“Come on,” she ordered.
“Sloane, stop,” I said as I halted my steps just outside the door of the stairs.
My heart clenched at the realization that this would probably be the last time I would ever see Katherine or Ella again, but if they stuck with Sloane, I knew they would be fine.I knew they would thrive again.And that would be enough for me.
Because this was where I had to say goodbye.
Sloane turned back to me, her rifle still in her arms and irritated confusion on her face.
“We don’t have time to stop, Jaden.We need to go now,” she pressed, her voice taking on a sharp edge.
“I can’t go with you,” I replied sadly, placing my guns into the side holsters of my vest.
Katherine’s eyes widened as she looked back at me, fear and disbelief shadowing her gaze.“What do you mean, you can’t go with us?Jaden, you can’t stay here!Are you crazy?”Katherine argued as she set Ella down to stand next to her.
I shook my head at the both of them.
“The road for me ends here.I have to finish this.”
Sloane stared down at me, her eyes soaking up my words as understanding finally hit her.
“Finish what?”she asked, her tone taking on a dangerous bite.
I exhaled my truth.“Finish taking back my life.”
We stared at each other for what felt like a lifetime, but as Sloane studied me, she seemed to finally come to the conclusion she had been previously warned about.
“Scott was right.You were a part of this,” she stated plainly.
I shrugged with indifference.“Yes and no.I knew the attack was coming when Sid told me about it yesterday, but I had no part in planning it.”Her brows furrowed at my revelation, so I quickly expanded it.“I’ve been a prisoner here for the past four years, Sloane.Everything I’ve ever known Darren has taken from me.And I want itback.”
Sloane was silent for a moment as she absorbed what she already knew.Deep down, she knew I hated this life and wanted out.And here was my opportunity.But was she going to be the one to stand in my way?
“Jaden, you can’t stay here while the house is under attack.You’ll get yourself and your baby killed!Just come with us.We’ll figure out what to do then,” Katherine practically begged.
I shook my head at her.“Don’t worry, Katherine, there is no baby.Turns out, there never was.”
Her brows connected and nearly hit the ceiling at the same time.“What the hell are you talking about?”she practically screeched.“What do you mean never was?”
“Sid was the true master of deception.He faked my pregnancy to appease Darren and spare me the pain of having to bear his child for as long as he could help it.”
Katherine and Sloane stood there in baffled silence, staring at me like I had grown three heads.
“When did you discover this?”Sloane asked.“Did Sid tell you this?”
I nodded.“He told me yesterday.Right before he died.”
I was met with more silence, neither one of them knowing what to say.But the following booms going off above ground shook us all out of the stunning reveal.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Katherine.I’ll be fine.But I can’t run from this anymore,” I reasoned gently.“If Darren is still alive, he will hunt me to the ends of the earth.And I’m not going to live like that.I can’t.It has to end here.”
Sloane took a step closer, clutching her rifle tightly.“Then I will stay to help you,” she replied firmly.
“No, I need you to get them to safety,” I argued, pointing at Katherine and Ella.“They need you more than I do.”
Sloane sucked in a breath of frustration, indecision and turmoil storming away inside her at the idea of actually leaving me behind, the woman she had sworn to protect.But she had to know I would not go with her willingly, which would pose a risk for all of us.She would essentially have no choice but to leave me behind.
“Jaden, please don’t do this,” Katherine begged, the airy desperation in her voice almost making me feel guilty.“Just come with us.Please.”