“Benji?” she says, confused.
Then she sees the gun.
Sees him.
And everything in her face changes.
Fear.
Shock.
Recognition.
“Paul?” she whispers.
And something inside me snaps.
Because the way she says his name—it’s not love.
It’s not longing.
It’s fear.
And that’s enough.
That’s all I need.
“Hey, Esme,” he says to her, his voice going soft in a way that makes my skin crawl.
I step fully in front of her.
Block her.
Shield her.
Every inch of me locked on him.
“I came back for you. Like I said I would. You don’t have to be scared,” he tells her.
The fuck she doesn’t.
“I’m here now. I found you.”
My fists clench.
My pulse roars.
“Paul, you need to leave. I’m with Benji. We’re married,” she whispers, and I can hear the tears in her voice.
“NOOOO!” he roars. “That’s wrong! You can’t be with him!”
She whimpers, and I growl.
I want to kill him.
Right now.
Right fucking now.
