveness sent a dangerous warmth through me, even as my fury at Jonathan twisted in my chest. He had let me believe he was dead. He had put Sienna’s life at risk. Mine too. While he was… hiding.
Jonathan’s gaze flicked between Kian and me, realization dawning slowly. I could almost see the pieces clicking into place.
“You can’t possibly prefer him over me,” he said, his voice dropping.
Kian said nothing. He didn’t need to. The two men locked eyes, the space between them charged and volatile.
I licked my lips, forcing air into my lungs. This wasn’t a matter of who I preferred but of whathehad done.
“How could you do it, Jonathan?” I asked, accusation clear in my voice while my eyes burned. “How could you?”
The question barely scratched the surface of everything I wanted to scream. How could you leave your son? Leave me? How could you let those things happen to Sienna? How could you let your ex-wife destroy our lives while you stayed hidden?
“I can explain,” Jonathan said quickly, desperation bleeding through his confidence.
“There’s nothing you can say,” I replied, my voice shaking despite myself, “that justifies letting me believe you were dead.”
“Oh, this is priceless. You ditched me for her, and now she no longer wants you.” Jacqueline threw her head back and let out a high-pitched crackle. Then, in one swift move, she yanked a gun from Amir’s holster and pointed it at Jonathan and me. “You both deserve to die.”
“This is the last time you threaten Sophie,” Kian said softly, his own gun already lifted and aimed at her forehead threateningly.
Yet, Jonathan’s own gun remained hanging uselessly from his hand. I searched his face while struggling to understand why even now, with his ex-wife’s gun pointed at me, he couldn’t seem to defend me against her.
“You wouldn’t dare,” Jacqueline hissed, her eyes wild and full of devotion as she stared at her ex-husband.
“I planned on skinning you alive, but this will suffice,” Kian drawled, then pulled the trigger.
A single gunshot echoed through the air. I gasped, my ears ringing as I watched Jacqueline’s body slump onto the floor.
Shock hit me, rolling through me in waves. Then a single tear followed while I watched blood pool around her body, those dead eyes staring blankly. It hit me how different it was from seeing Jonathan’s eyes stare blankly at me that rainy autumn night.
He’d been acting then, but this wasn’t an act. This was reality.
My instinct to heal kicked in and I took a step forward, but Kian pulled me back.
“There’s nothing you can do for her.” He sounded like he was grinding his teeth. I searched his face, asking silent questions, and a muscle jumped in his jaw as he watched me. “She was a threat to you. I couldn’t have that.”
I moved closer to him. Although I didn’t agree with the method, I knew he was right. Jacqueline had done so much damage and it was time she paid for it. I wasn’t part of this life, and violence went against everything I stood for, but so did my loyalty to my family. And Jacqueline had hurt Sienna in the worst possible way.
Instead, I focused on Jonathan’s face and dark expression as he stared at Kian’s hand wrapped around my waist.
“Soph—” he started.
“How are you alive?” I didn’t mean my tone to come out so accusing, but I couldn’t help it. “You faked your own death!”
“I had to.”
