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“I’m sorry for stringing you along like I did,” Leo says. “I guess I just hoped you’d eventually get pissed off enough to stand up for yourself.”

“Yeah. Well, seems like it worked,” I say, my mind still spiraling.

Leo isn’t wrong. He’s given me a lot to think about. I’ve spent my whole life putting everyone’s needs above my own. Partially because it’s my way of expressing my love, but if I’m being honest, it’s also because I don’t know who I am if I’m not the town good guy.

I’ve built my entire identity around being a stand-up man, being someone everyone could count on, and always doing the right thing. And I think I lost myself in the process.

I’ve got some inner work to do, figuring out who I am and what I want—even if it means being selfish.

“But, just to be clear…” Guy cuts in. “Leo was right both times?”

At that, Jett elbows him in the ribs.

“Ow. What was that for?” Guy grunts, doubling over. “I was making sure I had the facts right.”

“You just looked like you were enjoying that a little too much,” Jett says with a shrug.

“So what do we do now?” Luka asks.

An idea comes to mind that’s probably going to piss off a lot of people… Which tells me it’s exactly what I have to do.

“I think there’s only one answer…”

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Kira

I grip the steering wheel, keeping my eyes glued to the dark, winding road in front of me. If I thought the roads around Ashford Falls were sketchy, they have nothing on this dark highway.

And this dense fog that seems to have come out of nowhere isn’t helping.

The airport is just over an hour away, but it looks like it’s going to take me at least two—if I’m lucky.

It’s not like the plane’s going to leave without me.

As always, Claire’s plan to spin this hinges on my participation. Whether I like it or not.

Roman tried to call me about an hour ago, but I sent it to voicemail. I’ll explain everything later, when I’m not driving through fog on the side of a mountain. Right now, I need every bit of my attention on the road.

When I finally make it to the small private airport, I follow the signs to the back side where I see the plane waiting for me.

I don’t even bother with parking, just pull onto the tarmac, stopping a safe distance away.

I hastily grab the papers from the dash and climb out of the truck.

The drive gave me plenty of time to reconsider this plan, plenty of alone time with my thoughts for any doubts to creep in.

But no matter how I saw it playing out, my decision remained the same. I’ll gladly deal with the fallout.

A young, red-haired woman steps off first. She’s holding a clipboard and has an earpiece in her ear. “She’s just pulled up,” she says to the person on the line, Claire, I imagine. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be sure to tell her.”

Her smile grows wider as I approach. “Welcome, Miss Blakely. Do you have any bags I can start loading⁠—”

“Where’s Augustus?” I ask, looking at the jet behind her. “I need to speak with him.”

“Oh…um,” the young woman stutters, her shoulders rising to her ears like she’s bracing herself for an attack.

With as desensitized as I’ve become, having the worst projected onto me, it still amazes me that people choose to believe the most ridiculous rumors. Poor thing is probably pissing her pants having to be so close to me while I’m clearly upset.