“I’m so sorry,” Wes says to me, kissing the top of my head.
I look up at him, incredulous. “Why are you sorry? I’m sorry. For you and for Noah and for Ivy.” The two of them carry this pain around every day of their lives. I don’t know how they manage it.
“We killed your father.” Noah’s standing in front of Shane. He bends down, his palms resting on his thighs, so he can look right into Shane’s face. Then Noah slaps him again to make sure he’s awake. “Your father was our first, you know. The first horrible man we rid the world of.”
“What?” Shane shakes his head, his eyes darting around the room, appearing to have trouble focusing. They finally land on me. “Cals?”
“I’m not going to save you, Shane.” I press my lips together and gather my thoughts. He was devastated about his father’s death. But he must’ve known his father deserved it. And all the horrible things he’s done since? “You don’t deserve it.”
I think about how he hit me in the barn just a few hours ago. How he grabbed my breast and threatened to assault me. How he did much worse to a dozen or moregirls before today, none of whom had someone like Wes to save them.
I’m not going to save him.
It’s over for Shane.
“You tried to blackmail me out of my father’s inheritance. Yeah, I get it was partly because of Jones. But you could’ve talked to me. Instead, you chose violence. You chose this.”
I saw it in his eyes in the barn. They were black. Soulless. I would be dead right now if it weren’t for Wes.
“No,” Shane whimpers, but it sounds more like nah than no, probably because of the poison that’s working hard to kill him.
“I don’t forgive you for what you did to me. You didn’t protect me. You actively tried to harm me in every way. And you would’ve done worse if it weren’t for Wes and Noah.”
His eyes plead with me. I’m not sure he can even talk anymore. His face is turning an unnatural red. Again, I look for any part of me that cares.
I can’t find it.
Once again, I realize I don’t think Wes and Noah are bad. I think they’re ridding the world of horrible people. And while that isn’t the kind of justice that’s widely accepted, there is a sweet satisfaction to it. Noah and Wes are the judge, jury, and executioners, and I trust them.
“We found his copy of the divorce papers in the car,” Noah says, his voice calm.
I startle at the statement and stare at Noah, then Wes.
“It’s true.” Wes nods. “You can still file it.”
“Where is his car?”
“We’ll take care of that.” Noah says. “No one will find it. We’ll make it look like he took off.”
I’m done with Shane. I want to move on with my life.And I want to do it with Wes. I don’t care if that makes me good or bad or somewhere in the middle.
I turn toward Wes and place my palms on his chest, marveling at the feel of his hard chest beneath my hands. “Wesley, when I first met you, I was hurt and timid and angry. I didn’t want anything to do with a man ever again. But almost immediately, you started chipping away at the wall I’d built around me.”
Wes takes my wrists in his hands, running his thumbs on the sensitive insides. Electricity tingles down my arms and to my core. I marvel at the fact that every time he touches me, my body reacts with joy and desire and love.
“I can’t believe you could make me laugh. I was a hot mess, searching for Shane, mourning my father, lost in every way. I hadn’t smiled in months. But you—you made me play.” I chuckle. “And I could do it and feel safe. I could rest. Even when I was in my bed at Jake’s apartment, I knew you were protecting me. You were probably watching me.”
“I was definitely watching you. But I will do a better job of it from now on.”
“That’s fucking hot.” I feel my cheeks heat as Wes pulls my arms around his neck and slides his hands along my waist.
“Fucking hell,” Noah mutters behind us. “You two really are made for each other because that’s creepy as fuck.”
“Spoken like a true serial killer,” Wes says, his eyes locked with mine. “Keep talking, Calliope.”
“Knowing you were always there in some way made me feel the safest I’ve ever felt in my entire life. And I only wanted to be in your arms. When I sent you away in New York, I’ve never felt worse. I thought it was for the best, but every moment after that was worse than the last, up untilthe moment you found me at the barn. Walking away from you was the biggest mistake of my life.”
“Fuck, Callie,” Wes reaches down and pulls me up against him by my ass. I wrap my legs around his waist and link my hands around his neck.
